On Saturday, March 14 the public is invited to a free workshop designed to bring them up to speed on the identification and mitigation of invasive plants and insects in the Midcoast. The workshop is sponsored by the Damariscotta River Association (DRA) and Hidden Valley Nature Center (HVNC). It will be held at DRA’s Great Salt Bay Heritage Center, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The morning session will feature invasive plants. Come learn to identify the top terrestrial and wetland invasive plants. Nancy Olmstead, invasive plant biologist from the Maine Natural Areas Program, will cover what makes these plants so successful and the field marks that will help you find them. Also on the agenda: how to use the new online mapping tool, iMapInvasives.

The afternoon session will feature invasive insects. Lorraine Taft from the Maine Forest Pest Survey Outreach Project will introduce participants to the current and looming threats posed by non-native insects like the emerald ash borer and the hemlock wooly adelgid. Early detection of the spread of these insects is key to minimizing their negative impact on our native forests. We'll learn about basic insect ecology, identification, and outreach efforts that all of us can use in our communities.

The program is free of charge. To register for the program or for more information call 207-563-1393, email dra@damariscottariver.org, or view their website at www.damariscottariver.org.

For more information: wwww.hvnc.org, info@hvnc.org, or 207-200-8840.