Nature Walk // Book Talk // Wolfe's Neck

As we continue our NEA Big Read series "On Nature," we invite you to join us IN nature for a reflective walk near the Wolfe's Neck Center.

Melia Coletta will select children's nature books adjacent to Daniel Mason's North Woods. We'll read the books, reflect, and walk the Farm Discovery Trail to connect the writing to the land.

All ages are welcome. We recommend bringing comfortable clothes, sunscreen, walking shoes, and a water bottle.

Free to the public. Please register in advance, as space is limited.

Saturday, April 18, at 10:00 AM, approximately 60 minutes, and 1mile.

PARKING, TRANSPORTATION & WAYFINDING

The Wolfe's Neck Smith Center is located at184 Burnett Road in Freeport, Maine. There is limited parking in a parking lot, with some on-street parking available.

The center has fully accessible ADA entrances and single-stall bathrooms, although ideally, we will be outside for the program. View the Campus Map.

ABOUT THE FACILITATOR

Melia (she/her) became a Facilitator in 2023. She is currently a nonprofit Development Database Consultant at Brightspot Consultants and enjoys supporting all different organizations doing critical work in Maine and New Hampshire. She is passionate about creating conversation and understanding through stories. When not reading, Melia enjoys board games, cooking good food, and checking out large piles of books from her local library.

ABOUT THE PARTNERS

This series is a partnership of Momentum Conservation and Mechanics' Hall, with this walk supported by Portland Trails.

Momentum Conservation is a field-building organization that encourages bold systems change, leans into new ways of thinking, and centers relationships. Our core strategies are to strengthen through grantmaking, support through capacity building, and connect through convening, and we work with organizations and individuals committed to making lasting change. Momentum is based in Portland and operates in a state-wide capacity.

Operating as a nonprofit organization since 1997, and an organic coastal farm for over sixty years, Wolfe’s Neck Center for Agriculture and the Environment is a farm-based education, research, and visitor center set amidst more than 600 acres of conserved open space along Casco Bay in Freeport, Maine.

ABOUT THE SERIES

Mechanics' Hall was selected to be part of the NEA Big Read. From October 2025 to July 2026. We will work with community partners to present a wide range of public programs inspired by Daniel Mason’s novel North Woods.

Events are centered on the theme "On Nature" and will focus on nature, resilience, and human connection. These activities highlight how Maine’s history of conservation and public land stewardship shows how our physical environment can foster hope, courage, and a sense of belonging, encouraging meaningful dialogue about nature’s role in strengthening community bonds.

NEA Big Read is a program of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest. To find out more about how National Endowment for the Arts grants impact individuals and communities, visit

El proyecto NEA Big Read es una iniciativa del National Endowment for the Arts (el Fondo Nacional para las Artes de Estados Unidos) en cooperación con Arts Midwest.

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Host or Publisher Mechanics' Hall (Maine)