The "Black Ghost" of Maine

By Melanie Brooks
Illustration by Brad Eden

In honor of the hunting guide who was mauled by a bear earlier this week, I'd like to tell you about a neat event the Bangor Land Trust has planned for next weekend...a Bear Walk!


Join the Bangor Land Trust and amateur naturalist Ryan Robbins in search of a Maine black bear in the Walden-Parke Preserve in Bangor. Robbins has been documenting black bears in and around Rolland F. Perry City Forest and the Walden-Parke Preserve for the last 5 years to learn more about Maine's most mysterious and often feared mammal.

Learn about black bear biology, behavior, and misconceptions. You will also learn now to identify bear signs in order to track their travels. The walk will be about 2.5 miles round trip. Participants are asked to bring along a flash light and to please leave their dogs at home.

The walk will start at 4 pm on September 25 (rain date September 26) at the BLT kiosk at the end of Tamarack Trail. For more info please contact Deb DeForest at 942-1010. Happy hunting!

Directions: Go north on Essex St. about 4 miles from the intersection with Stillwater Ave., passing Church Rd. on your left. Take your next right onto Walden-Parke Way at the entrance of the Edgewood Subdivision. Turn right onto Tamarack Trail and park at the end of the road, where you will see a BLT kiosk.