“After many years working in local nonprofit administration, in 2018 Nan Cumming, former executive director of Portland Trails and then director of institutional advancement at the Maine Historical Society, joined land advocate Lucas St. Clair and a board of trustees to found the Portland Parks Conservancy..”

PORTLAND-- In many parks and wildlife areas across the state, environmental experts say a new invasive species is starting to take over.

"It's called swallowwort," volunteer coordinator for the Portland Parks Conservancy Kate Shambaugh said. "It has really shiny dark green leaves, twisting vines, and produces little pods that look like pea pods."

The inaugural program, funded through private donations, will give 24 teenagers experience working outdoors in city parks, where they can learn about trees, plants, wildlife and more.

Riverton Trolley Park was only open for about 40 years and is now getting overdue improvements

The city of Portland, in coordination with a nonprofit, has started a nearly $500,000 project to rehabilitate the 19-acre park, which was once a premier destination in Maine.

The city’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Facilities and the Portland Parks Conservancy have officially launched Portland Youth Corps, a service and conservation program that will pay teens to work on city parks projects.

Portland councilors accepted over $125,000 in private donations for parks projects, including $85,000 to expand a skateboard park in Libbytown, $20,000 to begin a summer youth service program and $20,000 to expand a small boat launch at East End Beach.

Although the skatepark project received the largest donation, city staff and councilors were most enthusiastic about the $20,000 donation from the Portland Parks Conservancy to begin a Youth Corps, which aims to provide training and service opportunities to underserved youth through a summer work program in the city’s parks and open spaces.

The groups receiving grants include Portland Parks Conservancy, Somerset Woods Trustees and the group Hearty Roots.

PORTLAND (WGME) – It’s no secret young people have been harshly impacted by the pandemic, so Portland Parks Conservancy thought it would be the perfect time to offer area teens the opportunity to get involved in their community, while also making money.

Portland Youth Corps will allow teenagers to explore careers in conservation and environmental stewardship while working on city park projects and learning from pros.

When Mike Dugay looks at Fort Gorges, he sees a historic landmark in desperate need of repair and a location perfect to make that happen… The location, Dugay says, could not be better for a restaurant and brewpub and, at some point in the future, a bed-and-breakfast in the historic officers’ quarters. The type of financial investment needed to make that happen would help stabilize the fort, improve public access and allow many more people to visit, he said.

The Portland Parks Conservancy is looking to establish a Portland Youth Corps for the city parks, while raising money to increase access and enjoyment of a playground and planned trail system in the Riverton neighborhood.

The group "Friends of Fort Gorges" is telling its members that the fort is being threatened with commercial development.

These skills courses, which are roughly the size of basketball courts, foster better bike-handling aptitude and offer fun on two wheels.