More Than a Skills Day:
Women Find Community and Capability in the Maine Woods
The Bar Harbor Story is generously sponsored by Paradis Ace Hardware.
MOUNT DESERT—The echo of the axe strikes against the deadfall echo through the woods at Camp Beech Cliff underneath the melody of the song birds lyricizing through the trees.
Occasionally a woman’s voice exclaims. Excited words drift through the Maine trees.
“That’s good! That’s good!” Instructor Tessa Storey says to the women wielding axes. “Be mindful.”
Being mindful is the theme for the day that’s all about women learning skills.
Women’s Spring Skills Day was supported by Camp Beech Cliff (CBC), Outdoor Maine Programs, and Machias Savings Bank.
All day axes ring, a campfire crackles, and confidence grows. In the company of pines and purpose, women learn, laugh, and lead at CBC’s Skills Day.
“Love the sounds I’m hearing!” Storey calls out. “How is everyone feeling?”
“Good!”
“Good!”
It’s a chorus of affirmatives.
Nearby, women tend to a fire. Beyond them, attendees surround an outdoor table, metal and shiny beneath the greens and knives.
“We’re going to make a little packet for that,” John Gonter tells them. “Are you ready?”
They are so ready.
In a yurt beyond that, Karen Zimmerman holds up a book and tells the women seated in front of her, “It’s very easy to get mixed up with common names because there are many plants with the same common names.”
No common names are being used in the yurt on Sunday. Instead, it’s all scientific.
As one said later, it was an “awesome day feeling strong and capable.”
“This is more than a skills day—it’s about community, connection, and reclaiming a sense of belonging in the outdoors. We’re focused on building a culture of inclusion, confidence, and access. Camp Beech Cliff is proud to be part of this momentum, and we’re committed to making our outdoor education offerings impactful and open to all,” said CBC Director of Outdoor Education Kareem A. Dieng.
The day is part of larger initiative for Camp Beech Cliff.
“Camp Beech Cliff is a year-round nonprofit outdoor education and recreation center and an American Camp Association-accredited Maine summer day camp,” Dieng said. “While it is widely recognized locally for its summer camp offerings and youth services, this event is a continuation of CBC’s year-round outdoor education programming—and specifically its programming for adults—as well as its initiative to increase access to outdoor skills and ecological literacy by developing inclusive programs intended to reach underserved and marginalized populations.”
It’s about support.
It’s about learning.
It’s about growth.
That growth is for the individuals who take to the outside, who learn the skills and join in with camaraderie.
“The potential benefits of participating in physical activity in the outdoors are known to be highly therapeutic and empowering. The last two decades have seen an increase in outdoor recreation research focusing on the social, mental, and physical implications for women in particular (Bosteder & Appleby, 2015),” J.S. Kovach at Utah Valley University wrote. “Inequities regarding participation in outdoor recreational activities exist between men and women, and women face constraints unique to their gender. These constraints include but are not limited to: societal and behavioral expectations, perceived low body image, self-consciousness, misrepresentation in the media, and a lack of appropriate gear designed for women…”
Kovach continues, “… When women are able to overcome these barriers or even simply dare to step into a canoe in the outdoors (as an example), research has found that positive outdoor recreational experiences dramatically increase a woman’s self-valuation, self-confidence, and belief in her ability to lead.”
That growth is also for the camp itself.
“CBC works continuously to support the community—near and far—through top-notch youth programming and by increasing awareness of its year-round adult programs. This event was presented in partnership with the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife,” Dieng said. “The ‘Maine Outdoor Programs’ brand is an all-encompassing title that captures MDIFW’s educational programming. This event in particular represents the didactic evolution of the Becoming an Outdoors Woman program CBC hosted in May 2024, albeit no longer directly affiliated with that nationally recognized brand.”
HOW IT BEGAN
Camp Beech Cliff has been developing a relationship with the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife through Dieng’s efforts since 2023. Beginning with conversations around bolstering CBC’s Junior Maine Guide program, Dieng facilitated alignment between the two organizations and introduced this program as the first step in delivering collaborative outdoor education experiences through the suite of services MDIFW offers.
A registered Maine Guide with specializations in both outdoor recreation and sea kayaking, Dieng is also a wilderness first responder and a certified wildlife tracker, holding a track and sign professional certification from CyberTracker Conservation.
Camp Beech Cliff’s goal is to continue developing initiatives that increase exposure to community-based outdoor and environmental learning opportunities, with a focused lens on equitable access to these transformative experiences, Dieng said.
TEAM EFFORT AND WORK BEHIND THE SCENES
“This workshop is designed to provide opportunity for women who are 18 and older to gain or improve skills in hunting, fishing, and outdoor recreation in a safe and comfortable environment. A one-day workshop held in May with activities including but not limited to: sea kayaking, wild game cooking, wilderness survival skills, reading the forested landscape, land navigation, and more,” according to the information provided before the event.
Workshops included reading the forested landscape, learning to hunt, introduction to wildlife tracking, introduction to archery and bowhunting skills, identifying and foraging edible and medicinal plants, bushcraft and survival in the Maine woods, introduction to sea kayaking, land navigation, and from field to fork wild game cooking.
“Organizing the Women's Spring Skills Day was truly a team effort,” Dieng said. “Everyone at Camp Beech Cliff worked diligently to bring all of the pieces together. As a nonprofit, CBC operates with a small but mighty team—each member wearing many hats. Coordinating an event with a governmental entity and over 100 participants was a significant undertaking, requiring months of preparation. The team built on lessons learned from running the event in 2024 to strengthen this year’s experience.”
It’s a one-day event, but part of a broader progression, Dieng said.
Plans are already underway to offer multi-day experiences. Those will likely begin next year.
“CBC is also planning to host another Skills Day this fall—open to all genders—in partnership with the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife,” Dieng said. “Interested participants are encouraged to keep an eye out for that opportunity and to reach out to join both Camp Beech Cliff’s and MDIFW’s mailing lists to stay informed.”
WHO TAUGHT THE SKILLS
“The event brought together experts and community members from across Mount Desert Island as instructors and facilitators, and served as a platform for participants to build skills, make connections, and develop relationships that will continue beyond their time at the Women’s Spring Skills Day,” Dieng said.
Camp Beech Cliff (CBC) Instructors:
Molly Stewart – Introduction to Wildlife Identification and Foraging
Molly is CBC’s summer camp program head of nature and a local resident of Mount Desert Island. Their workshop focused on identifying wildlife and edible plants, providing participants with foundational foraging skills.
Karen Zimmerman – Gifts of Nature: Identifying and Foraging Edible and Medicinal Plants
Karen is a Maine Master Naturalist and Registered Maine Guide, residing in Otter Creek. Her session emphasized ethical foraging practices and plant identification.
Carol Leonard – Assistant instructor for foraging
Carol is also a Maine Master Naturalist and supported Karen Zimmerman in delivering the workshop with additional ecological insight.
Tom Wessels – Reading the Forested Landscape
An internationally renowned ecologist and professor emeritus at Antioch University New England, Tom is also a local resident of MDI. His workshop explored forest interpretation, land-use history, and ecological storytelling.
Paige Steele – Introduction to Sea Kayaking
Paige is the Acadia for All Director at Friends of Acadia and a master Maine guide with a specialization in sea kayaking. She led a gentle and empowering introduction to sea kayaking skills and paddling on freshwater.
Tessa Storey – Bushcraft and Survival in the Maine Woods
Tessa is CBC’s assistant director of outdoor education, a registered Maine guide, and the program head of Junior Maine Guide during summer camp. Her session covered fire-building, knots, shelter-making, and survival mindset in the Maine woods.
Jules Olbrantz – Introduction to Wildlife Tracking
Jules is a certified wildlife tracker, holding a track and sign professional certification from CyberTracker Conservation. Their workshop focused on tracking techniques and interpreting sign across field, forest, and shore.
Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (MDIFW) Instructors:
Haleigh White – Introduction to Archery and Bowhunting Skills
Haleigh is the recreational safety coordinator for Washington County with the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. She is also an accomplished hunter and outdoor educator, passionate about mentoring new and nontraditional participants in archery and hunting.
Gary Proulx – Land Navigation: Map and Compass
Gary is a recreational safety coordinator with the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and also serves as conservation education coordinator at the UMaine 4-H Camp at Bryant Pond. He is a registered Maine guide and level II National 4-H shooting sports instructor with deep experience in outdoor safety and navigation.
Carmen Bombeke – Learn to Hunt
Carmen is a Registered Maine Guide specializing in hunting and fishing, and serves as an instructor with the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. Her workshop introduced participants to hunting fundamentals, safety, ethics, and strategies for those new to the field.
John Gonter – From Field to Fork: Wild Game Cooking
John teaches cooking, foraging, fishing, and hunter safety, and volunteers as an instructor with both Vermont Fish & Wildlife and the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. His workshop offered participants a practical and flavorful introduction to wild game preparation, food ethics, and outdoor cooking techniques.
LINKS TO LEARN MORE
Maine Outdoor Programs via IFW with upcoming programs
Maine Outdoor Learning Initiative
Update: Immediately after putting out this story, I realized I forgot to credit the photos. I took them.
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