Description
Cost: Cost-Free | Mobility Access: Lodging includes use of stairs to access bedrooms. Field time will occur on uneven terrain and varying substrates including sand, mud, woodland paths with roots/sticks.
Join Us for the 2026 Tracking & Community Weekend
Event Details:
Dates: Fri, Oct 2 – Sun, Oct 4, 2026
Location: Greater Portland, Maine
Cost: Free - Grant Funded Event
Lodging: Rental home with double and single occupancy rooms, common kitchen and dining
Eligibility:Maine residents who identify as BIPOC
Capacity: 11 participants
We’re excited to welcome participants to a free, grant-funded weekend of Wildlife Tracking and community time for Maine residents who identify as BIPOC. All meals and lodging are included, thanks to support from the Onion Foundation.
This program is a weekend of collaborative learning and mentorship with close friend and ally, Daniel Hansche (they/them) of Tracker Certification North America. We will explore local natural areas and consider questions such as,
Who moved through this space?
How many individual animals were there?
What species of animal made these marks?
Who ate these acorns?
After several such questions which we consider independently, we will learn from each other and our mentor Daniel as we discuss and share answers.
What You’ll Learn:
Identifyng various species’ tracks • Discerning how an animal was moving based on the pattern of their tracks • Interpreting feeding sign on plants • Ecological relationships • And much more!
Registration Information:
Space is limited—sign up early.
For questions or to inquire about registration:
amy@whitepineprograms.org
We hope you’ll join us for a meaningful, skill-building, community-centered weekend outdoors.
About Daniel Hansche (they/them)
A wildlife tracker & mentor with over 30 years of field experience, Daniel’s work in conservation & education has taken them to wolf dens, elk herds, rhino encounters, & lion trails. They are a Track & Sign Evaluator with Tracker Certification North America and certified in Eurasia & Africa. Daniel has intensively mentored well over 100 wildlife trackers and taught many hundreds through workshops & trainings. Brimming with creativity, their approach to mentoring is unlike any other. Everyone has unique gifts, needs, & styles. One of Daniel’s virtues is in learning, respecting, and serving each student’s needs while tending to a group’s cohesion. After decades in the US, Daniel moved to Germany and founded Spur Wander to further offer high-quality experience & trainings to wildlife trackers worldwide.
