Acadia National Park, in collaboration with Friends of Acadia and Schoodic Institute, invites tenacious hikers to bring bags of soil to the summits of Penobscot and Sargent Mountains.

This year, the recurring Save Our Summits Volunteer Program will take place every Wednesday from June through September, 2024. Hikes run from 8:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., weather permitting. Advanced registration is required. Register for your Save Our Summits hike and learn more about how to prepare for the event: Save Our Summits registration

Despite growing in hard conditions, Acadia’s mountain plants are not adapted to foot traffic, and decades of trampling by humans has damaged plant communities and eroded soil at the top of mountains. More frequent extreme weather events, which damage landscapes, cultural resources, and infrastructure, are speeding the loss of soil and making it harder for plants to grow back on their own.

Therese Miller, left, and Gary Stellpflug, middle, drop off bags of soil at the summit of Sargent Mountain with Friends of Acadia Summit Steward Molly Bogner during the Save our Summits hike up Sargent and Penobscot Mountains in Acadia National Park in 2023. (Photo by Sam Mallon/Friends of Acadia)

For the last several years, Acadia National Park, Friends of Acadia, Schoodic Institute, and Native Plant Trust worked together to evaluate how to best restore Acadia’s summits. Turns out, replacing soil lost from the summits is a critical piece of the revegetation puzzle, providing a place for seeds to settle and grow. Last year, volunteers helped carry 3,765lbs of soil to the summits. By carrying soil to the summits of Sargent and Penobscot Mountains, you’ll play an important role in the restoration of these vital ecosystems and their resilience to a changing climate.

Additional Coverage:

Registration opens for weekly Save Our Summits – via MDIslander