Rich Bard

The Scarborough Public Library’s popular Armchair Traveler Series will present local author Rich Bard, wildlife biologist and executive director of Scarborough Land Trust, on Tuesday, June 16 at 6:30 p.m. He will provide a virtual presentation based on his book, “Beyond Acadia: Exploring the Bold Coast of Down East Maine,” the very first travel guide covering the area of coast roughly between Acadia National Park and Canada. The program is free and open to the public. To receive the virtual program link, email ljnorvell@scarboroughlibrary.org with your name and email address.

“Right now is a perfect time to dream about places you’d like to explore, including some that are not so very far away,” Bard said. “As the world reawakens from sheltering-in-place this summer, the Bold Coast offers a place to recapture a connection with wild nature and the authentic Down East way of living.”

The program on June 16 will center on a discussion of the countless ways to engage with the natural world in the Bold Coast area. Highlights will include little-known hiking trails; paddling options; and how to access locally grown food, arts, and music that evoke the landscape in which they were created. “More than a decade as a state wildlife biologist had me hiking, paddling, and snowshoeing on a nearly daily basis,” said Bard, “I spent 15 years in careers that exposed me to the nooks and crannies of the Bold Coast, giving me a broad view of everything the region has to offer.”

“While the Library has continued to offer some of its ongoing programs online, we are thrilled that Rich Bard’s Armchair Traveler presentation on Down East Maine’s Bold Coast will be our first ”virtual event’ since in-person programming was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” Adult Services Manager Catherine Morrison said. “We’ll all be traveling closer to home this summer, so this highly visual presentation will be the perfect way to learn about Maine’s less-traveled treasures.”

Learn more about the upcoming virtual presentation,” Beyond Acadia: Exploring the Bold Coast of Down East Maine” on the Library’s website www.scarboroughlibrary.org/adults/events.