Saint Joseph's Nature Sanctuary Annual Campaign

Your Support Provides Accessible Earth-Friendly Education in Central Maine

Saint Joseph Nature Sanctuary is a unique partnership with the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Lyon in Maine, community members, and civic and nonprofit organizations. Together we seek to create a welcoming place for all to learn ways of caring for the earth. 

We are excited about our future plans to continue growing, which include:

• Paving the path to the Joseph House
• Run electricity to the Joseph House
• Creating a new picnic/viewing area with a paved path
• Building additional trails around the property
• Continued maintenance of buildings and green spaces

With thanks to our volunteers and donors, we have accomplished the following over the last three years:

• Built Joseph House (a three-season, screened-in accessible learning space) in partnership with Waterville Habitat for Humanity
• Provided free monthly/bimonthly educational and experiential expert-led programs
• Developed a perimeter trail with educational signage
• Planted a vegetable garden
• Built two brick herb spirals and three tree guilds
• Dug and planted two earth berms/water gardens to stop water flow erosion
• Built a small bridge over a wet area on the perimeter trail with help from the Girl Scouts

Your donation will help Saint Joseph's Nature Sanctuary continue to grow as a haven for community building, education and spirituality. 

***Our goal is $20,000***

We have already received our first donation in the amount of $5,000 from the family of Sr. Judy Donovan, in honor of their mother, Rosemary Donovan.

To donate, you can use the form on this page or, if you prefer, you can donate by check. Please make checks out to the Sisters of St. Joseph of Lyon-Maine, write "SJNS" (Saint Joseph's Nature Sanctuary) in the note to ensure your donation is applied directly to support Saint Joseph's Nature Sanctuary, and mail to: Sisters of St. Joseph, 80 Garland Road, Winslow, ME 04901

Partners: Sisters of Saint Joseph of Lyon, Mid-Maine Permaculture, Maine Master Naturalists, Winslow Agricultural Commission, Girl Scout Troop #545, Kennebec/Messalonskee Trails and individual volunteers.