Saint Joseph's Nature Sanctuary

Saint Joseph's Nature Sanctuary is the result of a unique partnership of local civic and nonprofit organizations who came together in 2021 around a four-acre plot of land owned by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Lyon along the Sebasticook River in Winslow, Maine. Together, these partners seek to create a welcoming place where anyone can share and learn ways of caring for the earth, build community, integrate their own spirituality, or simply enjoy nature's beauty.

Our Fundraising Campaign is underway!

Together with our partners, we have made a great deal of progress toward the Sisters' vision of a nature sanctuary for all to enjoy. We have achieved the following successes since starting our work in 2021:

* Finished construction of Joseph House, a 3-season, screened-in, accessible learning space
* Provided free monthly educational / experiential programs
* Developed a perimeter train around the property
* Planted a vegetable garden as part of a "lasagna gardening" workshop
* Built two brick herb spirals
* Built three tree guilds
* Dug and planted two earth berms / water gardens to mitigate water flow erosion on the property
* Built a small bridge along the perimeter trail

We are excited about our future plans, which include

* Increasing accessibility by paving the path to Joseph House
* Running electricity to the Joseph House
* Extending the path toward the ash tree guild in the meadow to a small parking and picnic area with views of the property
* Continued maintenance of Joseph House
* The creation of more trails.

Our goal is to raise $20,000 for the above-mentioned improvements to the property and the nature sanctuary.

To learn more about our fundraising campaign, or to donate to the sanctuary, please click the link below:

Skills Sharing Events

Our upcoming Skills Sharing events are listed below. To get more information, or to register for a class, contact us at connect@csjmaine.org.

  • January 24, 2026 - Explore the World of Tea
  • February 7, 2026 - Geology of Maine
  • February 28, 2026 - Winter Nature Walk
  • March 28, 2026 - Grassland Birds
  • April 11, 2026 - Birding
  • April 25, 2026 - Cool Crops

Scenes from past Skills Sharing Events

Building Joseph House with Habitat for Humanity

Nature Sanctuary Founding Partners

We are thankful for the following groups who joined us to create Saint Joseph's Nature Sanctuary:

Sisters of Saint Joseph of Lyon - Maine
Mid-Maine Permaculture
Winslow Agricultural Commission
Kennebec Messalonskee Trails
Girls Scouts of Maine / Troop 545

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