Calendar of Events
Early Morning Forest Bathing
Start your day with birdsong, morning light, and the quiet power of nature connection on a morning meander through meadows and woodlands with naturalist Susie Spikol and yoga instructor Marilyn Wyzga.
Easygoing Hike Along Lead Mine Road
Join Jeremy Wilson and Brett Amy Thelen for a relaxed, 3.2-mile ramble along one of the SuperSanctuary's most scenic country roads — and to learn some of the remarkable conservation history of the protected lands surrounding Lead Mine Road, Center Pond, and Silver Lake, which total hundreds of acres in all.
SuperSanctuary Butterfly Count
Join the SuperSanctuary Butterfly Club as we survey local meadows, woodlands, and wetland edges for coppers, crescents, skippers, swallowtails, fritillaries, and other beautiful butterflies! The data we collect will be submitted to both the North American Butterfly Association and the NH Butterfly Monitoring Network.
Summer Camp: Woodlanders
Woodlanders camp is the perfect adventure for young nature enthusiasts entering grades 1 through 5! Days are spent climbing boulders in the forest, playing a game of Bobcat, making paper with pressed fresh flowers, and more. This camp is from July 21 to July 25.
Wild Paddlers on the Contoocook River
Join Harris Center and Peterborough Recreation staff for a morning paddle along a quiet, meandering stretch of the Contoocook River. As we go, we’ll search for birds, turtles, and other wildlife. Bring your own kayak, canoe, or SUP, along with paddles and PFDs for each person in your boat.
Wild STEM Scientists Investigate: Puke, Poop, and Slime!
Jaffrey Public Library 38 Main St., Jaffrey, NH, United StatesJoin Harris Center naturalists Jaime Hutchinson and Susie Spikol to discover how scientists learn about our wild world by investigating some of nature's grosser offerings. Dissect owl “puke,” learn to identify animals from their poop, and stir up a batch of slime that rivals a slug's slimy trail. For ages 6 through 12.
Kids Count: Monarchs & Milkweed Survey
If you love monarch butterflies and want to help scientists find out more about these remarkable insects, here’s your chance! Spend a morning with a team of Harris Center naturalists as we count monarch eggs, caterpillars, and butterflies for science.
Monitoring for Monarchs
Take part in the International Monarch Monitoring Blitz by joining Harris Center ecologists Brett Amy Thelen and Nate Marchessault to survey for monarch eggs, caterpillars, and butterflies in a local milkweed patch. No experience necessary!
Mushroom Meander with the Morel Quandary Club in Hancock
Let the fascinating world of fungi capture your imagination on this walk with mushroom mavens John Benjamin and George Caughey. Discover summertime mushrooms, and find out about the complex role this kingdom plays in our woodland ecosystems.
A Gentle Pathway into Bird Studies: A Workshop for Teachers
Join Harris Center teacher-naturalists Jenna Spear and Jaime Hutchinson for this fun, energizing professional development workshop for teachers of all grades. Whether you’re an experienced birder or a novice, you’ll come away from this workshop with the confidence that you can help your students discover the fascinating world of local birds.
Film Showing: Good-Bye To A House
Good-Bye To a House, a 22-minute documentary about Seaver Farm in Harrisville, is a lyrical account of an ordinary farm caught in the current of history. The film is a personal inquiry into local history, the caretakers of special places, and the importance of remembering. A Q&A with the filmmaker Chris Hardee, Phil Brown of the Harris Center, and Jenna Carroll from the Historical Society of Cheshire County will follow the screening.
Pre-show Talk: Native Gardens
Join the Harris Center for a lively pre-show talk before Native Gardens at the Peterborough Players on August 1. Hear from naturalist Susie Spikol plus Emily Drury and Carly Roland from Princess Pine — a local landscape design company— about the value of native gardens and tips for growing your own. Show ticket required.
LGBTQIA+ Community Hike at Chesterfield Gorge
Join Richard Doherty (he/him), Audrey Dunn (she/her), and Hunter Kirschner (he/they) for an LGBTQIA+ community hike at Chesterfield Gorge State Park. We’ll explore the beauty of this stunning rock canyon at a leisurely pace, then eat lunch together at a nearby picnic area. This hike is specifically for members of the LGBTQIA+ community.
Babies in Backpacks & Toddlers in Tow at Tenant Swamp Boardwalk in Keene
Tenant Swamp Boardwalk 167 Maple Avenue, Keene, United StatesJoin Harris Center naturalist Susie Spikol to explore, wander, and discover the magic of nearby nature at Tenant Swamp in Keene, a unique wetland and mixed forest ecosystem accessible via a scenic boardwalk. These pint-sized adventures are perfect for little legs and for babies in front packs, backpacks, slings, or wraps.
North Pack Monadnock Hike
Join Phil Brown and Jessie James for challenging 6-mile loop hike along a beautiful trail to a scenic viewpoint on North Pack Monadnock.
Starting the School Year with Nature as Your Co-Teacher
Join Harris Center teacher-naturalists Jenna Spear and Jaime Hutchinson for this fun and energizing professional development workshop for K to 5th-grade teachers. The first two months of school are the perfect time to establish a class culture that includes focused, nature-based learning. This workshop will kick off your outdoor planning by offering numerous strategies for including fresh-air learning during the school day.
Invertebrates by Blacklight
Join naturalists Steven Lamonde, Nate Marchessault, and Susie Spikol for a nocturnal natural history adventure! Using special blacklights and flashlights, we’ll search for moths, caterpillars, and more. Discover the fascinating world of fluorescence, and see a summer night in a whole new light.
Easygoing Hike at Little Brook Farm
Join avid hikers and outdoor enthusiasts Ben Haubrich and Jim Rothnie for a summer saunter at a special property in Jaffrey. We’ll begin in a beautiful garden on private land, then proceed through a mixed hardwood and evergreen forest and along the edge of an active beaver pond.
In Praise of Goldenrods, in the Garden & Beyond
Goldenrods are a vital part of the food web, with some species ideal for gardens and others better suited to roadsides. Francie Von Mertens has taken a deep dive into the world of goldenrods and will share her discoveries.
Birding for All: Birding the Nighthawk Migration
Nighthawks are among the last migrants to arrive each spring and the earliest to depart each “fall,” with southbound migration peaking in late August. Join nighthawk enthusiasts Cliff Seifer and Brett Amy Thelen to search for the spectacle!
Wild Paddlers at Willard Pond
Join Harris Center and Peterborough Recreation staff for a morning paddle on the quiet waters of Willard Pond, a secluded pond surrounded by conservation land. As we go, we’ll search for birds, turtles, loons, and signs of other wildlife.
Veterans Hike up Mount Skatutakee
Join the Harris Center and Keene Vet Center for a morning hike up Mount Skatutakee! As we travel along the 3-mile roundtrip Harriskat Trail, we’ll keep our eyes open for early signs of late summer, from mushrooms to migrating birds. This hike is only for veterans.
ESI Course: Getting to Know the Goldenrods
Harris Center & local field sites 83 King's Highway, HancockGoldenrods, with their beautiful late-season blooms, gently usher us out of the growing season and into the senescence of autumn. Join ecologist Nate Marcessault for an exploration of these diverse but approachable native plants.
Mushroom Meander with the Morel Quandary Club in Chesterfield
Let the fascinating world of fungi capture your imagination on this walk with mushroom mavens John Benjamin and George Caughey. Discover late summertime mushrooms, and learn about the complex role this kingdom plays in our woodland ecosystems.
Forest Bathing Soak
Hancock Hancock, NH, United StatesJoin naturalist Susie Spikol and yoga instructor Marilyn Wyzga for Forest Bathing — a mindful nature experience combining sensory awareness, standing yoga poses, and breathwork. Wear a swimsuit for this rare chance to wade into the clear waters of Nubanusit Lake from a private beach.
Kestrels Young Birders Club: Nighthawk Migration Watch
Join Phil Brown and Susie Spikol for a look up at the remarkable evening migration of Common Nighthawks. If it's an average night, we should get good looks at a handful of these acrobatic flyers. If it's better than average, we just might see hundreds of nighthawks foraging in giant flocks.
Ask A Naturalist
Join our team of talented naturalists as they explore some of the region’s most intriguing natural history mysteries. If you have questions you’d like us to answer (“what’s this thing I found in the woods?!”), submit them by August 25!
ESI Course: Getting to Know the Goldenrods
Harris Center & local field sites 83 King's Highway, HancockGoldenrods, with their beautiful late-season blooms, gently usher us out of the growing season and into the senescence of autumn. Join ecologist Nate Marcessault for an exploration of these diverse but approachable native plants.
Art for Birds: Artist Talk with Robert Hauser
This exhibit features Robert Hauser's art assemblages and “cabinets of curiosities,” which explore the complex cultural dynamics between humans and birds. This art show will be on exhibit from September 2 to 30 in the Babbitt Room. A reception and artist talk will be held on Thursday, September 11 from 6 to 7 p.m.
What We Know About Bird Flu
Join Dr. David Needle, senior veterinary pathologist at the New Hampshire Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, to learn more about the emerging concern of avian influenza. Dr. Needle will review the biology behind this virus, how it’s transmitted, its impact on wildlife, and how it’s affecting humans.
