COVID-19 UPDATE: The Harris Center building will be closed to visitors until further notice. Our trails and grounds remain open.
Calendar of Events

March 2021
Women in Science Speaker Series: Milkweed, Monarchs & More
Celebrate Women's History Month with this series of talks highlighting women scientists in New England and beyond! In the inaugural talk, join undergraduate researcher Katie Galletta to learn about the interactions between monarch butterflies and the larger community of milkweed-eating insects.
Learn more »Environmental Studies Institute: “What A Wonderful World” Song Club with Jazimina MacNeil
Join mezzo-soprano Jazimina MacNeil to explore a treasure trove of songs written by great artists who drew inspiration from the natural world -- from Schubert to Amy Beach to Stevie Wonder. Like a book club, but with songs!
Learn more »LAB GIRLS Goes Wild: A Monthly Online STEM Club for Girls
Calling all girls from grades 5 through 12! Join us for this fun, monthly, online afterschool club to grow your skills as a wildlife scientist.
Learn more »Women in Science Speaker Series: The Urban Ocean
Celebrate Women's History Month with this series of talks highlighting women scientists in New England and beyond! Join marine scientist Kelly Luis for this second talk in the series -- an introduction to the history, culture, and science of Boston Harbor.
Learn more »Abbott Thayer’s Monadnock: The Intersection of Natural History, Artistic Research, and World War
This richly illustrated presentation by artist and art historian April Claggett will take a deep dive into the lessons that Abbott Thayer — Dublin resident, natural historian, and a leading American artist in his day — learned from our local landscape.
Learn more »Women in Science Speaker Series: Corals and Climate Change — Learning from the Past
Celebrate Women's History Month with this series of talks highlighting women scientists in New England and beyond! In this third talk of the series, join paleoclimatologist Dr. Logan Brenner for a fascinating delve into the past, and to learn what coral skeletons can tell us about our planet's climate history.
Learn more »Salamander Crossing Brigade Workshop
Every year, we train citizen scientists to serve on Salamander Crossing Brigades at amphibian road crossings throughout the Monadnock Region. To join the ranks – or simply to learn more about the remarkable spring amphibian migration – join us for this online volunteer training.
Learn more »March Adventure Days
Join Harris Center teacher-naturalists for an active day in the great outdoors! Bring your curiosity and sense of wonder.
Learn more »Wilderness Survival Skills for Middle Schoolers
Join Harris Center naturalist John Benjamin for a day of of outdoor adventure and survival skills practice, including hiking, fire making, shelter building, tracking, and more!
Learn more »March Adventure Days
Join Harris Center teacher-naturalists for an active day in the great outdoors! Bring your curiosity and sense of wonder.
Learn more »Women in Science Speaker Series: My Journey Through Science — From Africa to Gametopia
Celebrate Women's History Month with this series of talks highlighting women scientists in New England and beyond! In this talk, innovative STEM educator Chidi Paige will trace her path from student to successful science-themed game designer.
Learn more »“Ask a Naturalist” Virtual Happy Hour
Join us for a fun, informal, nature-focused happy hour -- via Zoom! Come prepared with questions about nearby nature, or just sit back and listen to our team of talented Harris Center naturalists as they share their own observations.
Learn more »March Adventure Days
Join Harris Center teacher-naturalists for an active day in the great outdoors! Bring your curiosity and sense of wonder.
Learn more »Hooting It Up with Owls
Join Harris Center naturalist Susie Spikol for a presentation on the lives and loves of New Hampshire's owls. Find out who's hooting in your back woods and what their calls mean.
Learn more »Environmental Studies Institute: Bird Migration
Every spring, millions of birds pass through the Monadnock Region on their northward migration. Join expert birder Steven Lamonde for this weekly series of socially-distant birding walks, where we'll discuss and observe this amazing natural phenomenon.
Learn more »Women in Science Speaker Series: Critter Cartoons for Conservation
Celebrate Women's History Month with this series of talks highlighting women scientists in New England and beyond! For this final talk of the series, join cartoonist, naturalist, and author Rosemary Mosco to dive into the funny side of nature, and to discover why comics and science are natural allies.
Learn more »April 2021
LAB GIRLS Goes Wild: A Monthly Online STEM Club for Girls
Calling all girls from grades 5 through 12! Join us for this fun, monthly, online afterschool club to grow your skills as a wildlife scientist.
Learn more »Vernal Pools 101
Glance at a vernal pool in October and you’ll see a dry depression in the forest floor. Look again in April and you’ll find a woodland pond, teeming with life! As spring unfolds, join Brett Amy Thelen for a virtual introduction to these exquisite, ephemeral ecosystems.
Learn more »Environmental Studies Institute: Bird Migration
Every spring, millions of birds pass through the Monadnock Region on their northward migration. Join expert birder Steven Lamonde for this weekly series of socially-distant birding walks, where we'll discuss and observe this amazing natural phenomenon.
Learn more »Secrets from the Deep Dark Below: Amazing Adaptations of Life Underground
Join naturalist Susie Spikol for a glimpse at life underground, with special focus on the star-nosed mole and short-tailed shrew.
Learn more »Environmental Studies Institute: Bird Migration
Every spring, millions of birds pass through the Monadnock Region on their northward migration. Join expert birder Steven Lamonde for this weekly series of socially-distant birding walks, where we'll discuss and observe this amazing natural phenomenon.
Learn more »Slow Birding with Bird Diva Bridget Butler
Join “Bird Diva” Bridget Butler for this introduction to a different kind of birding practice, and reimagine how you connect with birds.
Learn more »“Venture Out” Film Showing & Panel Discussion
Join us for a special evening with The Venture Out Project, starting with a showing of the short film "Venture Out" — a story about overcoming odds, the power of resilience, and the everlasting effects of LGBTQ community building.
Learn more »Environmental Studies Institute: Bird Migration
Every spring, millions of birds pass through the Monadnock Region on their northward migration. Join expert birder Steven Lamonde for this weekly series of socially-distant birding walks, where we'll discuss and observe this amazing natural phenomenon.
Learn more »Environmental Studies Institute: The Biology & Inspiration of Birdsong
Join us for a four-week exploration of the biology of birdsong, and how bird music has inspired humans throughout time. Discover how and why birds sing, and how writers, poets, and musicians have translated birdsong into art.
Learn more »“Ask a Naturalist” Virtual Happy Hour: Earth Day Edition
Join us for a fun, informal, nature-focused happy hour -- via Zoom! Come prepared with questions about nearby nature, or just sit back and listen to our team of talented Harris Center naturalists as they share their own observations.
Learn more »How to Be a Stargazer: Spring Edition
Join David McDonald, stargazing expert and former director of the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center, for an evening of night sky watching tips. Discover the stories the stars have to tell, and where to find them in our spring skies!
Learn more »Environmental Studies Institute: The Biology & Inspiration of Birdsong
Join us for a four-week exploration of the biology of birdsong, and how bird music has inspired humans throughout time. Discover how and why birds sing, and how writers, poets, and musicians have translated birdsong into art.
Learn more »Coexisting with Carnivores
Join wildlife biologist Steve Gehmann for a review of the return of large carnivores, and a discussion of how humans and carnivores can come to coexist.
Learn more »May 2021
Environmental Studies Institute: Introduction to Slow Birding
This four-week course is designed to help you fine-tune your innate birding skills while creating a deeper connection to birds, the place you live, and yourself. Great for beginners and experienced birders alike!
Learn more »