Calendar of Events
Salamander Crossing Brigade Workshop
Every year, the Harris Center trains community scientists to serve on Salamander Crossing Brigades at amphibian road crossings throughout the Monadnock Region. Attend this fun, information-packed volunteer training to join their ranks – or simply to learn more about the remarkable spring amphibian migration.
Safe Crossing: Spring Amphibians with Kari Percival
Join award-winning children’s book author Kari Percival as she shares from her newest book, Safe Crossing, which tells the story of how people of all ages come together on the first rainy nights of spring to help salamanders and frogs cross roads during their spring migration.
Easygoing Hike Along the Boulder Trail
Join Phil Brown and Ben Haubrich for a leisurely one-mile ramble on the Harris Center’s East Side Trails, where we’ll look for mammal tracks, listen to spring birdsong, and take in the beauty of the giant glacial boulders.
South Meadow School: Afterschool Yeti Club
South Meadow School Hancock Road, Peterborough, New Hampshire, United StatesCome be a part of fun and adventure in the woods with Yeti Club! We’ll practice wilderness skills like orienteering, fire building, outdoor survival skills, tracking, and more. Open to students in grades 5 through 8 at South Meadow School. Free of charge.
Family Owl Prowl
Have a hoot with naturalists and owl lovers Jaime Hutchinson and Susie Spikol as we dare to be animal adventurers! We’ll quietly prowl the twilight woods in search of wild owls, find out how these amazing nighttime hunters catch their meals, and even learn to speak owl. Perfect for families with children age 5 and up.
41st Annual Connecticut River Waterfowl Safari
Join Harris Center bird brains Eric Masterson, Phil Brown, and Nate Marchessault for a morning of waterfowl watching and welcoming spring arrivals back to the fields and waterways of the Connecticut River Valley.
Babies in Backpacks & Toddlers in Tow at Casalis State Forest
Casalis State Forest Elm Hill Road, Peterborough, NH, United StatesJoin Harris Center educator Jazimina MacNeil-Creamer to explore, wander, and discover the magic of nearby nature. These pint-sized adventures are perfect for little legs and for babies in front packs, backpacks, slings, or wraps — and a great way to meet other families with little ones who love spending time outside.
South Meadow School: Afterschool Yeti Club
South Meadow School Hancock Road, Peterborough, New Hampshire, United StatesCome be a part of fun and adventure in the woods with Yeti Club! We’ll practice wilderness skills like orienteering, fire building, outdoor survival skills, tracking, and more. Open to students in grades 5 through 8 at South Meadow School. Free of charge.
Mushroom Meander with the Morel Quandary Club at the Horatio Colony Nature Preserve
Join the fung-tastic duo of John Benjamin and George Caughey for an early spring meander in search of polypores, slime molds, brave early-fruiting mushrooms, and fungi long gone by.
Book Launch: Forest Magic for Kids
Celebrate the release of Harris Center naturalist Susie Spikol’s second book, Forest Magic for Kids — a playful activity guide that invites children, families, educators, and caregivers to explore the imaginative spaces that nature holds for all of us.
Exploring Birds in the Classroom for K–5 Teachers: A Zoom Talk with Tina Ramsey
Join Tina Ramsey for this free Teacher Talk where she'll share how her year-long bird study helps 3rd-grade students build skills in science, writing, math, and reading, while fostering confidence in outdoor learning.
Kestrels Young Birders Club: Hawkwatching at Pitcher Mountain
Are you a teenager or tween with an interest in birds and birding? Join a growing movement of young adults who are honing their wildlife observation skills, learning to recognize birds and their calls, and spending time outside building community with other young birders.
ESI Course: Treekeepers Book Group
Zoom , United StatesJoin avid reader Susie Spikol and dendrophile Jeremy Wilson to read and discuss Treekeepers: The Race for a Forested Future — a poetic and probing book that explores the vital role of forests in combating climate change. Then, on April 19, join Treekeepers author Lauren E. Oakes for an in-person talk at the Harris Center.
Exploring Nature with Young Children: A Workshop for Pre-K–2nd Grade Teachers
Join Harris Center teacher-naturalists for a hands-on workshop to spark fresh ideas for outdoor spring teaching. Discover creative activities, from story cloths to sensory games, and connect with peers while preparing to explore nature with young children.
Nature as Muse: An Afternoon with the Apple Hill String Quartet
Join the internationally acclaimed Apple Hill String Quartet for an afternoon of chamber music inspired by the natural world. The performance includes works by composers Franz Joseph Haydn, Antonin Dvořák, and Meredith Monk, as well as a world premiere by local composer Miriam Sharrock.
Homeschool Program: Wild at Home
Harris Center for Conservation Education 83 Kings Hwy, Hancock, NH, United StatesCalling all animal allies, nature noticers, and outdoor explorers! Join Harris Center teacher-naturalists Karen Rent and Susie Spikol to let your wild side roam free this spring — frogs, dandelion tea, the secret lives of turtles, and more!
ESI Course: Treekeepers Book Group
Zoom , United StatesJoin avid reader Susie Spikol and dendrophile Jeremy Wilson to read and discuss Treekeepers: The Race for a Forested Future — a poetic and probing book that explores the vital role of forests in combating climate change. Then, on April 19, join Treekeepers author Lauren E. Oakes for an in-person talk at the Harris Center.
Babies in Backpacks & Toddlers in Tow at Children’s Woods
Children's Woods Jaffrey, NH, United StatesJoin Harris Center educator Jazimina MacNeil-Creamer to explore, wander, and discover the magic of nearby nature. These pint-sized adventures are perfect for little legs and for babies in front packs, backpacks, slings, or wraps — and a great way to meet other families with little ones who love spending time outside.
Nature on Tap Gets Wild with NHPR’s Something Wild Show
Join us for a special evening with Dave Anderson of the Forest Society and Chris Martin of NH Audubon, longtime hosts of NHPR’s Something Wild radio series and podcast. Jessica Hunt, the producer, will also share her experiences. Drinks on you, stories on us!
Easygoing Hike to Pine Point at Willard Pond
Join Susie Spikol and Trish Harper on an out-and-back adventure along NH Audubon’s Tudor Trail, which follows the western shoreline of pristine Willard Pond. Along the way, we’ll search for signs of spring and take in the beautiful view from sandy Pine Point.
Spring Wildlife Walk for Veterans
Join Harris Center naturalists for an easygoing ramble along the edge of MacDowell Lake, where we’ll search for spring birds, mammal sign, and nature of all kinds. No experience necessary! This hike is only for veterans.
Words for the Wild: An Earth Day Book Celebration
Join nature writers from across New England to celebrate Earth Day and the natural world through words, action, and imagination. Participating authors include Britt Crow Miller, Susie Spikol, Vanessa Chakour, Owen Wormser, and Lauren E. Oakes.
Homeschool Program: Wild at Home
Harris Center for Conservation Education 83 Kings Hwy, Hancock, NH, United StatesCalling all animal allies, nature noticers, and outdoor explorers! Join Harris Center teacher-naturalists Karen Rent and Susie Spikol to let your wild side roam free this spring — frogs, dandelion tea, the secret lives of turtles, and more!
Vernal Pool Hike at the Horatio Colony Nature Preserve
Join Harris Center ecologist Brett Amy Thelen for a 1.2-mile roundtrip hike to a hilltop vernal pool, where we'll explore the exquisite, ephemeral world of spring-breeding amphibians.
Mushroom Meander with the Morel Quandary Club at Beech Hill
Join the fung-tastic duo of John Benjamin and George Caughey for an early spring meander in search of polypores, slime molds, brave early-fruiting mushrooms, and fungi long gone by.
Coffee with the Birds ESI Course: Mindful Meanderings through Micro-Exploring
local field sitesJoin Phil Brown and Ignacio Oreamuno for a series of spring-season wanderings in tucked-away places close to the Harris Center. Each exploration will focus on a different natural history theme related to the conditions that present themselves that day.
ESI Course: Lichens of New England
Join Kay Hurley, author of Lichenpedia, for a day devoted to the fascinating world of these composite organisms. We’ll start indoors, then head outside to practice our skills, and document nearby lichen diversity.
Closing Reception: Journey to the Rhizosphere
Featuring handmade paper objects, interpretive illustrations, interactive puzzles, and a rhizosphere-inspired soundscape, this exhibit by Susan Edwards and friends celebrates the fascinating relationships between plant roots, soil organisms, and healthy ecosystems. This art show will be on exhibit from April 1 to June 3, with a reception on April 26.
Rock Hounders Family Rock Club: Chickering Mine
Calling all rock hounds! Join naturalists Susie Spikol and Julie Brown for a rockin’ adventure at an old mine, where we’ll search for feldspar, mica, quartz, beryl, and other geological treasures. For families with elementary-aged children and up.
Birding for All: An Accessible, Inclusive Birding Outing at MacDowell Lake
Join Phil Brown and Susie Spikol for a morning of birding at MacDowell Lake, where a hard-packed gravel path provides ample opportunity to enjoy birds of wetland and woodland alike. Beginning birders and all ages welcome!
