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AVEO and Harris Center
Joining Together! |
The Ashuelot Valley Environmental Observatory is becoming a program of the Harris Center. Brett Thelen (above), AVEO's former science director, will direct the program for the Harris Center.  |
The Harris Center for Conservation Education and Ashuelot
Valley Environmental Observatory ( AVEO) have announced a new structure for the AVEO programs that will strengthen the work of conservation and education in the Monadnock Region.
After careful deliberations by their respective staff and boards, both organizations have come to realize that their missions are complementary and that each group can benefit greatly by combining their work and resources. As a result, the two organizations have decided to join forces, with AVEO becoming a program of the Harris Center.
"This is a terrific mesh of two great organizations and their missions," said Craig Stockwell, president of the AVEO board of directors. "The stable platform that the Harris Center has developed over the past 40 years assures us that the work of AVEO will continue sustainably as part of the Harris Center. We're delighted that the Harris Center staff and board see the strong value that AVEO provides to our community and we're ready to move forward."
AVEO programs will continue to be based at Keene State College, thanks to the college's generosity, and will continue to conduct an array of citizen-science environmental projects, some of which involve the college. "Our partnership with AVEO, and now the Harris Center, will create more opportunities for Keene State College students and faculty to engage in long term environmental studies, to the benefit of our students, the region and the state," said Gordon Leversee, dean of the School of Sciences and Social Sciences.
The Harris Center, with headquarters in Hancock, has hired Brett A. Thelen as AVEO program director, beginning January 2011. Thelen is no stranger to either AVEO or the Harris Center. She was AVEO's science director from 2007 through 2009, developing and coordinating a wide array of the organization's work. Thelen also teaches adult courses in the Harris Center's Environmental Studies Institute.
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The Nature of September |
Chicken of the Woods |
Despite the dry summer, mushrooms are popping up all over. Chicken of the woods (or sulfur shelf) occurs on stumps and logs, usually on the same spot every year. This species can be quite delicious, but beware; you know what they say about old mushroom hunters: "There are old mushroom hunters and bold mushrooms hunters, but there are no old, bold mushroom hunters."
Meanwhile, hawks and other raptors are migrating south. Broad-winged hawks will often fly in huge numbers, called kettles, on their way to the tropics. Some fly as far as Brazil. At some places in Central America, daily counts of broad-wings will reach numbers in the hundreds of thousands. Join the Harris Center for our 33rd annual hawk-watch on Crotched Mountain this Saturday, Sept. 18, 9 a.m. to mid-afternoon. |
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Getting Things Done
Eastern Mountain Sports
Pitches in for the Harris Center | |
The EMS Spoonwood Pond crew beside a newly installed box latrine.  | In dozens of locations throughout the Northeast, crews from Eastern Mountain Sports spread out to make the outdoor world a cleaner, better place.
Two crews from EMS's store and headquarters in Peterborough pitched in for the Harris Center, with gusto!
One crew paddled out to Spoonwood Pond to help fix up the campsites that the Harris Center makes available for members. One job was to install a box latrine! While the work was hard and dirty, the crew also made an outing of it by camping overnight and enjoying one of the region's sweetest -- and thankfully protected -- places.
The other EMS crew helped fix a tricky stream-crossing on a Harris Center trail. Led by Harris Center volunteer trails chief Jim Orr, the crew pushed, pulled and heaved rocks into place to create a nifty stepping-stone bridge and removed a decaying wooden bridge in the process. Crossing fixed; mission accomplished!
The Harris Center extends a hearty "Thank You" to all of the hard-working EMS folks who lent a hand.
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| Saturday, Sept. 18, 9 a.m. to mid-afternoon
Time to Watch the Big Migration! | |
Join the Harris Center's 33rd annual hawk-watch on Crotched Mountain this Saturday, Sept. 18.  | The action over the next few days and weeks will be up in the air, as hawks and other raptors fly south for their annual migration.
Join the Harris Center on Saturday, Sept. 18, for our 33rd annual hawk-watch on Crotched Mountain in Greenfield.
In keeping with the great tradition, the hawk-watch is on the mountain's Blueberry Ridge, a short hike from the trailhead parking lot on Crotched Mountain Road. It's a great spot to see hawks on the wing.
Experience tells us that the best viewing is in the morning, though surprise kettles of broad-wings aren't uncommon.
To get to the hawk-watch, take Route 31 in Greenfield to Crotched Mountain Road. The hawk-watch runs from 9 a.m. to mid-afternoon, or when the hawks stop flying. |
| Back-Tracking ... a look back at the Harris Center's 40 years
So, Who Is This "Harris," Anyway? |
Harris the cat, the Harris Center's namesake.  | Long before there was a Harris Center, there was a Harris.
And as you may know, the Harris Center wasn't named after Harrisville, or some philanthropic Mr. or Mrs. Harris. It was named after a cat. This was a feline that Harris Center founder Eleanor Briggs had discovered in 1966 on the streets of New York City, abandoned, cute and with a coat that looked like Harris tweed.
As Eleanor spent her childhood summers (and occasional winter trips) here, Harris would join her, following along on her jaunts in the fields and woods discovering nature's amazing things. Eleanor recalls that Harris even rode along on her snowshoes!
"When trying to decide what to call the new organization my friends and I were creating, I didn't want to name it after a relative, nor could the name reflect its exact purpose, which was still vague," Eleanor said. "Suddenly, 'Harris' seemed just right. In my eyes he represented a certain wildness, humor, savvy and a strong survival instinct, all elements needed by an environmental education center." |
| Time is Ticking for the ...
40 / 40 Challenge! | |
Get out and make some tracks for the Harris Center's 40/40 Challenge. Submit completed forms by Oct. 7.  | To encourage folks to enjoy the great outdoors - and get excited about 40 years of conservation success - the Harris Center for Conservation Education has issued a fun and simple challenge.
Hike 40 hours or more on trails at the Harris Center or N.H. Audubon's Willard Pond Sanctuary, and earn special recognition at the Harris Center's 40th annual meeting on Sunday, Oct. 17.
But time is running out! The Harris Center needs hikers' completed forms (showing all the trails hiked) by Oct. 7.
For forms, maps and information stop by the office, call 603-525-3394, or click here.
So lace up your boots and hit the trail! Fall is a terrific time to be outdoors - no bugs, the air is crisp and clear, and the climate is perfect for a hike. The Harris Center offers a nice variety of hiking trails to such destinations as Mount Skatutakee and Thumb Mountain in Hancock and Cobb Hill in Harrisville and Hancock. There are also trails into the fascinating woods below the Harris Center, including the Boulder Train Trail loop, which leads to huge glacial boulders, the Channing Trail that skirts Hosley Brook, and the Babbitt Trail, a splendid loop north of Route 123 in Hancock. |
| Sept. 19: Bald Mountain Ledges
Family Hikes Return this Fall |
popular series of hikes designed especially for families is returning with a slate of three cool destinations this fall.
Families that hike together can develop in their children a lifelong love of the outdoors and help kids develop a healthy life style. That's why the H
arris Center wants to help families get outside together and hike their way into health and enjoyment of the outdoors.
Each hike is a gentle amble to some of the Harris Center's favorite locations. Come discover new trails, meet other families and enjoy the beautiful outdoors together, with a naturalist guide for each hike. All hikes are free; there is no registration.
Sept. 19: Bald Mountain Ledges, Antrim - Join us for an exploration of the beautiful ledges of Bald Mountain at New Hampshire Audubon's Willard Pond Sanctuary. The trail is steep but we'll take our time and search the landscape for the signposts of autumn such as mushrooms, raptors and seeds. Meet at the sanctuary parking lot.
Oct. 3: Fremont Field Amble, Peterborough - Explore this beautiful Peterborough conservation land. From old beaver sign to new, we'll have a leisurely exploration of this gem of a property. We'll spend some time with ponding nets to discover what creatures live in the beaver ponds of this old meadow. Meet at the Fremont Field parking area off Old Jaffrey Road in Peterborough.
Nov. 7: Welch Farm, Hancock - Visit the old property of the Welch Family, now a Society for the Protection of NH Forests property. Discover the rich history of this wonderful landscape on a guided walk through the land. We'll stop at the original homestead site and walk one of Hancock's beautiful old roads. Take a stroll back in time! Meet at the parking area at SPNHF's Welch Farm Property off Route 123. |
Sign up now for courses Coming Up in the Harris Center's
Environmental Studies Institute |
The Harris Center's Environmental Studies Institute provides opportunities for adults to learn about the Monadnock Region's natural history, connect to the outdoors and engage in meaningful
discussion about the environment.
Three fun and fascinating courses are being offered this fall.
Sept. 23, 30, Oct. 7, 14
9 to 11 a.m. Note change in course time.
Location: Harris Center
Cost: $40 members / $60 non-members
Instructor: Jenna Spear
Did you know that insects make up over half of all of the plant and animal species on earth? Are you interested in learning about the common terrestrial insects in New England? In this course we'll learn how to identify the major insect orders and explore the role of beneficial insects in the ecosystem.
Jenna Spear holds a master's degree in forest entomology from the SUNY College of Forestry in Syracuse, where she specialized in chemical communications between insects. She has taught entomology at SUNY and Antioch University New England, and has worked for the NY Department of Conservation.
Historical Archaeology of the Monadnock Region
Sept. 23, 30, Oct. 7, 14, 21, 28
6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Location: Harris Center and field sites
Cost: $60 members / $80 non-members
Instructor: Martha Pinello
Join Martha Pinello in exploring how archaeologists learn about the historic past. We'll start with an overview of historical archaeology, including studying biological material to document past landscapes and human behaviors. We'll investigate methods that historical archaeologists use to understand the role of ethnicity and race in the region's past. We will discuss strategies to identify above-ground remains and practice those strategies with site visits. Sessions will include presentation and hands-on segments.
Martha Pinello has served as a consultant for garden restorations and historic landscape interpretations. She has conducted research and field work for public works projects, and directed the archaeology program at Strawbery Banke Museum in Portsmouth for over 20 years.
Agriculture and the Monadnock Region's Future
Oct. 28, Nov. 4, 11, 18
10:30 a.m. to noon
Location: Harris Center
Cost: $40 members / $60 non-members
Instructor: Ruth Holmes
Whether you're a backyard gardener or you run an agricultural business, these are exciting times for farming. With instructor Ruth Holmes, we'll discuss the vast changes in the region's farming and explore its future, including the eat-local movement, the challenges and rewards of organic gardening, and raising farm animals, from chickens to livestock.
Since July 2004, Ruth Holmes has been one of the principal farmers at Sunnyfield Farm, one of the last working dairy farms in Peterborough. She is a former teacher who previously managed farm programs at The Meeting School in Rindge. Ruth was also on staff at the Canterbury Shaker Village doing vegetable garden restoration. Her present focus is on a challenge put forth by Charles Daloz, to make the Monadnock region 80 percent self-reliant for food in the next 30 years, a topic we'll discuss for this class.
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| From Peterborough Open Space Committee
2011 Calendar Features "A Year in the Wild" | |
Published by the Peterborough Open Space Committee, this beautiful new calendar is available now at the Toadstool Bookshops and Steele's in Peterborough.  | Packed with gorgeous photographs from local photographers, "A Year in the Wild" is the latest calendar creation from the Peterborough Open Space Committee.
It's available now at the Toadstool Booksops and Steele's in Peterborough.
This is the third calendar project from the Peterborough Open Space Committee. The first two featured local conservation lands and stories of the people who conserved them. For this calendar, the committee chose a handful of stories to tell each month, seasonal stories about nature's marvels. It's all about connection, according to the committee: "We tend to take better care of what we feel connected to, and understanding fosters connection," says the introduction. "We learn why a rose has fragrance, and about the bumblebee attracted by that fragrance. Bumblebees, the pollinator pros."
Calendars are $12 each (a fund-raiser for Peterborough's conservation efforts). A 25 percent discount is available for orders of 10 or more. Call 603-924-7075 to arrange or order by mail. |
| This just in ...
Forest Forensics, the new field guide, is out! | |
"Forest Forensics," the new field guide by Tom Wessels, is out!  | The new book by Tom Wessels, "Forest Forensics: A Field Guide to Reading the Forested Landscape," is now available!
The field guide is based on Tom's popular book, "Reading the Forested Landscape," which helps us interpret the forest's subtle clues in determining what happened in the forest and why a place looks the way it does.
Tom's talks at the Harris Center have always been popular, with nearly 100 people turning out at his program in the spring.
"Forest Forensics" is filled with color photos that show and explain a wide array of clues in the woods, from relics of sheep-farming days to ancient wind storms and forest fires. There's even a whole section on what stumps can tell us.
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| Out and About with the Harris Center |
Amanda Costello, Eli and Jeff Littleton at last month's Robb Reservoir paddle.  |
Sept. 18 (Sat.) - Harris Center Hawk-Watch on Crotched Mountain. Check out Crotched Mountain Foundation's new accessible trail to Blueberry Ridge, where we've been leading an annual hawk watch for 33 years! Experience tells us the best viewing is in the morning, though surprise kettles of broad-wings (or an occasional eagle) aren't uncommon. There's plenty of room to spread out and no admission charge. From Route 31 in Greenfield, take Crotched Mountain Road and park near the top. Ten-minute walk to Blueberry Ridge. 9 a.m. to mid-afternoon.
Sept. 19 (Sun.) - Family Hike to Bald Mountain Ledges. Join us for an exploration of the beautiful ledges of Bald Mountain at NH Audubon's Willard Pond Wildlife Sanctuary in Antrim. The trail is steep but we'll take our time and search the landscape for the signposts of autumn, such as mushrooms, raptors and seeds. Meet at 2 p.m. at the sanctuary parking lot (end of Willard Pond Road, off Route 123 between Hancock and Stoddard). Ends around 4 p.m.
Sept. 23 (Thurs.) - Insects and Archaeology. Two classes start today in the Harris Center's Environmental Studies Institute: "Terrestrial Entomology" and "Historical Archaeology of the Monadnock Region." Space is limited, so sign up soon! See page 2 for details.
Sept. 25 (Sat.) - Spoonwood Pond Revisited! As the Harris Center celebrates 40 years, a few events stand out as key moments in its history. One such event happened 27 years ago, 1983, when Meade Cadot and John Kulish led a public paddle to scenic Spoonwood Pond with Jan McClure, who was then working for the Society for the Protection of NH Forests. Upon their return to the Nubanusit boat ramp they were greeted with freshly installed signs announcing the sale of a piece of the shoreline around Spoonwood Pond! That started a series of events that ultimately led to the protection of Spoonwood's entire shoreline. Join Meade and Jan as they recreate this paddle and recount the story of how one of our region's most treasured places was protected. Co-sponsored with The Nature Conservancy, which protected Spoonwood and Nuby's "island" in 1961. Meet at 10 a.m. at the Nubanusit boat ramp on King's Highway in Hancock. Ends around 2 p.m. |
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Contact Info:
Eric Aldrich
Harris Center for Conservation Education
603-525-3394
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