Monadnock Winter Conservation Series
Sign up for just one workshop or all six! Workshops are free, but pre-registration is required. Download our brochure (PDF) or link to the following descriptions for more information:
Jan. 24 - Winter Tree ID
Feb. 2 - Backyard Maple Sugaring
Feb. 18 - Care and Feeding of a Conservation Easement
Feb. 20 - Where the Wild Things Are: Robb Reservoir
Mar. 20 - Tick Talk: Be Ready for Ticks
May 15 - Forest Openings: Wood and Wildlife
January 24 (Sun.)
Winter Tree ID
Is this red maple, swamp maple, or soft maple? What?! Those are all the same species! Tree and shrub identification in New England can be hard enough; throw in winter and it can be downright impossible.
Join Steve Roberge, extension forester for Cheshire County, for a session on winter tree and shrub identification basics where he’ll present the identifying characteristics of our local flora in winter and how to distinguish among species while wearing mittens. Be prepared to journey outside. We’ll go outside to demonstrate what we’ve learned and identify samples in the forest. Starts 1 p.m. at the Harris Center, Hancock.
Part of the Monadnock Winter Conservation Series, a joint production of the Monadnock Conservancy, the Harris Center, and the UNH Cooperative Extension Service.
To sign up for this free workshop, please contact Steve Roberge at UNH Cooperative Extension Service by calling (603) 352-4550 or e-mailing him at sroberge@ceunh.unh.edu.
February 2 (Tues.)
Backyard Maple Sugaring: How to Make Your Own Maple Syrup
The sap will be running soon! Have you thought about making your own maple syrup? Do you want to know what’s needed? Attend this workshop to learn the steps, from the tree to the table, plus what equipment you’ll need.
This special workshop is geared to first-timers and beginner maplers with less than 75 taps. All aspects of maple sugaring will be covered, including tree identification and tapping, collecting and boiling sap, finishing, filtering, and storing syrup. Equipment and supplies needed, especially sizing and operating small evaporators, homemade and commercial, will be discussed. Held 6 to 8 p.m. at the Keene Public Library.
Part of the Monadnock Winter Conservation Series, a joint production of the Monadnock Conservancy, the Harris Center, and the UNH Cooperative Extension Service.
To sign up for this free workshop, please contact Steve Roberge at UNH Cooperative Extension Service before January 29 by calling (603) 352-4550 or e-mailing him at sroberge@ceunh.unh.edu.
February 18 (Thurs.)
Care and Feeding of a Conservation Easement
For more than 30 years, conservation easements have worked as a critical tool for protecting lands, keeping those lands in private ownership while safeguarding a myriad of public benefits. With an ever-growing number of easement-protected lands moving from the original grantor’s hands to the next generation of owners (or out of the family), questions arise about those easements.
What does an easement mean for landowners? How might an easement affect an owner’s plans? What are the responsibilities of a land trust that holds the easement? Come hear from representatives of the Monadnock Conservancy, Harris Center, and other organizations. Share your own perspective and questions. Held 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Harris Center, Hancock; refreshments provided.
Part of the Monadnock Winter Conservation Series, a joint production of the Monadnock Conservancy, the Harris Center, and the UNH Cooperative Extension Service.
To sign up for this free workshop, please contact Steve Roberge at UNH Cooperative Extension Service by calling (603) 352-4550 or e-mailing him at sroberge@ceunh.unh.edu.
February 20 (Sat.)
Where the Wild Things Are: Robb Reservoir
Join Harris Center senior naturalist Meade Cadot for a not-too-difficult wildlife tracking excursion in this remote corner of Cheshire County. Protected in 2007 and now owned by the Harris Center, the 1,667-acre Robb Reservoir tract is a “forest legacy” for black bear, moose, bobcat, and other wide-ranging species.
We’ll venture out for about 2½ hours at a moderate pace to seek signs of the likely suspects: river otter, mink, weasel, bobcat, moose, and fisher. Meet at the Harris Center in Hancock at 9 a.m. to carpool the 10-minute ride to the Robb Reservoir entrance, off Route 123 in Stoddard. (Snowshoes available on loan; reserve by Wednesday, February 17.)
Part of the Monadnock Winter Conservation Series, a joint production of the Monadnock Conservancy, the Harris Center, and the UNH Cooperative Extension Service.
To sign up for this free workshop, please contact Steve Roberge at UNH Cooperative Extension Service by calling (603) 352-4550 or e-mailing him at sroberge@ceunh.unh.edu.
March 20 (Sat.)
Tick Talk: Be Ready for Ticks
Nobody likes these pesky little arachnids, but knowledge and preparedness are the keys to avoiding tick bites. Dr. Alan Eaton, a UNH Cooperative Extension Service expert, will give this one-hour presentation on ticks and the diseases they carry.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, New Hampshire has the highest incidence of Lyme disease in the nation, and other tick-spread diseases are on the rise here. Now is the time to think about ticks and preventing Lyme and other diseases. Starts 10 a.m. at the Harris Center, Hancock.
Part of the Monadnock Winter Conservation Series, a joint production of the Monadnock Conservancy, the Harris Center, and the UNH Cooperative Extension Service.
To sign up for this free workshop, please contact Steve Roberge at UNH Cooperative Extension Service by calling (603) 352-4550 or e-mailing him at sroberge@ceunh.unh.edu.
May 15 (Sat.)
Forest Openings: Wood and Wildlife
Join Matt Tarr and Steve Roberge of UNH Cooperative Extension Service for an exploration of forest openings to learn about their silvicultural and wildlife benefits. This workshop will feature an indoor lecture and a field visit to a recently created forest opening. Held 9 a.m. to noon. Location TBA.
Part of the Monadnock Winter Conservation Series, a joint production of the Monadnock Conservancy, the Harris Center, and the UNH Cooperative Extension Service.
To sign up for this free workshop, please contact Steve Roberge at UNH Cooperative Extension Service by calling (603) 352-4550 or e-mailing him at sroberge@ceunh.unh.edu.
December 12 (Sat.)
Dedication Hike: Cranberry Meadow Pond Trail
Discover how you can now walk from downtown Peterborough directly to the summit of Pack Monadnock, following this new, marked trail that passes wetlands, a cascading stream, a secret pond, and through hemlock and mature hardwood forest.
Meet co-leaders Emily Hague, MC stewardship manager, and Swift Corwin, forester and trail maker, at the parking lot behind Toadstool Bookshop (12 Depot Sq., Peterborough) at 8:30 a.m. Ends about 1:30 p.m. Bring a snack if you’d like or get lunch in town. Outing and dedication co-sponsored by the Monadnock Conservancy and the town of Peterborough. Please e-mail or call in advance to sign-up for this easy to moderate hike: Emily@MonadnockConservancy.org or (603) 357-0600.
You can also download a map of this trail (PDF) to go on your own hike.
