Annual Report
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Annual Report July 1, 2013 through June 30, 2014 HARRIS CENTER FOR CONSERVATION EDUCATION Director’s Report hat an eventful year for the Harris Center − new strategic Our new, three-year strategic plan – crafted with input Wplan, new programs, new properties, new staff, new pellet from Harris Center board members and staff, and already boiler, and a still newish director! beginning to be implemented – focuses on sustaining our The reports that follow provide insight into the extraordinary innovative land and education programming while number and range of programs and activities that the Harris Center fits into each year. We are a land trust focused on protecting large cultivating new opportunities in conservation research blocks of connected conserved land, and responsible for conserving and teacher training. For a more detailed accounting of over 21,000 acres in seven towns. We are an environmental the updated plan, visit harriscenter.org. education center sending naturalists to 30 area schools, collaborating with classroom teachers to offer innovative environmental education that gets kids up from their seats, out of school buildings, and into their local surroundings. Our community education programs provide diverse environmental learning experiences for students of all ages in a packed, year-round calendar of events, including lectures, films, workshops, outings, and more. We also conduct and coordinate conservation research through citizen science programs and collaborations with professional scientists to increase understanding and foster improved stewardship of local landscapes. Harris Center program areas support and build upon each other. Education programs get people outside and promote stewardship of the environment, protected lands ensure a wide variety of local outdoor experiences for learning and recreation, and research on conserved lands provides the basis for education programs and stewardship of those protected lands. The Harris Center is a dynamic and multifaceted organization, and throughout all of our program- ming, we remain deeply committed to our core mission of promoting understanding and respect for the natural environment − a lofty goal that has only become more crucial since our founding in 1970. Keene State College interns get forest inventory training How does a small nonprofit nestled in the highlands of the Photo: Bill Fleeger Monadnock Region accomplish so much? A talented and dedicated staff, a wide network of extraordinary volunteers, and wonderfully inspiring supporters! My heartfelt thanks to all for working to shape Outings and Events a positive future for the people, wildlife, and landscapes of the In the past year, we offered more than 120 outings and events Monadnock Region. – most at no charge and open to the public – including owl Here’s to many more years of successful collaboration! prowls, slide shows, paddles, hikes, award-winning film showings, and much more. We are grateful for the numerous Jeremy Wilson Executive Director volunteers who led the majority of these events, sharing their love of the natural world with others. • Land Conservation Eric Masterson, Land Protection Specialist hus far, the Harris Center’s land program has protected Autumn view from 16 hills and mountains greater than 1,500 feet in elevation, East Pinnacle on shorefront surrounding or abutting 5 large lakes and the new Kulish T Ledges Trail. 14 smaller water bodies, 59 miles of rivers and streams, more than 1,600 acres of diverse wetlands, and 13 miles of scenic hiking Photo: Brett Amy Thelen trails − all on over 21,000 acres of conserved land concentrated in large patches. Wow! parcel has been named Wilson Tavern, after the inn whose founda- New Acquisitions tions can still be found in the heart of the now-wooded property. In 2013-2014 the land program added almost 500 acres of newly- In Hancock, Annie Brewster and Rick Weyerhaeuser donated an conserved land, including easement and fee-owned properties in easement on an 18-acre forested parcel they own. This easement Stoddard, Hancock, Peterborough, and Harrisville. adds to a connected corridor of conserved lands extending north In Stoddard, thanks to extraordinary donations, we purchased 360 from Norway Pond. acres, adding to the 1,170 acres of contiguous conserved land in In Peterborough and Harrisville, the Harris Center purchased 109 Nelson and Stoddard on either side of Bailey Brook Road. This new acres on Brush Brook Road (Route 137), much of which is ranked S D a o rge W d son Cir g r s n Rou h e s t te 1 e ff a 23 it W e p R e Rd e svill H i B J y d Symond n d Ln B P d Deer i i sor R R b o l d h l d g l d C by the New Hampshire Wildlife Action Plan as “highest value” n e u R he o d S e r H d e S o White R co n b t M n i ls d l t l S d l e i d a N H r . B R r R Pond H c e R e a . d k t r d d T d k r Rd i H R p R Hill d k R n o ld d eting ge i p A e d n ll ie B M Ri t e R f t n e w w i s Carter Hill l P t d S a S e n o air H s a c o Bl N Stoddard Rocks k d s M o v P N d P r Rd A or r l de to Boul y a n D o a C r C H r O n G k d r a M d R o R a St l mp ll R l C s I i We t l d R s S s H l t M le r S F d ai rt ea o n S My S B t x t y H y Wa t i d rve l R w Mi W Ha l ll Sa ll R Keith Rd est R i wildlife habitat. This mostly-forested acreage includes modest slopes d Ma t H in d St t S Black r Main St S u n h l a Pond lp il u m M S y . d W W R B Hidden a t e r S n d i Pond e n a n d io M B H R n an il s l Rd e l U elvi t Hil o R lle Rd men D le Nancy Mountain d D C Que Trout e C en r e St D r a Pond side O in m n g ai ld 0 nt C e u 1 o G 2 e M ib r Bagley d so n n e o n M t from the road down to Nubanusit Brook, as well as 9 acres of open o e t R unt d n a e in Rd r u N d k e R o R Pond H R a n d R d L e T d e u ds K r d R Lightening Hill n oo n l e p l i c i a r k W l e e h H i g R n M g d P d y i d o d Proctor Hill Holmes Hill n L R i w i e d l H e l l k H k e e h R a r n r s S L y a o r O R r g r F m d n i l e ehog d e dg t Windsor Mountain e P K H M t C i t h P n o ie R r d u W ce n t iver L y wetland and 2/3 of a mile along the brook. Additionally, the land is Stacy Hill R R ak O e ld R S d R 0 Round Mountain ta . C d c d 1 o e d M e y H d n t ill R R d u L Park Pl c t y o o V ib e r R n e d i t e L N i o r Sc t h R w hool S v y . d t Route Bacon Ledge B s R 123 e W d i L Lew F d r r Crossing R n e a a R F n r n ton R o ' m e d r s c n l trim h e O d An M Hol e Rd R T d o s t R u i d P l ley Rd R R l h r r d s n Rd d d R A d Milk e e Ol t d n B r H B ra H o P e Barrett arre ck d E w tt P e d lm i ie C on tt R R l r d Rd Rd ry A l a c te R e e h v contiguous with 1,384 acres of conserved land in Peterborough and Pond m t r R e i d H d d C a R m rt O C d S F l l a d i r n m C t o R d R Island a th R n a e d d r P k R r y e l o R a Pond o R d r d ri w d B B d H Upton n C ll o o a Pond m r C l r a th R u S o d Dartm St Old S ng P pri d o 2 Na r R Tuttle Hill u 0 sh Corne n 2 d S a 7,142-acre conservation corridor running between MacDowell R te e d u c o o d d n R d R R ll Rd N y i g H h L r i lt T o o a o d r Rd p R v C H t k F s e T po al l C h De l x Rd o n D m o o iltmore Rd t r M p g b in r s o n a n n e T C B ro s C J Holt Hill d s ll R o w R u ode in Bo lder d n W Mattheson Rd Go g d ip h m i d e t a R t r e t n ne H Reservoir and Nubanusit Lake.