How to Incorporate Native Plants into Your Garden with Colorblock Garden Design Cards presented by Elizabeth Dudley
2026-07-29 17:30 - 19:00 (America/New_York) | The Nan and George Mathey Center for People and Nature at Burley Farms, 247 North River Road, Epping, NH, 03042, United States
Join Elizabeth Dudley for this fun indoor and outdoor program at Burley Farms. Elizabeth is a local Landscape Architect who has practiced with native plants for many years. In addition, her work as an artist has helped her to design gardens with color in mind, and she wants to help you see color in a utilitarian way for your own gardens with the Colorblock Garden Design Cards.
Design your Natural Home Garden on your tabletop!
The Native Perennials and Native Shrubs design cards will help you get started incorporating native plants into your existing home garden or for use in a naturalized landscape. The praises of native plants have lately been sung for good reason: better for native pollinators, easier to grow since they are less particular about soils and water typically, and for their natural longevity. The selected plants include woody plants as well as forbs. These plants bring natural grace and beauty for a more natural look to your home, especially as your garden may segue from a cultivated area or lawn to the wilding edge of a property. These plants are curated for their ease of availability as well as hardiness. All plant selections are field tested and curated by Elizabeth, Landscape Architect, to be a reliable performer.
This program will include two parts –

Part 1 will take place inside the Mathey Center at Burley Farms where we will learn to arrange and shuffle these cards to get you started with these cards as informative design tools.
Part 2 will take place in the gardens at Burley Farms where we will find samples of these plants and will have a general Q and A session for questions about your own home gardens.

The program cost is $50 and includes both Colorblock Garden Design Card Sets (Native Perennials and Natives Shrubs: Zones 2-9 & New England Perennials: Zone 3-8), a $72.50 value. Three cards of each plant are given to facilitate complete garden planning. All proceeds will be donated to SELT.
Limited to 15 participants.
More about Elizabeth can be found on website – https://www.elizabethdudleyartanddesign.com/

Registration Required: CLICK HERE

Watershed Walk at Scoutland
2026-07-30 18:15 - 19:45 | Scoutland, Rollinsford, NH, United States
** RESCHEDULED DATE, WAS JULY 1 **
Explore nearly 100 acres of protected forest, wetlands, and riverfront on this guided watershed walk at Scoutland in Rollinsford. With over 3,000 feet along the Salmon Falls River, this special place offers a firsthand look at how healthy forests and wetlands help protect water quality, support wildlife, and sustain the Great Bay ecosystem. Once home to generations of Boy Scouts, Scoutland is now a community treasure. Come experience its quiet beauty while learning how land conservation directly impacts the health of our shared waters.

Registration Required: CLICK HERE
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate

Forest Bathing at Burley Farms
2026-08-02 13:00 - 16:00 | Burley Farms, 247 N. River Road, Epping, NH, 03042, United States
Join SELT Volunteer Dennis Garnham for a Forest Bathing Therapy session at Burley Farms. Forest Therapy is more than a walk in the woods. While most of the physiological benefits come from the simple exposure to the natural environment, a guided Forest Therapy walk also works to mend the damaged relationships humans have with themselves, with the concept of time, with their communities and with the more than human world. This event is for ages 12 and up.

Registration Required: CLICK HERE
Difficulty: Easy

A SELT Walk in the Woods - August 2026
2026-08-04 09:00 - 12:00 | Tucker & French Family Forest
Join experienced SELT hike leader Bill McClure for a monthly series of walks throughout 2026.
In July, we will hike roughly all the trails at Tucker & French Family Forest. The Trails at Tucker & French Family Forest are mostly flat but do include some hills and uneven terrain. This hike is expected to cover 6.5 to 7 miles total.
More about Tucker & French Family Forest can be found at https://seltnh.org/tuckerfrench/
The route will be determined in advance and shared with participants two to three days prior to the event. This event is limited to 15 participants.

Registration Required: CLICK HERE
Difficulty – 🥾🥾 1/2 (out of 3)

Storytime Studio Session (Story and Art)
2026-08-12 09:30 - 10:30 | The Nan and George Mathey Center for People and Nature at Burley Farms, 247 North River Road, Epping, NH, 03042, United States
Join us for a fun morning of Storytime and Art. Storytime Studio Session is intended for 3.5- to 5-year-olds and will be led by SELT Outdoor Educator Sara Jamback. Sara will read a book out loud and lead the children participants to create a piece of art based on the book. Kids (and possibly their guardians) should be dressed for a mess just in case.
This series is intended for kids aged 3.5 to 5 and their guardians.
In the case of rain or extreme heat, this session will be held inside.’

Registration Required: CLICK HERE

Mountain Biking at Harvey’s Kennard Hill Forest - August 2026
2026-08-27 17:00 - 19:00 | Harvey’s Kennard Hill Forest, Epping, New Hampshire
Join SELT’s Land Conservation Director Duane Hyde for a mountain biking field trip at Harvey’s Kennard Hill Forest in Epping. Duane is an avid mountain biker and is excited to showcase the trails at this 1,114 acre gem in the northwest corner of Epping. Duane will also share some history about this property along the way. This ride is for experienced mountain bikers ages 15 and up.

Registration required: CLICK HERE
Difficulty: Strenuous
More about Harvey’s Kennard Hill Forest (and all our trails guides) can be found at seltnh.org/trails

SELT Summer Canoe Series (2 of 3)
2026-08-31 17:30 - 19:30 | Stonehouse Forest
Join us for our first canoe series as we explore a variety of water bodies along lands that we are helping to conserve. The second event in this series will be on Stonehouse Pond in Barrington. This event is limited to 9 participants. A few additional spots may be available if you have your own canoe or kayak. If this is the case and you wish to join, please reach out to register@seltnh.org.
The cost is $10 per person. The rain date is Wednesday, September 02.
The Summer Canoe Series is brought to you by Dermatology and Skin Heath, your local independent patient-centric skin care practice ready to help with your skin’s health and appearance.
Thank you to Josh Lent, who generously donated 5 canoes and a canoe trailer to SELT, making events like this one possible. You can show your appreciation to Josh by supporting Huckleberry’s Candies in Hampton!

Registration Required: CLICK HERE
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate

Garden Wild Play - September 2026
2026-09-03 10:00 - 12:00 | Burley Farms, 247 N. River Road, Epping, NH, 03042, United States
Join SELT’s Education Program Manager, Lizzy Franceschini, for a morning of wild play in the ATLAS Education Garden. Try out some farm chores, harvest and taste fresh vegetables, hang out in the sunflower fort, explore in the sensory corner, and simply have unstructured fun with friends outside. Open to children ages 0-8 with a caregiver present.

Registration Required: CLICK HERE

Mindful Morning with Rooting in Nature - September 2026
2026-09-16 09:00 - 11:00 | Burley Farms, 247 N. River Road, Epping, NH, 03042, United States
What is Forest Bathing, and how can it transform your health and wellbeing?
Join Certified Forest Therapy Guide Brittany Carr of Rooting in Nature for an immersive two-hour Forest Bathing experience. This session will provide a deeper exploration of Shinrin-yoku, the Japanese practice of “taking in the forest through our senses.”
What to Expect:

Overview: We’ll start with a brief discussion on the essence and benefits of Forest Bathing, complemented by informative handouts.
Extended Experience: The majority of our time will be spent outside, engaging in a longer guided Forest Bathing journey. This immersive experience will allow you to connect more deeply with nature and yourself, encouraging mindfulness and relaxation.
Reflection: We’ll conclude our time together with tea and an opportunity for quiet reflection and gentle conversation.

In our fast-paced world, it’s crucial to take time for ourselves and reconnect with nature. This session is designed to help you slow down, breathe deeply, and embrace the restorative power of the natural environment.
What to Bring:

Dress for the weather in layers
Wear sturdy shoes or boots and long socks
Bring water and a comfortable item to sit on, like a small mat or pad\nOptional: Backpack, snacks, journal, sunglasses, hat

Join us for a rejuvenating morning that promises to awaken your senses and enhance your connection to the natural world!

Registration Required: CLICK HERE
Cost – $15 per person plus a $5 suggested donation

A SELT Walk in the Woods - September 2026
2026-09-20 09:00 - 12:00 | Harvey’s Kennard Hill Forest, Epping, New Hampshire
Join experienced SELT hike leader Bill McClure for a monthly series of walks throughout 2026.
In September, we will hike Harvey’s Kennard Hill Forest in Epping and Nottingham. The hike may include all the established trails at Harvey’s Kennard Hill Forest and will likely cover 4-7 miles total. Most of the trails are flat with some gradual rise, but the trails up Kennard Hill are steep at times.
More about Harvey’s Kennard Hill Forest can be found at https://seltnh.org/trails/
The approximate route will be determined in advance and shared with participants two to three days prior to the event. This event is limited to 15 participants.

Registration Required: CLICK HERE
Difficulty – 🥾🥾 1/2 (out of 3)

SELTie Book Club - September 2026
2026-09-23 17:30 - 19:30 | The Nan and George Mathey Center for People and Nature at Burley Farms, 247 North River Road, Epping, NH, 03042, United States
The SELTie Book Club continues! The book selection this time around will be Grandma Joy and Me by Brad Ryan and the discussion will be led by SELT’s Events & Outreach Specialist Derrick Trent. Light refreshments will be provided, but you are also welcome to bring your dinner.
A heartrending, transformative true story following Brad Ryan and his grandmother Joy Ryan as they embark on a seven-year journey to visit every US National Park.
Raised in Appalachia, Grandma Joy lived a life shaped by constraints and hardships, while Brad grappled with the weight of family rifts and unresolved pain. Together, they embarked on a quest not only to witness the majesty of America’s wild landscapes but also to heal generations of struggles and misunderstandings. Over seven years, they sought to visit all sixty-three US National Parks. From the towering peaks of Denali to the otherworldly beauty of the Everglades, each park became a classroom, teaching them profound lessons about nature, resilience, and each other.
Grandma Joy and Me follows a seven-year adventure of intergenerational healing, wherein a grandmother and grandson find themselves released from the injustices—real and imagined—that had long held them hostage. An emotionally charged exploration of love, forgiveness, and resilience, this unique bond between a young man and his ninety-three-year-old grandmother—the oldest person to visit every US National Park—is more than just any travel tale; it is a testament to what makes us deeply human.

Registration Required: CLICK HERE
More about Grandma Joy and Me can be found at https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Grandma-Joy-and-Me/Brad-Ryan/9781668099261

TrailFest 2026
2026-10-17 10:00 - 15:00 | The Nan and George Mathey Center for People and Nature at Burley Farms, 247 North River Road, Epping, NH, 03042, United States
Join us for the region’s biggest FREE family event filled with outdoor fun!
TrailFest features:

Permaculture presentations and demonstrations brought to you by our event partner, Seacoast Permaculture
Kids 1k Untimed Fun Run
Untimed Fun Run or Walk on the trails at Burley Farms
Guided Nature walks
Live entertainments
Burley’s Backyard – A children’s play space focused on child-led exploration and natural elements
Wildlife demonstrations
Live music
Food!
Booths and activities brought to you by great community partners
And much more!

Learn more here
