SELT

SELT Trailfest!
2023-10-14 10:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York) | Burley Farms, 247 N. River Road, Epping, NH, 03042, United States
This extremely popular celebration of the outdoors has quickly rocketed up the charts as one of the premiere family events in the area. TrailFest is a free event for the community, held at the 237-acre Burley Farms, SELT’s net-zero campus in Epping. In 2022, we welcomed nearly 1,000 children, adults, vendors, and volunteers!
TrailFest is proud to feature:

Permaculture presentations and demonstrations brought to you by our event partner, Seacoast Permaculture
Kid’s 1k Untimed Fun Run
Untimed Fun Run or Walk on the trails at Burley Farms
Guided Nature walks
Burley’s Backyard – A children’s play space focused on child-led exploration and natural elements including reading tents, jumping stumps, a music wall, a mud kitchen, hula hoops, bubbles and more!
Wildlife demonstrations including a Center for Wildlife Reptile Program
Food vendors like Johnny Khorovats, NH Coffee Roasting Co., and the Kona Ice Truck
Live music from 9 Pound Hamster and Green Heron
Booths and activities brought to you by our community partners like Acorn School, Epping Conservation Commission, Furry Mammals (a New Hampshire Fish and Game Curriculum Kit), Pollinator Pathways NH, Replenish Refillery and more!
…AND MORE!

Visit our Trailfest page for the most up-to-date information on this awesome event: https://seltnh.org/trailfest/

The World of The Whitetail: How to Get Close to Wild Deer
2023-10-18 18:00 - 19:30 | The Nan and George Mathey Center for People and Nature at Burley Farms, 247 North River Road, Epping, NH, 03042, United States
Join nature-based consultant, educator, and guide Dan Gardoqui to learn more about Whitetail Deer biology and rutting season behavior with additional information about how to detect and locate deer in forested areas. If you are interested in learning more about how to harvest wild game from the landscape and you don’t know where to get started- this is the program for you! This information is also valuable to photographers, wildlife enthusiasts, or anyone interested in learning more about these graceful creatures that we share our world with.

Donate to support SELT’s Outreach Program now: CLICK HERE
Registration required: CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Little SELTies Storytime - Fall Session *WAITLIST*
2023-09-22 10:00 - 12:00 | The Nan and George Mathey Center for People and Nature at Burley Farms, 247 North River Road, Epping, NH, 03042, United States
This program is at capacity. Please sign up for the waitlist and we will be in touch if space becomes available.
We welcome our Little SELTies to join us for a morning of nature stories, songs, and activities in the Pratt Family Community Room at the Mathey Center at Burley Farms. Led by SELT’s Outreach and Education Specialist, Lizzy Franceschini, we will start our morning inside the community room with story time activities, then head outside for a short hike in the forest. This program is designed for children ages 0-5 and their caregivers. Storytimes for the fall session will run on 9/22, 10/20, 11/3, and 11/17. Please sign up for the whole series, even if you cannot make every date.

Donate to support SELT’s Outreach Program now: CLICK HERE
Registration required: CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Nature Games and Wild Play - Autumn!
2023-10-24 16:00 - 18:00 | Burley Farms, 247 N. River Road, Epping, NH, 03042, United States
Join SELT’s Outreach and Education Specialist, Lizzy Franceschini, for an afternoon of nature games and wild play on the northern portion of Burley Farms. The session will include time for both teacher-led nature games and child-led nature play and exploration. This field trip is for children ages 5-12 and their caregiver(s).

Difficulty: Easy
Donate to support SELT’s Outreach Program now: CLICK HERE
Registration required: www.tinyurl.com/seltoutreach

Forest Friday Fall Session *WAITLIST*
2023-10-27 10:00 - 12:00 | Piscassic Greenway
Meet us at the Piscassic Greenway Gate 2 for a kid-led nature exploration as part of our Forest Friday series in partnership with UNH Cooperative Extension. This series will be led by a nature-based educator and will offer supervised kid-led exploration and unstructured outdoor play for kids aged 0-5 and their guardians with a focus on youth mental wellness and development. This series will take place rain or shine – be sure to dress appropriately for the weather, you’ll want to be comfortable being still and getting muddy. Forest Fridays in the fall session to be held on 9/15, 9/29, and 10/27. Please sign up for the whole series, even if you cannot make every date.

Difficulty: Easy
Donate to support SELT’s Outreach Program now: CLICK HERE
Registration required: www.tinyurl.com/seltoutreach

Identifying Trees and Shrubs and Their Role as Wildlife Habitat *WAITLIST*
2023-10-28 09:00 - 12:00 | Burley Farms, 247 N. River Road, Epping, NH, 03042, United States
This program is at capacity. Please join the waitlist and we will be in touch if space becomes available.
Join UNH Cooperative Extension’s Matt Tarr (State Specialist, Wildlife Habitat) on a slow walk on SELT’s Burley Farms property to learn how to identify common native and non-native trees & shrubs and how each functions as habitat for different wildlife. This workshop will be entirely outdoors and includes a very slow-paced walk over easy to moderate terrain with many stops for discussion.
Bring your binoculars – we will identify any birds and other wildlife we encounter along the way and we’ll include some practice identifying trees & shrubs from a distance.

Difficulty: Easy
Donate to support SELT’s Outreach Program now: CLICK HERE
Registration required –www.tinyurl.com/seltoutreach

Forest Bathing
2023-11-01 13:00 - 15:00 | Burley Farms, 247 N. River Road, Epping, NH, 03042, United States
Join SELT Volunteer Dennis Garnham for a Forest Bathing Therapy session on conserved SELT Land. 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.

Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Donate to support SELT’s Outreach Program now: CLICK HERE
Registration required: www.tinyurl.com/seltoutreach

Spruce Swamp Adventure Hike *WAITLIST*
2023-11-04 09:00 - 14:00 | Spruce Swamp Conservation Area, Fremont, NH, United States
This field trip is at capacity. Please join the waitlist and we’ll be in touch if space becomes available.
Join SELT GOAT Volunteer Sue Mayotte for an adventure hike at Spruce Swamp in Fremont. The hike will begin with the Kelliher Trail out to the famous B-52 crash site. The out and back is about two miles and there will be the option to end your hike at this point or continue for the full adventure.
For those who continue on, you will hike the Garrison Trail to the Barred Owl Trail with possible additions of the Homestead Trail and the Woodland Trail. The total mileage for the hike will be in the 7-8 mile range.
This adventure is for humans only, ages 10 and up. Be prepared to wear orange for hunting season and that it is also deer tick season.

Difficulty: Strenuous
Donate to support SELT’s Outreach Program now: CLICK HERE
Registration required: www.tinyurl.com/seltoutreach

Trail Building 101
2023-11-07 14:00 - 16:00 | Burley Farms, 247 N. River Road, Epping, NH, 03042, United States
Have you been thinking about adding a trail to your property, and want to make sure you are following best practices while you do so? Join SELT’s Trails and Community Engagement Manger Yohann Hanley for a workshop introducing the basic principles of trail building. You’ll learn about appropriate trail placement, permitting requirements, where to add structures, and different building techniques.

Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Donate to support SELT’s Outreach Program now: CLICK HERE
Registration required: www.tinyurl.com/seltoutreach

#OptOutside with SELT *WAITLIST*
2023-11-24 10:00 - 12:00 | Burley Farms, 247 N. River Road, Epping, NH, 03042, United States
This event is at capacity. Please join the waitlist and we’ll be in touch if space becomes available.
#OptOutside with SELT this year at Burley Farms! #OptOutside began in 2015 as a way to choose time outside over the busiest shopping day of the year. Read more about #OptOutside here: https://www.rei.com/opt-outside
This family-friendly event is open to all ages and will include a hike followed by nature play in the fields and a fire on the patio, complete with hot cocoa. This event will be led by SELT’s Outreach and Education Specialist, Lizzy Franceschini, who has been opting outside with friends and family since 2016. We hope this becomes a new family tradition for you, as well.

Difficulty: Easy
Donate to support SELT’s Outreach Program now: CLICK HERE
Registration required: www.tinyurl.com/seltoutreach

Solstice Glowstick Hike *WAITLIST*
2023-12-21 16:00 - 18:00 | Burley Farms, 247 N. River Road, Epping, NH, 03042, United States
This event is at capacity. Please join the waitlist and we’ll be in touch if space becomes available.
Join us at Burley Farms to celebrate the winter solstice with a glowstick hike! SELT Outreach and Education Specialist Lizzy Franceschini will lead a sunset/night hike through the fields and forest of Burley Farms, by the light of our glowsticks. Along the way we will stop for activities to learn about this special time of year and enjoy the excitement of being outside on “the longest night”.
This event is a family-friendly event and open to children of all ages.

Difficulty: Easy
Donate to support SELT’s Outreach Program now: CLICK HERE
Registration required: www.tinyurl.com/seltoutreach

Owl Prowl with Center for Wildlife *WAITLIST*
2024-01-10 16:00 - 18:00 | The Nan and George Mathey Center for People and Nature at Burley Farms, 247 North River Road, Epping, NH, 03042, United States
This program is at capacity. Please register for the waitlist and we’ll be in touch if space becomes available.
Come and join Center for Wildlife as we spend the evening learning about regional owl species and hit the trails to have a look for owls right here in our own backyard.
The Owl Prowl will start with a meet and greet with some of our non-releasable wildlife ambassadors and then we will head to the trails for some exploration time in which we will call for and have a look out for wild owls in the area.
The program may be a combination of indoor and outdoor time, or all outdoors, depending on the weather.

Donate to support SELT’s Outreach Program now: CLICK HERE
Registration required: CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Little SELTies Storytime Winter Session *WAITLIST*
2024-01-12 10:00 - 12:00 | The Nan and George Mathey Center for People and Nature at Burley Farms, 247 North River Road, Epping, NH, 03042, United States
This program is at capacity. Please join the waitlist and we’ll be in touch if space becomes available.
We welcome our Little SELTies to join us for a morning of nature stories, songs, and activities in the Pratt Family Community Room at the Mathey Center at Burley Farms. Led by SELT’s Outreach and Education Specialist, Lizzy Franceschini, we will start our morning inside the community room with story time activities, then head outside for a short hike in the forest. This program is designed for children ages 0-5 and their caregivers. Storytimes for the winter session will run on 1/12, 1/26, 2/9, and 2/23. Please sign up for the whole series, even if you cannot make every date.

Donate to support SELT’s Outreach Program now: CLICK HERE
Registration required: CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Cross Country Ski with Seven Rivers - Piscassic Greenway *WAITLIST*
2024-01-19 09:00 - 11:00 | Piscassic Greenway
This trip is at capacity. Please sign up for the waitlist and we’ll be in touch if space becomes available. There is still room on the Seven Rivers Ski trip at Mast Road scheduled for March 13th: https://seltnh.org/event/cross-country-ski-with-seven-rivers-mast-road-natural-area/
Seven Rivers Enrichment’s mission is to offer exceptional outdoor enrichment to people of all ages. Join SELT and Seven Rivers Enrichment for an adult-paced cross-country skiing adventure. Whether this is your first time skiing or you are a seasoned skier, adults are invited to join this ski through the Piscassic Greenway. Ski rentals will be available through Seven Rivers for $12.00, or you can bring your own skis. This trip is weather/conditions dependent.

Difficulty: Moderate
Donate to support SELT’s Outreach Program now: CLICK HERE
Registration required: www.tinyurl.com/seltoutreach

Tucker Trek Thursdays
2024-01-25 09:45 - 12:00 | Tucker & French Family Forest
Come explore at the Tucker & French Family Forest this winter with nature-based educator, Kim Cote. We may observe some scats, tracks, birds, and other signs of wildlife while frolicking about. We’ll also experience how the forest changes during the winter months. This field trip is intended for families with children ages 4 and up. Please pack a picnic lunch if you want to enjoy a winter picnic after our adventures.
Series dates: 1/25, 2/15, 3/14. Please sign up for the whole series, even if you can’t attend every date.

Difficulty: Easy to moderate
Donate to support SELT’s Outreach Program now: CLICK HERE
Registration required: www.tinyurl.com/seltoutreach

Full Moon Snowshoe *WAITLIST*
2024-01-25 17:30 - 19:30 | Birch Ridge Community Forest
This trip is at capacity. Please join the waitlist and we’ll be in touch if space becomes available.
Get your snowshoes and bundle up, SELT’s Trails and Community Engagement Manager, Yohann Hanley, will be leading a walk under the light of the full moon at Birch Ridge Community Forest in New Durham, NH. Yohann will guide you from the Southridge Trail to Birch Ridge Trail, leaving from the main parking area. We hope to take full advantage of the winter snow, but if there is not enough to snowshoe, this event will be a winter night hike instead.
This event is geared towards older children and adults with some snowshoeing or winter hiking experience.

Difficulty: Strenuous
Donate to support SELT’s Outreach Program now: CLICK HERE
Registration required: www.tinyurl.com/seltoutreach

New Hampshire Forest Industry Presentation
2024-01-30 10:00 - 11:00 | The Nan and George Mathey Center for People and Nature at Burley Farms, 247 North River Road, Epping, NH, 03042, United States
Join Andy Fast, Forest Industry State Specialist for UNH Cooperative Extension, for a presentation on the NH Forest Industry. Andy will provide an overview of the industry and leave time for questions and discussion.

Donate to support SELT’s Outreach Program now: CLICK HERE
Registration required: CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Forest Fridays Winter Session *WAITLIST*
2024-02-02 10:00 - 12:00 | Piscassic Greenway
This program is at capacity. Please join the waitlist and we’ll be in touch if space becomes available.
Meet us at the Piscassic Greenway Gate 2 for a kid-led nature exploration as part of our Forest Friday series. This series is presented in partnership with UNH Cooperative Extension and is led by nature-based educator Katie Lianza. Forest Friday offers supervised kid-led exploration and unstructured outdoor play for kids aged 0-5 and their guardians. This series will take place rain, snow or shine – be sure to dress appropriately for the weather, you’ll want to be comfortable being still and getting muddy. Forest Fridays in the winter session to be held on 2/2, 2/16, 3/8, and 3/22. Please sign up for the whole series, even if you cannot make every date.

Difficulty: Easy
Donate to support SELT’s Outreach Program now: CLICK HERE
Registration required: www.tinyurl.com/seltoutreach

Winter Ecology and Identification Walk *WAITLIST*
2024-02-03 09:00 - 12:00 | Mast Road Natural Area
This program is at capacity. Please join the waitlist and we will be in touch if space becomes available.
Join forester Phil Auger for an educational winter walk through the Mast Road Natural Area. Along the way, Phil will teach you about winter shrub and tree identification, forest ecology, and the history of the property.

Difficulty: Moderate
Donate to support SELT’s Outreach Program now: CLICK HERE
Registration required: www.tinyurl.com/seltoutreach

Conservation and Hunting in New Hampshire *NEW DATE*
2024-02-07 17:30 - 18:30 | The Nan and George Mathey Center for People and Nature at Burley Farms, 247 North River Road, Epping, NH, 03042, United States
This program has been rescheduled from December 6th to the new date of February 7th.
Responsible hunters and anglers are stewards of the land. They are the eyes and ears, observing, listening, and tracking the patterns of each unique parcel as it endures New England’s ever-changing seasons. They understand the behaviors of its inhabitants and not only respect them, but acknowledge their importance in the overall health and balance of the land. Join Jason Eberl, NH Educator and lifelong hunting and fishing conservationist, for a discussion on the unique and vital role of Granite State hunters and anglers in protecting our wild spaces.

Donate to support SELT’s Outreach Program now: CLICK HERE
Registration required: CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Winter Wildlife Tracking at Birch Ridge *WAITLIST*
2024-02-10 09:30 - 12:00 | Birch Ridge Community Forest
This program is at capacity. Please join the waitlist and we’ll be in touch if space becomes available.
Join Emma Tutein, Community Conservation State Specialist from UNH Cooperative Extension, for a winter hike and exploration of Birch Ridge Community Forest. Along the way we will look for signs of wildlife, which may include tracks, scat, shrub grazes, pellets, sleeping patches, and rubs. Pack lunch if you’d like to enjoy a winter picnic. This field trip is intended for all ages.

Difficulty: Moderate
Donate to support SELT’s Outreach Program now: CLICK HERE
Registration required: www.tinyurl.com/seltoutreach

Maple Sugaring Workshop *WAITLIST*
2024-02-15 10:00 - 12:00 | The Nan and George Mathey Center for People and Nature at Burley Farms, 247 North River Road, Epping, NH, 03042, United States
This program is at capacity. Please register for the waitlist and we will be in touch if space becomes available.
Ever wonder how maple syrup is made? From steel buckets and oxen-drawn wagons to the advanced technology used today, maple syrup production has changed considerably over time. But one thing has remained constant – maple trees and their sweet sap. Join Steve Roberge, UNH Extension Forestry Specialist and Professor, to learn about the history, production, and biology of maple sugaring.

Donate to support SELT’s Outreach Program now: CLICK HERE
Registration required: CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Volunteer Field Season Kickoff! *WAITLIST*
2024-03-02 09:00 - 12:00 | The Nan and George Mathey Center for People and Nature at Burley Farms, 247 North River Road, Epping, NH, 03042, United States
This program is at capacity. Please join the waitlist and we’ll be in touch if space becomes available.
Join SELT’s Volunteer Program Staff at The Nan and George Mathey Center for People and Nature on Saturday, March 2nd from 9AM-Noon for the second annual Volunteer Field Season Kickoff!
The Kickoff will give volunteers a chance to meet SELT staff and other volunteers, and learn about some of the ways to volunteer with SELT. After light refreshments we’ll do a group icebreaker, then split into groups for three rotating training sessions. We’ll finish up with a review of the volunteer portal and time tracking sheet, with time for questions. This event is open to anyone interested in volunteering with SELT, so feel free to share this information with your friends and bring them along!
Field Season Kickoff Schedule:
9:00 AM – Arrival, coffee, networking
9:15 AM – Welcome and Icebreaker
9:30 AM – Rotating Training Sessions:

SELT 101 with Zoe
Trail Building with Yohann
Monitoring with Chad
11:00 – Volunteer portal review and general questions

Noon – Event ends
Registrations are required – EVENT AT CAPACITY CLICK HERE to be added to the waiting list.
