SELT

Forest Fridays- Early Spring Series
2023-03-17 10:00 - 12:00, 2023-03-31 10:00 - 12:00, 2023-04-21 10:00 - 12:00 (America/New_York) | Piscassic Greenway
Meet us at the Piscassic Greenway Gate 2 for a kid-led nature exploration as part of our Forest Friday series. This series will be led by SELT’s Outreach and Education Specialist Lizzy Franceschini and will offer 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. Forest Fridays in the early spring session to be held: March 17th, March 31st, and April 21st. Please sign up for the whole series, even if you cannot make every date.
This series is intended for kids aged 0-5 and their guardians:

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

Little SELTies Storytime- Early Spring Session *WAITLIST*
2023-03-24 10:00 - 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 contact you 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. Storytime in the early spring session to be held: March 10th, March 24th, and April 7th. 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

Spring Equinox Storytelling with Indigenous NH and MMRG
2023-03-25 14:00 - 15:00 | Birch Ridge Community Forest
Join MMRG and SELT as we co-host Indigenous NH at the Birch Ridge Community Forest for a one hour storytelling event to celebrate the spring equinox. The event will be held on Saturday, March 25th at 2pm at the cabin site at BRCF. This event is suitable for all ages and will include a special storytelling and basic historical information provided by a representative from Indigenous NH from the Cowasuck Band of the Pennacook Abenaki. Birch Ridge Community Forest is a 2663.8 acre property owned by SELT NH with the conservation easement held by MMRG. Our two land trusts are proud to work together as partners in stewarding and sharing this special place. For a map, directions and parking instructions, please see the SELT webpage for BRCF here.
Please note that there is a walk from the parking area to the cabin site which is approximately .5 miles in length along a wide woods road with some sections of moderate incline. The event itself will take place in an unheated cabin and/or in an open field (weather permitting). Participants should come dressed for outdoor weather and prepared to provide for their own comfort including water, snacks and perhaps a blanket for sitting on. There are no bathroom facilities on site.
Founded in 2016, Indigenous NH is a grassroots movement of community members of diverse cultural backgrounds, working to re-frame New Hampshire’s heritage through a decolonial lens. Learn more at indigenousnh.com.
The Southeast Land Trust (SELT) conserves and stewards land for the benefit of people and nature in New Hampshire. SELT serves all of Rockingham and Strafford counties and has conserved tens of thousands of acres since 1980, including nature preserves, hiking trails, farmland, and scenic vistas.
MMRG is a non-profit land trust serving a nine town service region in northern Strafford and southern Carroll counties. Our mission is to conserve key natural resource areas in our New Hampshire communities and connect them within a permanently protected network of greenways and open space for today and tomorrow. Learn more at mmrgnh.org

Difficulty: Easy
You can read our COVID-19 Safety Policy here: www.seltnh.org/covid19/
Donate to support SELT’s Outreach Program now: CLICK HERE
Registration required – www.tinyurl.com/seltoutreach

Finding and Photographing Birds with Tony Baldasaro *At Capacity*
2023-04-05 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 event is at capacity and registration is closed.
Join regionally-renowned bird photographer Tony Baldasaro for an evening of learning more about birds and how best to photograph them. Tony, of TB3 Photography, has been a photographer for over 20 years. He is most passionate about wild bird photography and he will share his tips for not only photographing birds, but also finding them, especially during migration season. In addition to photography, Tony has been a teacher and school administrator for more than 25 years. Merging his two passions, photography and education, has given him the opportunity to do what he loves the most, teach and create. We hope you can join us for a creative evening of learning about wild bird photography!

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

Little SELTies Storytime- Early Spring Session *WAITLIST*
2023-04-07 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

Youth Mindfulness Hike with Quiet Mind Wild Heart *CANCELLED*
2023-04-18 16:00 - 18:00 | Charles E. Rand Memorial Forest
This event has been cancelled.
Join Quiet Mind Wild Heart’s Katie Lianza, certified Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction for Teens Trainer and secondary educator, for a mindfulness hike for youth. On this hike, youth will have a chance to connect to their peers, nature, and themselves through meditation, mindfulness, and poetry. This program is intended for children ages 6-12 and their adult(s).
• Difficulty: Easy
• Donate to support SELT’s Outreach Program now: CLICK HERE
• Registration required –www.tinyurl.com/seltoutreach

SELT at the Earth Day Kick-Off Sustainability Fair
2023-04-21 16:00 - 19:00 | Connie Bean Center, 155 Parrott Ave, Porstmouth, NH, United States
Join SELT at Portsmouth NH 400’s Earth Day Kick-Off Sustainability Fair!
SELT will be one of approximately 25 organizations attending the fair to share with the community ways people can get involved and take action to help take care of our planet and live a little more sustainably.
Visit the Portsmouth NH 400 Event Calendar to learn more: https://www.portsmouthnh400.org/calendar

Beaver Ecology Hike *WAITLIST*
2023-04-26 09:30 - 12:30 | Tucker & French Family Forest
This field trip is at capacity. Please follow the registration link to sign up for the waitlist.
Have you noticed the changing landscape at Tucker and French Family Forest? Come learn more about how nature’s engineers, the beavers, have altered the ecosystem and the landscape at Tucker French. Nature-based educator Kim Cote will lead you on a hike through the forest as you learn more about how and why beavers impact their ecosystems. Bring a picnic lunch to enjoy at the end of the trip. This program is for all ages.
• Difficulty: Easy
• Donate to support SELT’s Outreach Program now: CLICK HERE
• Registration required –www.tinyurl.com/seltoutreach

A Sunset Sit to Observe Woodcock *WAITLIST*
2023-04-28 19:00 - 21:00 | Birch Ridge Community Forest
This program is at capacity. Please follow the registration link to join the waitlist.
Join SELT, Matt Tarr (UNH Cooperative Extension Professor & Wildlife Specialist), and Charlie Bridges of the BRCF Steering Committee for a special “Sunset Sit to Observe Woodcock.” This field trip will require minimal walking, as participants gather by the BRCF cabin to learn more about the Birch Ridge Community Forest, watch the sunset, and listen for woodcock. Participants are invited to bring binoculars, a lawn chair and picnic dinner, as well.

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

Landowner Workshop - Managing Your Land for Turtle Habitat
2023-05-04 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
Turtles are ancient animals that are being impacted by modern times. Join Josh Megyesy, Wildlife Biologist from NH Fish and Game’s Nongame and Endangered Wildlife Program, to learn more about how you can manage your land for turtle habitat. With the location of suitable nesting grounds being crucial for successful nesting, hatching and survival, there has never been a more important time to learn more about the many ways we can help turtles survive and thrive in our modern world.
You can read our COVID-19 Safety Policy here: www.seltnh.org/covid19/
Registration required – CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Little SELTies Storytime - Late Spring Series *RESCHEDULED*
2023-05-05 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
Due to a scheduling conflict, this storytime has been rescheduled to May 26th.
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. Storytime in the late spring session to be held: May 26th and June 2nd. 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

Birch Ridge Mountain Adventure
2023-05-06 09:30 - 14:30 | Birch Ridge Community Forest
Join experienced SELT GOAT Volunteer Sue Mayotte for a mountain hiking adventure in Birch Ridge Community Forest. This hike will include climbing Mount Eleanor (out and back) plus Rattlesnake Mountain. The group will stop for a picnic lunch at the Birch Ridge Cabin. This hike will be a strenuous 6.5 miles and is for experienced hikers ages 14 and up.
• Difficulty: Strenuous
• Donate to support SELT’s Outreach Program now: CLICK HERE
• Registration required –www.tinyurl.com/seltoutreach

Nature Games and Wild Play - Spring
2023-05-09 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 5-11 and their caregiver(s).

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

The Role of Non-Native Shrubs as Habitat for Birds
2023-05-10 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
Join us for an evening program at The Mathey Center to learn about how non-native shrubs influence habitat quality for birds. Matt Tarr, UNH Cooperative Extension Professor & Wildlife Specialist, will lead this presentation as we explore how non-native shrubs impact declining songbird populations.
Sign up for this presentation and the follow-up field trip “The Role of Native and Non-Native Shrubs as Habitat for Birds and Other Wildlife” for the most in-depth exploration of this topic.

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

Forest Friday with Laney & Lu
2023-05-12 10:00 - 12:00 | Piscassic Greenway
Join us for a special end-of-year Forest Friday celebration featuring a picnic lunch with Laney & Lu.
Meet us at the Piscassic Greenway Gate 2 for a kid-led nature exploration as part of our Forest Friday series. This series will be led by SELT’s Outreach and Education Specialist Lizzy Franceschini and will offer 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. After our exploration, we will stay for a picnic lunch with snack boxes provided by Laney & Lu.
This series is intended for kids aged 0-5 and their guardians:

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

Mindful Movement and Hike with UNH Cooperative Extension
2023-05-13 10:00 - 12:00 | Burley Farms, 247 N. River Road, Epping, NH, 03042, United States
This program is in partnership with UNH Cooperative Extension’s 4H Healthy Living Mental Wellness Pathway.
The Mindful Movement and Hike will focus on the growing field of research using nature as more than a backdrop for experiences, but instead as a powerful modality for mental wellness. Multiple studies referenced in an Advanced Sciences article, Nature and mental health: An ecosystem service perspective, have linked time in nature to lower levels of mental distress, positive social interactions, and a sense of meaning and purpose in life. Coupled with evidence-based mindfulness practices, which Dr. Gavin, Director of Behavioral Medicine for the Back on Trek Program within the Neurological Institute, writes about in her article, highlighting an overall reduction in the areas of stress, chronic pain, and relapses in mental illness as well improved mental health including quality of sleep.
Combining these two fields of research, our skilled presenters will use a guided approach to the day, using mindfulness-based practices like low-impact hiking and yoga as well as grounding techniques like walking meditation and creating a sound map. The two-hour immersive experience will leave participants grounded in their natural surroundings, ultimately connecting their Head, Heart, and Hands for improved mental Health!
Registration is required. Please visit the events page on the UNH Cooperative Extension website for more information and to register: https://extension.unh.edu/event/2023/05/mindful-movement-hike

Seacoast Village Project Burley Farms Field Trip
2023-05-17 10:00 - 12:00 | Burley Farms, 247 N. River Road, Epping, NH, 03042, United States
This event is for members of Seacoast Village Project.
Members of the Seacoast Village Project will visit Burley Farms for a hike and presentation on The Mathey Center.
Click here to visit the Seacoast Village Project website and to register: https://seacoast.helpfulvillage.com/events/555

The Role of Native and Non-Native Shrubs as Habitat for Birds and Other Wildlife *WAITLIST*
2023-05-17 17:30 - 20:00 | Burley Farms, 247 N. River Road, Epping, NH, 03042, United States
This field trip is at capacity. Please follow the registration link to join the waitlist.
Come to Burley Farms for an educational field trip led by Matt Tarr, UNH Cooperative Extension Professor & Wildlife Specialist. On the field trip, Matt will discuss how to identify common native & non-native shrubs and how these shrubs function as wildlife habitat. Additionally, we will identify birds we see and hear along the way, so be sure to bring binoculars if you have them.
Sign up to attend the presentation “The Role of Non-Native Shrubs as Habitat for Birds” the week before the field trip for the most in-depth exploration of this topic.

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

Wildflowers and Woodwinds
2023-05-21 14:30 - 17:00 | Burley Farms, 247 N. River Road, Epping, NH, 03042, United States
Join us for a beautiful spring afternoon featuring wildflowers and woodwinds at the Burley Farms campus. We will start the afternoon with a wildflower hike lead by Joanne Gloade, field ecologist/botanist from The Nature Conservancy. The Burley Farms fields should have a variety of flowers blooming in May and Joanne will help us identify them and discuss the pollinators who rely on these beautiful plants. After the hike, we will come into The Pratt Family Community Room for a woodwinds concert by the Fiske’NFell Clarinet Duo, featuring Nancy Fiske and Christine Fell.
You can read our COVID-19 Safety Policy here: www.seltnh.org/covid19/
Registration required – CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Little SELTies Stortytime - Late Spring Series
2023-05-26 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
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. Storytime in the late spring session to be held: May 26th and June 2nd. 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

Little SELTies Storytime- Late Spring Session
2023-06-02 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

National Trails Day - Spruce Swamp Trails Opening Celebration
2023-06-03 09:30 - 14:30 | Spruce Swamp Conservation Area, Fremont, NH, United States
Celebrate National Trails Day with SELT by attending the ribbon cutting for one of our newest trail systems- Spruce Swamp Conservation Area in Fremont! We will begin the morning by celebrating and officially opening the new trail system. Then, forester Phil Auger will lead a hike on the new trails. Bring your own picnic lunch for after the hike, then stick around for the afternoon for volunteer trail work at Spruce Swamp. Feel free to come for just part of the day, or stay the whole day as we celebrate National Trails Day!
• Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
• Donate to support SELT’s Outreach Program now: CLICK HERE
• Registration required –www.tinyurl.com/seltoutreach

SELT's Annual Conservation Celebration
2023-06-10 16:00 - 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 us to celebrate another year of conservation success at the Nan and George Mathey Center for People and Nature at Burley Farms on Saturday, June 10 at 4:00 PM.
The event will feature live music provided by Chad Verbeck of Rockspring, and the opportunity to join a Mathey building and/or Burley Farms property tour.
Enjoy a catered barbecue buffet featuring locally sourced food from SELT conserved farms and cash bar stocked with local brews, followed by a celebratory presentation where we’ll honor our partners in conservation and the recipients of the Jack Heath Award for Conservationist of the Year, the Ashton Hallett Award for Exemplary Stewardship of the Land, and the Founders’ Award for Volunteerism.
Click here to RSVP!
Schedule:
4:00

Event Begins
Building Open for Self-Guided Tours

4:15

Guided property tours depart from patio
Interested guests will be able to join a shorter walk, as well as a more robust hike around the Burley Farms Property

5:00

Dinner and Awards Presentation

Tickets:
Attendance at the Conservation Celebration is $30 per adult, $15 per child (age 7–15), children 6 and under are welcome to attend free of charge. Registration Required. Please RSVP by Friday, June 2.
Please call 603-778-6088 or email register@seltnh.org with any questions you may have!

Vulture Culture with Tailwinds: Raptor Education and Conservation
2023-06-14 17:30 - 19:00 | The Nan and George Mathey Center for People and Nature at Burley Farms, 247 North River Road, Epping, NH, 03042, United States
Join Tailwinds: Raptor Education and Conservation educators to learn about the undervalued, underestimated, and misunderstood Turkey Vulture. Meet education team member Greta – a curious and social Turkey Vulture up close and in person. Learn to admire and respect one of the most impressive birds in our ecosystem.

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

Howard Swain Memorial Forest Naturalist Tour
2023-06-15 09:30 - 11:30 | Howard Swain Memorial Forest, Deerfield, NH
Howard Swain Memorial Forest is a hiker’s paradise with rocky trails, multiple ponds, and an amazing view over to Pawtuckaway State Park. The varied ecosystems of the land are home to many plant and animal species. Come explore this unique forest with Kim Cote, a Natural Resources Steward and Nature-Based Educator. This program is open to all ages.

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

Summer Solstice Yoga Hike at Stonehouse Forest
2023-06-21 18:00 - 20:00 | Stonehouse Forest
Join avid hiker and 500 Hour Registered Yoga Instructor Venera Gattonini for a Summer Solstice Yoga Hike! Participants will hike through beautiful Stonehouse Forest up to the cliff overlooking Stonehouse Pond. At the lookout, Venera will lead the group through a meditative yoga session in celebration of the Summer Solstice. The group will then use the light from the longest day of the year to hike out of the forest.
More about Venera: Venera Gattonini has also been a middle school and high school teacher (Woodworking and Art) for the last 20 years. For the last nine years she has been teaching mindfulness in the classroom. In the last three years she has been teaching yoga and mindfulness in the woods, in yoga studios and at UNH, at the Chase Children’s home, and leading small group mindfulness workshops. Venera is certified in Wilderness First Aid, CPR, and AED.
“I’m a joyful spirit, an outdoor enthusiast, an avid hiker, an adventurer, an artist, a woodworking and art teacher, a dream nurturer and people lover. We are all one. I look forward to your presence and to co-creating a joyful and nurturing environment where you can be confident that you will be encouraged and supported when you step out of your comfort zone on or off the mat.” – Venera
This program is for people ages 14 and up with some hiking and/or yoga experience.

Difficulty: Moderate
Donate to support SELT’s Outreach Program now: CLICK HERE
Registration required: CLICK HERE

Ponding For Kids
2023-06-22 10:00 - 12:00 | Burley Farms, 247 N. River Road, Epping, NH, 03042, United States
Join SELT’s Outreach and Education Specialist, Lizzy Franceschini, for a fun exploration of the Burley Farms Beaver Pond! We will hike out to the pond and use our nets to catch and identify creatures of the pond. There will also be time for free play and exploration.
This field trip is intended 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

Little SELTies Storytime - Summer Session
2023-06-30 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
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 summer session to be held June 30th, July 21st, and August 18th. 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
