NHTrust has contributed $2,000 to the Harris Center for Conservation Education to support their continued efforts to reach over 3,000 school children in 30 local public schools with environmental science lessons coupled with outdoor sessions in nature.
The Harris Center’s teacher-naturalists are uniquely suited to delivering highly valued classes that inspire and educate no matter what the setting – hence rising to the challenges of 2020. Accordingly, their teacher-naturalists held professional development sessions for 300 public school teachers before the start of last fall semester to assist them with resources and lesson plans for incorporating the outdoors into their teaching.
Outside of schools, their community programs help curious learners of all ages connect with the natural world – from babies in backpacks to retirement communities and all points in between. Additionally, they provide more than 100 programs and outings for the general public each year, free of charge. The annual calendar of events is rich and varied, from stargazing to mammal tracking, canoeing to cross-country skiing. As a land trust, the Harris Center has directly protected more than 24,000 acres of land in the Monadnock Region for people and wildlife alike. They have also played an integral role in stitching together a 36,000-acre SuperSanctuary of connected, protected lands in Antrim, Greenfield, Hancock, Harrisville, Nelson, Peterborough, Stoddard, and Windsor.
“NHTrust is pleased to support the Harris Center for Conservation Education in their vision to connect people to the natural world through education, land protection, programming, and research,” noted Mike Rafferty, Senior Vice President and Senior Trust Officer of NHTrust. “Our clients and community care for nature and wildlife, have a love of the great outdoors, and the very things that the Harris Center promotes.”
The Harris Center for Conservation Education is dedicated to promoting understanding and respect for our natural environment through education of all ages, direct protection and exemplary stewardship of the region’s natural resources, conservation research, and programs that encourage active participation in the great outdoors. Through the continued support of their environmental education efforts, they hope to help future generations understand nature through the lens of environmental science, deepening their connections with the natural world.
Photo Credit: Spoonwood Pond in the SuperSanctuary by Jill Griffiths
