​Monitoring for Monarchs

Thursday, July 23, 2026, 9 - 10:30 AM

Nate Marchessault, nate@harriscenter.org

Meet: Peterborough Community Garden, Scott Mitchell Road, Peterborough (GPS directions)

Take part in the International Monarch Monitoring Blitz by joining Harris Center ecologists Brett Amy Thelen and Nate Marchessault to survey for monarch eggs, caterpillars, and butterflies in a Harris Center-conserved milkweed patch. Our data will contribute to the Monarch Larva Monitoring Project, a community science initiative aimed at understanding and protecting this iconic insect throughout North America. No experience necessary! Come prepared for sun, ticks, and other biting insects. Registration required, registration and more information can be found here.

*This event is sponsored by the Harris Center.

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Birding the Dillant-Hopkins Airport

Sunday, July 26, 2026, 8 AM, morning only

Jane Wing, jeswing29@yahoo.com 

Meet: Dillant-Hopkins Airport main parking lot, Swanzey (GPS directions)

Airport Road at the Dillant-Hopkins Airport is one of the birdiest hotspots in the Monadnock Region with its diverse array of wetlands and uplands. We will walk along the wide, flat road for a maximum of three miles in search of birds and other wildlife. Beginners welcome!

*This event is co-sponsored with the Keene Unitarian Universalist Church

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Fern Identification 201: Common Ferns of the Monadnock Region

Sunday, July 26, 2026, 9:30 AM - 12 PM​

Nate Marchessault, nate@harriscenter.org

Meet: Distant Hill Nature Trail, Alstead (exact location provided upon registration)

Did you know that New Hampshire is home to over 40 fern species? Join fern fanatics Michael Nerrie and Nate Marchessault for a primer on the identification of ferns that grow in our region. This workshop will include a presentation, a collection of live specimens, and a short walk to practice our newly acquired skills. It builds on foundational skills learned during our Ferns 101 course last autumn, though all experience levels are welcome. Registration required, registration and more information can be found here.

*This event is co-sponsored with Distant Hill Gardens and Nature Trail, and the Harris Center.

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Film Showing: The Extraordinary Caterpillar

Friday, August 7, 2026, 7 - 9 PM

Peterborough Community Theatre (GPS directions)

From blooming meadows to bustling city parks and lush backyard gardens — including footage shot right here in the Monadnock Region — this new documentary takes viewers on a journey that celebrates nature’s tiniest superheroes, while showing practical ways we can all contribute to caterpillar conservation. Don’t miss this chance to meet your caterpillar neighbors, ask the questions that have been “bugging” you all summer, and celebrate these incredible animals with knowledgeable naturalists from The Caterpillar Lab! Registration encouraged, registration and more information can be found here.

*This event is sponsored by The Caterpillar Lab and the Harris Center.