Guidelines for Trips

Information about MBNC events

Non-members area always welcome to join our trips. Registration for an event is only required if stated in the event description. If you have questions about a specific event, please contact the trip leader.

There is no fee to attend our events unless otherwise stated on the event page. If parking or entrance fees are required at the trip location, this will be stated in the event description.

If your event involves birdwatching, please read and adhere to the ABA birding code of ethics.

When hitting the trails, please be aware of NH Fish and Game rescue reimbursement policy and carry the essential items for your trip.

We highly encourage trip leaders and attendees to be mindful of the impacts of foot traffic and minimize social trails.

Interested in leading a trip? Email us! We welcome our members to lead trips to their favorite places or see their favorite taxa, and love co-sponsoring with other clubs and organizations.

Information for Participants

The following information provides information for participants on how to get the most of their event experiences.

Before the trip

Read up on the event description to see if the event jives with your outdoor comfort level. Be sure to bring appropriate gear for weather, wet conditions, etc. If weather conditions are not favorable, check the website to ensure the event has not been canceled or postponed. Be sure to check weather conditions beforehand to decide whether or not they are compatible with your outdoor comfort level.

At the meeting place

Please arrive on time, and don't be shy! Everyone attending is interested in nature and the theme of the walk, so you're in good company.

During the trip

Please stick with the group during the event. Please point out what you see and share your knowledge, but try to read the room to ensure that your comments enhance (and not detract from) the group's experience. Though the leader will try to make reasonable accommodations to ensure everyone's well-being, many factors are out of their control. By attending an MBNC event, you are acknowledging this fact, and that you are ultimately liable for your own safety. Please mind your footing while walking, and bring all the equipment and provisions you might need to be comfortable and safe on a trip. If you need to leave early, please notify the leader know so the group knows they haven't lost you. Younger members (elementary-school age to 18 years) are welcome, but must be accompanied by an adult.

After the trip

Did you enjoy it? Tell a friend! We welcome any and all to expand our community of nature enthusiasts. Did the trip inspire you or remind you of a fun nature experience or event you would like to share with others? We encourage you to consider leading a trip for it! If you have an idea of a trip you'd like to lead, please email us. A trip leader does not have to be an expert in the subject, only to know a location, theme, and rough route.

Trip Leader Guidelines

The following provides a rough outline of guidelines leaders can use as a reference for the ethics and logistics of leading a trip.

Before the trip

Have a rough idea for where you’re going during the trip. Winging it is fine, just don’t send people on a wild goose chase… unless you’re looking for geese! For long, multi-stop trips, consider options for bathroom, coffee, and/or lunch stops. While continuing birding, botanizing, or the like, after a trip is over is OK, please ensure that trip descriptions accurately describe timing to the best of your ability. In a trip description please also mention if the trip will require significant walking, steep inclines, wet areas (knee-high boots), or otherwise. These elements help inform prospective participants on whether or not they are comfortable attending, and how to prepare for the event. If you need to cancel or postpone an event, please email us to let us know, and we will update the website.

At the meeting place

Do not arrive late, and make your presence obvious so people know where you’re meeting up. Generally, a group of nature enthusiasts standing around works pretty well. Before going off on the event, have people introduce each other and where they are from, especially if there are new people or people that may not know one another. If a trip involves driving, try to carpool as best as you can. Be sure to ask if anyone needs to leave early so that you can effectively coordinate cars. If possible, it’s helpful to have people in each car who have a rough idea of the lay of the land, or at least to have the last car in a convoy to know the area reasonably well in case the group is split up. Do not drive off until everyone is in their cars and ready to leave.

During the trip

Do your best to ensure everyone gets to appreciate the critter or plant sighted. A commonly-encountered species may be one a participant has not seen or noticed before. Encourage others to point out what they see and share their knowledge, everyone brings different perspectives and insights to the table. Be conscious of everyone's comfort level during the trip, and aware that trip itineraries may need to be modified on the fly based on this aspect.

When birding, please minimize the use of playback, if at all. If playback is used, please consider the welfare of the birds. For instance, using playback in a seldom-birded area can be OK, but in an area that is heavily birded should be used with discretion. It is completely unacceptable to use playback on a species that is rare, state-listed, or similar that is known to be presently breeding at this location. It is important to consider how your use of playback has an impact on the health and well-being of birds.

After the trip

If birding, try to ensure someone keeps an eBird list and be willing to collect eBird usernames from those that would like the list shared with them. If any state-listed species of plants or animals are encountered during the trip, please consider submitting documentation of any rare plant sightings to the New Hampshire Natural Heritage Bureau and rare wildlife to the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department.