Come join LSPA educators at the Center for Lake Studies to explore the natural world. Each Tuesday morning will be filled with hands on learning through sensory experiences, guided exploration, creative play, art, and music. LSPA’s story time is designed for young children and their caregivers. Come to one session or all - each program is organized around a different ecological theme. Come join the fun! This Tuesday morning we will be examining the variety of adaptations that help our wild animal friends survive the freezing winter temperatures!

Come join LSPA educators at the Center for Lake Studies to explore the natural world. Each Tuesday morning will be filled with hands on learning through sensory experiences, guided exploration, creative play, art, and music. LSPA’s story time is designed for young children and their caregivers. Come to one session or all - each program is organized around a different ecological theme. Come join the fun! This Tuesday morning we will be tunneling into the mystical subnivean zone to learn about the amazing world beneath our snowy feet.

Bundle up and join LSPA Education Staff Kathleen Stowell and Kayla Edmunds for a fun winter hike full of discovery! Together, we’ll explore the trail in search of animal tracks and signs left behind in the snow. Learn what animals and birds are up to during the winter months and become nature detectives as we uncover clues about how wildlife survives the season. This hands-on adventure is perfect for curious kids and families who love exploring the outdoors!

Please wear clothing and footwear appropriate for trail walking and the weather.

Click here to register.

Come join LSPA educators at the Center for Lake Studies to explore the natural world. Each Tuesday morning will be filled with hands on learning through sensory experiences, guided exploration, creative play, art, and music. LSPA’s story time is designed for young children and their caregivers. Come to one session or all - each program is organized around a different ecological theme. Come join the fun! This Tuesday morning we will be digging in to the marvelous world of moose.

This meeting is for members of regional lake and pond associations and anyone interested in learning more about how lake water quality data are collected, analyzed, and used. Teriko MacConnell, LSPA's Water Quality Lab Director at Colby-Sawyer College, will provide an overview of LSPA’s long-standing involvement with the Volunteer Lake Assessment Program (VLAP) and explain what common water quality parameters tell us about lake health. Alyssa Spencer, Burkehaven Fellow and GIS Analyst at LSPA, will discuss how LSPA is modernizing the way long-term data are managed, mapped, and shared, and how these tools help connect volunteer-collected data to broader lake, watershed, and statewide patterns.  

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Join us for an exploration of fungi that you can find and identify in our winter woods! While the fruit of many mushrooms is short-lived and found only in our warmer seasons, there are some that persist year-round. Many of these are polypores with reputed medicinal properties that have been used for centuries in homeopathic or traditional medicine. Carrie Deegan, Vice President for Recreation Management & Engagement at the Forest Society, will cover the basics of finding and identifying a number of these "winter mushrooms" before we head out into the forest to see what we can find! A locally-foraged mushroom beverage will be available for sampling!

Please wear clothing and footwear appropriate for trail walking and the weather.

Click here to register.

This meeting is for members of regional lake and pond associations and anyone interested in learning more about developing and implementing a watershed management plan. LSPA Watershed Director Geoff Lizotte will share information from past experiences and will answer questions that attendees may have. Several waterbodies in the region have also recently completed plans or are the process of completing a plan and will be able to contribute to the discussion as well.

Click here to register for this informal Q&A event.

Zoning and Planning Board members from Towns across the Lake Sunapee Watershed are invited to participate in presentations and discussions and to practice with specific examples and scenarios. Facilitators will include engineers from Right Angle Engineering, experienced past and current Zoning and Planning Board members, staff from watershed towns, and LSPA watershed staff.  

The following topics will be covered including: the impacts of decisions made by Planning and Zoning Boards on water quality, basic information that all Zoning and Planning Board members should be aware of, how to interpret site plans and apply state and local regulations, and similarities and differences among towns in zoning and planning approaches.  

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April is a time of migration for many amphibians in our watershed, as they move from their overwintering habitats in forests to their breeding sites in vernal pools and other wetland areas. Learn more about the biology, behavior, and conservation of these fascinating animals from LSPA's Executive Director, Elizabeth Harper. Elizabeth's Ph.D. research focused on the population dynamics of wood frogs and spotted salamanders, two of the most abundant spring breeding amphibians in our region. This program is intended for all audiences and will be in person at the LSPA Center for Lake Studies, with a Zoom option as well.

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Come join LSPA and Ruth Droescher from the Xerces Society to learn about the plight of pollinators and how you can help. Bees are struggling due to habitat loss, pesticides, and disease, but the good news is that there are things we can do to make our landscape better for bees—and if we all do something, together we can have a big impact. Ruth Droescher, ambassador for the Xerces Society will introduce you to the diversity and natural history of America’s native bees, and present straightforward ways in which you can make your garden—or neighborhood or city—a pollinator haven. Learn how to evaluate your own landscape to determine how to make changes that will have the most beneficial impact and protect the local watershed.  Find out how to select flowers, provide nest sites, and why you should avoid pesticides. There are also community science projects to join in and other ways to engage your community.

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Can you hear the chorus? Spring is here, and the woods are buzzing with life! Frogs are calling, salamanders are on the move, and vernal pools are bursting with springtime magic. Grab your mucky boots, bring the whole family, and join us at The Fells for a fun and fascinating exploration of a New Hampshire vernal pool. We’ll search for jelly-like egg masses, listen for frog songs, and maybe even spot some of these amazing amphibians up close. Perfect for curious kids and grown-ups alike—this hands-on adventure is a wonderful way to welcome spring together.

Please wear appropriate clothing and footwear for the weather and wet walking.

Click here to register.