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 learn about the sweet properties of maples and the seasonal changes that affect them and other trees.

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 investigating seasonal changes that create squishy, squashy, mud, and how animals use mud!

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.  

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 think small to explore the stupendous world of salamanders - their life cycles, colorful patterns, and what they’re doing this time of year.

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.

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 hop like frogs, practice our frog calls, and investigate what’s happening in vernal pools in spring!

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.

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 celebrate and appreciate Earth Day together!

Happy Earth Day!

Celebrate Earth Day and join us for our Earth Day Open House at the Center for Lake Studies. LSPA staff and volunteers will provide information and offer demonstrations on environmentally friendly ways to care for our watershed. Come meet representatives from Mt. Kearsarge Indian Museum to learn more about their programs and offerings! There will also be live animals here to teach us more about their lives in our local ecosystem. This event is free and open to the public with activities for all ages! Arrive anytime between 3:30 and 6:00 pm to take part in celebrating Earth Day!

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.

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 learn about the colorful world of the first spring flowers and the many different plants to look for as the weather warms!

Bird banding is one of the most widely used strategies for scientists to study populations of wild birds. But what exactly is bird banding, and how does it work? Join LSPA and Lindsay Herlihy, biologist, naturalist-educator, and lead bander at Black Mountain Banding Station (BMBS) for a presentation on the science of bird banding and its role in avian conservation. Lindsay will explain the practice, history, and applications of bird banding, and share stories (with lots of photos!) of local research efforts at Black Mountain Banding Station which rely on banding to study and conserve New England birds.

Registration link coming soon!

Have you ever wondered how the water level of Lake Sunapee is managed—or who decides when and how much water flows through the dam? The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) Dam Bureau is responsible for overseeing dams across the state, working behind the scenes to keep them safe and functioning for everyone who depends on them. Join presenters Corey Clark (Chief Engineer) and Dan Mattani (Operations and Maintenance Engineer) for an engaging and easy-to-understand look at how Lake Sunapee’s dam is operated. You’ll learn how dam managers juggle many competing needs—boating, fishing, water supply, power generation, scenic beauty, wildlife habitat and more—while also responding to challenges like extreme weather and changing water conditions. This will be a virtual event.

Registration link coming soon!

Join us for an engaging workshop and expo event to learn how to manage stormwater runoff on your property.  A short classroom session will be followed by a local site visit where participants will learn how to read the landscape and discuss ways to slow down rainwater and promote infiltration into the soil.  Attendees will also learn about recent updates to LSPA’s Watershed Wise program and will hear from a participant about the changes he made to his landscape.

Following the earlier sessions, we will host an expo between 10:30 am - 12:00 pm. Stop by during this time period to visit outdoor stations on topics including native plants, permeable pavers, soil health and organic lawns, erosion control materials, NH LAKES LakeSmart program and more!

Click here to register.