- Tags:
- Wildlife,
- Recreation,
- Land Conservation
The Society for the Protection of NH Forests and the Bretzfelder Park Committee are proud to announce the kickoff of the Bretzfelder Park Summer Family Educational Series on August 7. From hawks and owls to nature smartphone apps, the free programs will be held on Wednesday evenings outdoors at the Bretzfelder Park in Bethlehem.
All programming will take place at Bretzfelder Park, 581 Prospect Street in Bethlehem. To RSVP to the event visit https://www.forestsociety.org/events. Registration is not required but appreciated. Walk-ins are welcome, those registered will receive updates about any changes to the programming.
Hawks & Owls: August 7 at 6 p.m.
The first program will be on August 7 at 6 p.m. with the Squam Lakes Natural Science Center. Join a Squam Lakes Science Center naturalist to meet live raptors that call New Hampshire home. The free program will compare similarities and differences between hawks and owls to discover how they are perfectly suited to the habitat they each fill.
Live Music with the Barnyard Incident: August 14 at 6 p.m.
Live Americana music with the local group, Barnyard, Incident, will play on August 14 at 6 p.m. The Barnyard Incident brings together Deb Rossetti, vocals and percussion; James Sullivan, fiddle, guitar and vocals; Perry Williams, upright bass and vocals; Barry Moore, dobro, guitar, mando harp and vocals; and Dean Bakes, on mandolin, electric guitar, banjo and vocals.
Nature Apps for Naturalists: August 21 at 6 p.m.
On August 21 at 6 p.m., participants will learn about smartphone apps that can help us better understand and enjoy our natural world. Field guides are great but can be heavy to carry. Nature apps can make us better naturalists and contribute to citizen science projects. Naturalist, David Govatski will cover apps for geology, birds, weather, and plants, as well as apps that supplement paper maps for trail navigation.
About the speaker:
Govatski retired from the US Forest Service after a 33-year career. He now works as a ship naturalist in Alaska during the summer and presents autumn foliage programs in New Hampshire in September and October. Govatski is a proponent of getting out and enjoying nature and will show how we can balance the use smart phone apps to increase our enjoyment of nature and not detract from nature.
Beaver Ecology: August 28 at 6 p.m.
Rounding out the series on August 28 at 6 p.m., participants will learn about beaver ecology. This program will include a leisurely walk along a wetland habitat to discuss the habitat needs and the dam and lodge building habits of beavers. Matthew Tarr, Ph.D. is Extension Professor & State Wildlife Habitat Specialist for the University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension, he will lead the discussion and discuss options to avoid and minimize beaver conflicts associated with tree cutting and damming.
About the speaker:
Tarr works throughout NH in close partnership with the NH Fish & Game Department and Natural Resources Conservation Service to assist private landowners and communities improve habitat for wildlife. His specialties include habitat requirements of New England wildlife, improving forested wildlife habitat through commercial timber harvesting, field management to benefit vertebrate and invertebrate wildlife, shrub land and young-forest habitat ecology and management, wetlands wildlife ecology, and invasive plant ecology.