SQUAM LAKES NATURAL SCIENCE CENTER YEAR IN REVIEW 2007

Squam Lakes Natural Science Center (SLNSC) is a non-profit environmental education organization founded in 1966.  SLNSC’s mission is to advance understanding of ecology by exploring New Hampshire’s natural world. Using the outdoors as a classroom and live native New Hampshire animals as teaching ambassadors, SLNSC programs and exhibits teach the ecological concepts of adaptations, populations, interrelationships, and habitats in meaningful and memorable ways.

At SLNSC’s 200-acre natural site in Holderness, visitors may tour three miles of self-guided trails from May 1 to November 1 featuring:  1) the 3/4-mile Gephart Exhibit Trail displaying native wildlife in woodland enclosures and buildings with hands-on interactive exhibits; 2) the Ecotone Trail, a 2/3-mile track along a forest and field edge; 3) the Mt. Fayal Trail, a 1-mile loop to the top of a small mountain with a view of Squam Lake; and 4) the Forest Trail, a 2/3-mile trail demonstrating forest management and ecology. Kirkwood Gardens, showing how plants attract birds and butterflies, is free to the public. Staff naturalists present natural history programs year-round ranging from lake ecology cruises, to outdoor activities, to indoor live animal presentations.   

SLNSC’s educational philosophy is that “ecological understanding” is fully as important as reading, writing, and arithmetic to the development of an educated citizenry. SLNSC’s many and varied educational offerings provide unparalleled points of entry to the natural world for both school children and the general public, regardless of economic level or geographic region. In particular, SLNSC is the one of very few institutions that has built the capacity to provide quality educational opportunities that combine the excitement of experiencing live, native animals first-hand with the expert natural history awareness, appreciation, and understanding that can best be fostered by skilled professional naturalists. With more than forty years experience in this area, SLNSC has established a well-deserved reputation for the quality of its program.

SLNSC builds relationships that extend beyond its doors and across lifetimes. Our active volunteer program provides opportunities for individuals to become involved in every aspect of operations, with 213volunteers contributing more than 7,200 hours in 2007. Groups from preschools to senior centers participate in programs throughout the year. In 2007, 16,633 school children and teachers, mostly from Grades K – 8, attended a program or visited. School audiences come from all across the state. Most public visitors are from throughout New Hampshire, closely followed by Massachusetts and other New England states, with some from all 50 states and several foreign countries. In 2007, public visitors numbering 40,524 toured the trails while another participated in programs, cruises, and courses.

The Annual Meeting and Gala was held in July 28 with John W. Fitzpatrick, PhD as Keynote Speaker. Dr. Fitzpatrick, head of the Cornell University Laboratory of Ornithology shared the story of the ongoing search for the Ivory-billed Woodpecker, long presumed extinct.

In the April 2007, our annual Clean Up Day was held with volunteers and staff joining together to prepare for the season opening. New Hampshire Day on May 6 welcomed more than 1,700 New Hampshire residents for $1 each. Kirkwood Gardens Day on June 9 brought garden lovers together. Animal Enrichment Day in July encouraged visitors “to come play the animal way.” In September the annual Autumn Festival activities included children’s crafts, live animal presentations, and a presentation by black bear expert Ben Kilham. Carved jack-o-lanterns lit the way for hundreds of Halloween Hoot ‘N Howlers at the end of October. A new website was launched in August with fresh branding and interactive components. November 1 marked the official closing of the Gephart Animal Trail for the season, just as the Howling Coyote Gift Shop’s interactive online store was launched.

The year 2007 was a remarkable one highlighted by a hugely successful lake cruise season. More than 10,000 people enjoyed a cruise on Squam Lake between June and October.

For more information about our programs, membership or volunteering, please contact SLNSC at 603-968-7194 or visit our website at www.nhnature.org.

Annual Report

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