Thanks to Kate Wilcox for this photo of a girl observing nature in a puddle.

Moose Mountains Regional Greenways (MMRG) and Branch Hill Farm (BHF) are teaming up to present a new self-guided outdoor activity program for families called the Woods, Water & Wildlife Explorers Club. With a Passport for families to track their progress and earn prizes, these free self-scheduled activities will provide an opportunity for kids and their families to have fun outside together this summer while learning about the natural world. The WWW Explorers Club is offered as an alternative to the annual Woods, Water & Wildlife Festival that MMRG and BHF have reluctantly cancelled this year out of concern for public health and safety.

‘Woods, Water & Wildlife’ sums up the themes of the interactive Explorers Club events.  The ‘Woods’ category offers ‘Learn Your Leaves,’ with leaf photos of local tree species to help you identify trees at Casey Road Conservation Land or in your own backyard. Two Club activities feature water themes. ‘Family Fishing Fun’ invites families to try fishing at a local farm pond.  ‘Waterside Explorations’ suggests ideas for getting wet and exploring a stream or pond close to home.  The ‘Wildlife’ category includes ‘Rainy Day Adventures’ with virtual presentations by Squam Lakes Natural Science Center and ‘Birds, Blooms and Bugs,’ which encourages children to write a poem, paint a picture, or take a photograph with a nature theme. Several activities promote fun while learning about all three W’s, such as ‘Seasons of Change at Branch Hill Farm’ which takes families on a self-guided walk through BHF’s fields and forest and down to the river.

MMRG Educational Outreach Coordinator Kari Lygren is organizing the ‘Seasons of Change’ walk. She explained, “Families will receive a map to follow with eighteen different stops. Each stop corresponds to a post installed at the Farm with a sign showing fun questions to answer or suggestions of what to look for. When I tried out the whole activity, the pond stop was my favorite. It was fun to see so much life there: birds were active, there was an animal track leading down to the water, fish were jumping and bullfrogs croaking! I really like the wild apple trees too; we saw a flock of turkeys near the trees at the back of the field.”

Joining the WWW Explorers Club is free and simple. Families can download the Passport and find out more details about the program at  https://mmrgnh.org/mmrg-in-action/explorers-club/.  Supplemental materials will be available online for some Club activities, but pre-registration is required for others. ‘Seasons of Change at Branch Hill Farm’ requires advance registration so families can schedule their farm visit and get the map. To register or to learn more about any of the activities, call Kari Lygren at 603-978-7125 or email her at wwwexplorersclub@gmail.com.

MMRG Vice Chair Lorrie Drake is excited about the new WWW Explorers Club alternative to the WWW Festival. “We are very sorry to have to cancel the Festival but we expect it to return next year. Meanwhile, we’ve developed some great activities for families to try and we think you and your kids will have fun, experience new things, and learn a lot about nature. We’d love to hear from you as you complete the activities on your Passport. And due to the generosity of Bartlett Tree Service, the first fifty families who register will receive a free sapling!”

BHF Executive Director Jared Kane added, “Although we were deeply saddened not to be able to host the festival this year, we immediately saw the importance of providing families with a way to get outside and enjoy the outdoors in these challenging times.   We are excited to once again team up with MMRG for the Explorers Club and to offer ‘Seasons of Change’ and ‘Family Fishing Fun’ at Branch Hill Farm. All members of the family can enjoy and learn from these special activities.”

MMRG is grateful to the WWW Explorers Club underwriters, the Siemon Company and Branch Hill Farm/Carl Siemon Family Charitable Trust, and to major sponsor D. F. Richard Energy. Thanks also to prize donors Bartlett Tree Service, Peter Goodwin, McKenzie’s Farm, the Pink House, and Cynthia Wyatt. With Explorers Club activities being promoted throughout the summer, new business sponsors will have plenty of opportunities for their support to be recognized. Interested businesses may call Education Coordinator Kari Lygren at 603-473-2020, email mmrgnh@gmail.com or visit www.mmrgnh.org/sponsorship.

Branch Hill Farm/the Carl Siemon Family Charitable Trust works to protect open space and working forests and to educate the public about sound forestry, conservation and agricultural practices; see www.branchillfarm.org.