Harris Center for Conservation Education

What Harris Center for Conservation Education does

Harris Center for Conservation Education is a private nonprofit founded in 1976 and headquartered in Hancock, New Hampshire. It pursues a hybrid mission of land conservation, environmental education, and community-based conservation research in the Monadnock Region. The organization has protected more than 26,000 acres of land, situating its operations within a 36,000-acre SuperSanctuary of conserved lands. Its core offerings are organized around four pillars: school programs (K-12 field trips, classroom visits, teacher professional development), community programs (Environmental Studies Institute workshops, family and afterschool programs, camps, lectures and outings), community science (Salamander Crossing Brigades, Vernal Pool Project, Project Nighthawk, SPARCnet, Butterfly Monitoring, iNaturalist), and land protection and conservation research (wildlife studies on birds, amphibians, insects, and migration). Distribution is primarily direct and regional: on-site programs at the Hancock facility, mobile outreach to Monadnock Region schools, and public access to the trail network. There is no proprietary technology platform; the 'technology' is the 26,000+ acres of conserved land, the green building headquarters, the Pollinator Garden, and the newly completed Eleanor Briggs Open Lodge, which accommodates up to 250 people.

The Harris Center operates as a donation- and grant-funded nonprofit with modest fee-based revenue. Revenue streams include individual donations, anonymous donor support for specific initiatives, grant funding (including a USDA Community Forest grant for the Nelson Highlands Project), and program fees for workshops and professional development ($120 for supporters / $140 for non-supporters) and Environmental Leadership Award scholarships ($2,500 awarded annually to two graduating seniors). It does not publicly disclose financial figures, and there is no evidence of venture capital, private equity, or earned media-funded commercialization. The customer base is fundamentally a community of supporters rather than commercial buyers: primary constituencies are K-12 students and educators, families and children, community members and volunteers, and a secondary segment of landowners and conservation partners (notably the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests on the Nelson Highlands Project). Strategic positioning is that of a regional conservation and education hub rather than a scalable commercial entity.

Name

Harris Center for Conservation Education

Legal name

Harris Center for Conservation Education

Website

https://harriscenter.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1976

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Harris Center for Conservation Education is a Hancock, New Hampshire-based nonprofit that protects over 26,000 acres in the Monadnock Region and delivers K-12 environmental education, community science, and public programs from its headquarters and the Eleanor Briggs Open Lodge.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Conservation Education

NAICS

Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190), Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Environmental Education & Outreach (BPAGAGAH)

Keywords

• Environmental education
• Land conservation
• Citizen science
• Wildlife research
• Nature programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Hancock

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: The Harris Center relies on donations from supporters to fund land conservation, educational programs, and conservation research. Fundraising campaigns include specific projects like the Nelson Highlands land protection effort.
2. Grant Funding: The organization receives grant funding from organizations such as the USDA Community Forest program for land conservation projects.
3. Program Fees: Some programs charge registration fees, such as the Environmental Studies Institute courses at $120 for supporters and $140 for non-supporters, and professional development workshops at $120.
4. Anonymous Donor Support: Major donations from anonymous donors support specific initiatives including the Environmental Leadership Awards scholarships.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Harris Center for Conservation Education is a private nonprofit that delivers nature-based environmental education (school programs, camps, family and adult workshops through the Environmental Studies Institute), community/citizen science programs (Salamander Crossing Brigades, Vernal Pool Project, Butterfly Monitoring, etc.), land conservation across a 36,000-acre SuperSanctuary, and conservation research on local wildlife. Programs are delivered on-site at its Hancock, NH headquarters, through school outreach across the Monadnock Region, and via public access to its trails and facilities, supported by donations, grants, and program fees.

Product overview

The Harris Center for Conservation Education offers a portfolio of interconnected conservation and environmental education programs centered around four pillars: land protection (the SuperSanctuary spanning 36,000 acres), education (school programs, camps, community programs, and the Environmental Studies Institute), community science (citizen science initiatives like Salamander Crossing Brigades and vernal pool monitoring), and conservation research (wildlife studies on birds, amphibians, and insects). The organization operates from its green building headquarters in Hancock, NH, providing public trails, facility rentals, and hosting hundreds of events annually including workshops, lectures, and outdoor excursions. Major initiatives include the Nelson Highlands Land Protection Project aiming to conserve nearly 1,000 acres of critical habitat.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• School Programs Educational programs for K-12 students including teacher-naturalist classroom visits, field trips, and curriculum-aligned nature-based learning experiences delivered at schools and on Harris Center lands.
• Community Programs Programs serving the general public including family programs, afterschool programs, homeschool programs, and an events calendar of workshops, outings, and lectures for community members of all ages.
• Environmental Studies Institute Multi-session adult education workshop series for the general public on regional natural history topics, priced at $120 for Harris Center supporters and $140 for all others per workshop.
• Professional Development for Educators Workshops for K-12 teachers (including K-5 professional development) on nature-based, NGSS-aligned environmental education, priced at $120 per workshop and limited to 20 participants.
• Camps Summer and seasonal youth camps providing outdoor adventure, nature exploration, and environmental education experiences for children and youth.
• Community Science Programs Volunteer-based citizen-science monitoring programs including Salamander Crossing Brigades, Vernal Pool Project, Project Nighthawk, SPARCnet, Butterfly Monitoring, and iNaturalist projects that engage community members in data collection for conservation research.
• Building Rental (Eleanor Briggs Open Lodge) Rental of the Eleanor Briggs Open Lodge, an outdoor community facility at the Harris Center headquarters in Hancock, NH, capable of hosting events for up to 250 people.
• Environmental Leadership Awards Annual $2,500 scholarships awarded to two graduating high school seniors in the region who demonstrate environmental leadership, supported by anonymous donor contributions.

Quantifiable outcome

• Protected more than 26,000 acres of land in the Monadnock Region
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Norway Pond CommissionminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 July 2026Co-sponsor of the Weed Watchers Volunteer Training program. The partnership supports aquatic invasive species prevention efforts in local waterways through community education and volunteer training.
• Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests (Forest Society)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 June 2026The Forest Society and Harris Center are collaborating on the Nelson Highlands Project to protect a 655-acre forest parcel. The Forest Society will own the land upon completion, while the Harris Center will hold a conservation easement to ensure permanent protection. The organizations co-host events including guided hikes and paddles to educate the community about the conservation opportunity.
• NH DES Weed Watchers ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Harris Center partners with the NH Department of Environmental Services Weed Watchers program to train volunteers in identifying and monitoring aquatic invasive plants in local lakes and ponds. Georgia Bunnell of NH DES leads training sessions at the Harris Center.
• Toadstool BookshopminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-sponsor of author events including Ted Levin and Sy Montgomery book talks. The partnership supports literacy and environmental education through joint promotion of nature writing.
• Hancock Town LibraryminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-sponsor of author events and literary programs. The partnership connects the Harris Center's environmental programs with the broader community through library programming.
• The Caterpillar LabminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal partner providing woolly bear caterpillars for adoption as part of the Harris Center's spring programming for children, supporting hands-on nature education.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests: New Hampshire's largest land-conservation nonprofit and Harris Center's direct co-execution partner on the Nelson Highlands Project. Operates overlapping land-protection, easement, and public-access programs across the same Monadnock/NH geography.
• Monadnock Conservancy: Regional land trust serving the same Monadnock Region. Directly competes for conserved acreage, donor support, and community engagement in land protection and stewardship.
• NH Audubon: State chapter delivering bird-focused conservation, citizen science, and environmental education programs that closely mirror Harris Center's wildlife research, school programs, and community science offerings.
• Vermont Center for Ecostudies: Regional conservation research organization running citizen-science and avian/amphibian monitoring programs analogous to Harris Center's Project Nighthawk, Vernal Pool Project, and butterfly initiatives.
• Squam Lakes Natural Science Center: New Hampshire-based nature education center combining live animal exhibits, trails, and school programs. Closely comparable visitor-center, K-12 field-trip, and family-program model in the same state.

Broad incumbents

• Appalachian Mountain Club: Established regional outdoor-education and conservation nonprofit with a much broader footprint across the Northeast. Overlaps with Harris Center on trails, outdoor education, and conservation advocacy in New Hampshire.
• The Nature Conservancy (New Hampshire): Global conservation nonprofit operating in NH through land protection and science-based stewardship. Competes for major donor and grant funding while pursuing similar conservation-easement and habitat-protection outcomes.
• National Audubon Society: National conservation nonprofit with overlapping citizen-science (e.g., bird monitoring) and education programming. Sets methodological standards that Harris Center's monitoring initiatives are aligned with and competes for foundation funding.

Others

• Antioch University New England: Keene, NH-based graduate institution with strong environmental education and conservation programs. Comparable in mission overlap (environmental education, applied conservation research) and proximate geography for student and faculty collaboration.

Regional players

• Mount Washington Observatory: New Hampshire-based nonprofit delivering science education and public engagement around the natural environment. Comparable as a regional science-education nonprofit, though focused on alpine weather/climate rather than lowland conservation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Harris Center for Conservation Education