As a family of mammals, cats are perhaps the ultimate stealth hunters. Acute senses, an extremely flexible skeletal structure, razor sharp retractable claws, and penetrating shearing teeth combine to enable each species of “wild cat” to succeed as top tier predators. This program will focus on the natural history, current status, and future of New Hampshire’s wild felines.

Dave Erler is a Senior Naturalist with the Squam Lakes Natural Science Center. Dave attended St. Cloud State University, Minnesota, where he earned his BS in Outdoor Education and Physical Geography. He has also completed some graduate work in Environmental Interpretation at Texas A&M. Dave was a naturalist with the National Park Service and University of Minnesota Extension Service before coming to the Science Center in 1979. Dave was recognized as the New England Environmental Education Alliance’s Educator of the Year in 2002.

With rapidly rising energy prices, homeowners are looking for new technologies to reduce their expenses and protect the environment. Discover how Geothermal works, how it might work for you and installation costs vs. payback. Demand has increased dramatically in the past year, find out how you can benefit from this Renewable Energy Source.

Chris Johnson has been a Program Administer at NH Electric Cooperative for over 10 years, currently managing Geothermal, Energy Star and Efficiency Programs. Specializing in energy efficient construction and building science, he has over 30 years of construction experience and has helped hundreds of customers reduce their energy bills. He is currently a Board member of the Lakes Region Builders Association, member of the NH Homebuilders Green Building Committee and past President of the Northeast HERS Alliance.

Learn about the ecology and identification of some of the White Mountains’ rarest plant species within the context of their preferred natural habitats.

Chris Mattrick lives and plays with his family in the White Mountains of New Hampshire where he is the Forest botanist/plant ecologist and non-native invasive species coordinator for the White Mountain National Forest. Chris is a member of the advisory board for the Invasive Plant Atlas of New England, and serves as that organizations regional management and control authority. Chris was formerly the Senior Conservation Programs manager for the New England Wild Flower Society where he managed endangered and invasive plant management projects and the Society’s Plant Conservation Volunteer Program. Chris has a BS in natural resource management from the University of Vermont and a MS in environmental studies from Antioch New England.

Emily Brunkhurst is a Conservation Biologist in the Nongame and Endangered Wildlife Program of the NH Fish and Game Department.  She has been an avid naturalist her whole life, and has enjoyed sharing her love of birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians and especially insects with others for many years.  She has a master’s degree in entomology, concentrating on aquatic insects, and is one of the leaders of the NH Dragonfly Survey.  She has also conducted research on vernal pool amphibians and insects, stream insects, birds and small mammals.  She is responsible for coordinating the research and management of White Nose Syndrome in bats in NH.

Sam Miller began his career as a meteorologist while serving in the U.S. Air Force during the 1970s and 1980s. After leaving the air force in 1989, he attended the University of New Hampshire, where he earned a B.S. in Physics, a M.S. in Earth Sciences (Oceanography), and a Ph.D. in Earth Sciences. After completing his doctoral degree in 2003, he served in the National Weather Service's Anchorage Forecast Office for two years. In 2005 he began his career as a professor of meteorology at Plymouth State College.

He has conducted research into the sea breeze on New England's coast, freezing precipitation in southwestern Alaska, strong northeast winds in the Gulf of Maine, climate zones in New England, performance of solar hot water systems under different weather conditions in northern New England, and many other practical weather subjects. He lives with his wife, daughter, and cat in Campton.

IainMcLeod is Executive Director of the Squam Lakes Natural Science Center. He has studied raptors for more than 30 years and regularly presents programs and classes on raptor identification. He is Chairman of the Board of the Hawk Migration Association of North America, a member of the Raptor Research Foundation, serves on the Management Committee of the Raptor Population Index Project, was founder of the Pack Monadnock Raptor Migration Observatory, and is a Board member of Northeast Hawkwatch. He lives in Ashland.