Research & Education

Educational Initiatives

MERE has several educational initiatives that range from public contact (See: Mount Monadnock Summit Steward Program ) to research and citizen science for high school and college students (See: Adopt A Crevice Community).

We are also hard at work developing materials that hikers, families, classroom teachers, and other educational professionals can use to expand understanding of the mountain and the region. Below is an outline of a curriculum that is expanding and being developed. Check back as many of these entries transform to links.

 

MERE Curriculum Outline

General Info
Links to Maps, guides, Warnings/Leave No Trace Principles, Volunteers: How can I get involved?

Experiencing Monadnock
Overview, Basic Trip Activities for First Timers, Scavenger Hunts (Nature, Culture, For the Very Young, For the Not So Young), Monadnock Through the Seasons, Sample Hikes and Activities

Ecology on the Mountain
Overview, Ecology overview lesson, Alpine Plants (Strategies), Natural History (Glacial/geology, Birds, Insects), Ice Storm Science, Adopt-A-Crevice Community, Climate, Integration of Cultural History and Science

Regional Viewpoint (Human Dimensions Part 1)
Overview, Human History (Native Americans, Settlers, Sheep fever, Glass, Metal, Mills, Rail), Park Use and Community Stewardship, Place, Monadnock Region/Identity, Integration of Cultural History and Science

Culture (Human Dimensions Part 2)
Overview, Lore, Poetry, Other Writing, Dance and Other Performing Arts, Painting and Other Visual Arts, Creative Colonies, Integration of cultural history and Science

Resources
Overview, Books and Print, Website, Audio, Video, People and Orgs, Events, Glossary

Resources & Lesson Plans

Mount Monadnock Educator Guide
Looking for material to use when you bring your students to Mount Monadnock? Our Educator Guide provides helpful background information about the natural history of the mountain, safety advice, and a simple activity for students to work on while they hike up the mountain.

Biodiversity in a Local Context
Teach biodiversity in a local context for environmental science, biology, and earth science classes at the high school level.  Three class periods worth of integrated investigation, discussion, and lecture are included in this packet. Also, get the Supporting Material for Biodiversity in a Local Context

Collecting Baseline Data of Plant Communities

As diverse as we know Mount Monadnock to be, there is still much to learn about its natural community structure. Since Henry David Thoreau’s botanical explorations in the 1800’s, no systematic scientific study has been established that could be reliably followed into the future. Explorations of Henry Ives Baldwin in the 1970’s, Bill Nichols of the New Hampshire Natural Heritage Program in 2002, and Dianne Eno in 2006 have focused on specific areas of the mountain and provide valuable information, but none of these studies established permanent plots that could be followed over time.

The annual flood of autumn hikers impacts the mountain’s trails and summit. Knowing what plants exist and in what locations will allow managers of Mount Monadnock State Park to protect rare or vulnerable communities. Such information is also valuable in enhancing visitors’ appreciation and respect for the mountain’s ecology.

Baseline data of present-day conditions will allow scientists to measure changes in forest composition and health over time. Student and faculty researchers will compare current and future data with climate trends and other environmental information. Thus, they will see how climate change affects the mountain’s ecology and forests throughout the region.

Library

Students working with MERE have compiled a database with citations and links to the articles, journals, and books, they have used in their research. These references are useful for anyone doing research on Mt. Monadnock, alpine ecology, or climate change.

See the MERE research database.

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