(by Zoe Dawson)

In celebration of Pride Month this June, New Hampshire Audubon is proud to reaffirm our continued support of the LGBTQ+ community and our commitment to equity and inclusion. As an organization, it is our priority to protect nature for all people and create more opportunities for people of all identities to connect with nature. This past year we have fostered partnerships with LGBTQ+ groups in order to learn more about their experiences, empower their work, and connect communities. For several months this winter we hosted Queerlective, an organization dedicated to the inclusivity of Queer, BIPOC, and other marginalized people through art, at our Massabesic Center to showcase their impressive “Blossoming Beyond” exhibit. We have also been working with LGBT+ Outdoors, a group that connects LGBTQ+ people and expands opportunities to get outdoors, to host our second annual nature outing at our Silk Farm Sanctuary with them this June. You can also find us tabling at Manchester’s Pride event on June 15 this year!

We hope to continue making and sustaining these valuable connections in order to uplift LGBTQ+ voices and work, while also being a leader in the state for making nature an inclusive place for all. NH Audubon’s President Doug Bechtel has emphasized the importance of this by stating, “The only way we can more fully achieve success in our mission, to protect NH’s natural environment for wildlife and people, is to work harder to invite all people to share in our efforts. That includes communities statewide, not just where we have a Sanctuary or a Center. We welcome all people to join us.”

We would like to highlight some events connecting LGBTQ+ people and nature happening throughout the state:

• Hike with Keene Pride: Keene, June 23
• Guided Nature Outing with NH Audubon and LGBT+ Outdoors: Concord, June 25:
• Walking Tours with Seacoast LGBT History Project: Portsmouth, June 16, 22, 24
• For general Pride events throughout the state see here.

Collage cover image photo credits, from left to right: Chris Roberts; Rebecca Suomala; Rebecca Suomala; Walter Keane; Scott Hecker; Len Medlock; Jim Sparrell; Walter Keane; Dyanna Smith; David Forsyth; David Forsyth.