Excuse Our Appearance: Solar Project Underway
We’re making some exciting energy upgrades at the Forest Society’s Conservation Center! Work is underway on a new solar array at the end of the visitor parking lot, along with electrical upgrades and new energy-efficient air-source heat pumps throughout the building.
Visitors may notice construction activity, equipment and occasional parking restrictions through November as installation continues. We appreciate your patience while this work is underway.
Once complete, the Conservation Center will achieve net-zero electricity use, with the new solar array providing the electricity needed to power the building, including its new cooling system. We’ll also continue using our locally sourced wood biomass heating system.
Thank you for bearing with us as we make the Conservation Center more energy efficient and sustainable for the future.
The Conservation Center, headquarters of the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests, is located in Concord, N.H., on 103 acres of conserved land on the Merrimack River. The Conservation Center demonstrates the use of renewable natural resources and energy conservation techniques in design and construction. The campus is a great example of the evolution of energy-conscious design since 1980.
The original building’s energy-efficient, passive solar design was cutting edge for its time and received many accolades for its use of energy conservation, renewable energy sources, and imaginative use of native forest products.
The Weeks Wing addition in 1990 and French Wing addition in 2000 further demonstrated the Forest Society’s commitment to walking the walk by pursuing the same goals and achieving the first LEED-Gold certification in New England in 2003. The Conservation Center has won many awards over the years, including the 25-Year Award for Excellence in Architecture from the AIANH for its design by acclaimed architect C. Stuart White.
Visit the Conservation Center
The Conservation Center is open to visitors during business hours from 8:30 AM to 5 PM, Monday through Friday.
Things to do:
- Visit to see what art exhibit is on display. We rotate artists every other month!
- Visit our logo shop to purchase a walking stick, ball cap, or sweatshirt with our iconic tree logo. Members receive a 10% discount!
- We also host community events and offer rentals of conference spaces.
- Our staff would love to meet you, whether you're on your way to walk on the floodplain or just in the Concord area!
- Charge your electric vehicle with ChargePoint. The station is located in the visitor parking lot.
Art Exhibits
Ongoing exhibits are hosted here, with a rotating exhibit bimonthly! We're always seeking artists who want to share their works in an exhibit at the Conservation Center in Concord. All of the prints displayed at art exhibitions are for sale and a portion of sales will benefit the Forest Society's conservation work.
Photos, prints, collages, and paintings using any media are welcome. Art depicting flora, fauna, landscapes, and other outdoor scenes are preferred.
The exhibit is in the center's main conference room and throughout the main office building. The Conservation Center is open weekdays from 8:30 am. to 5 p.m. to the public. If you would like more information or would like to sign up, please email Tina Ripley at tripley@forestsociety.org.
Thank You
Annual sponsorship of the Merrimack River Outdoor Education and Conservation Area generously provided by Merrimack County Savings Bank and Northeast Delta Dental.
Explore the Merrimack River Floodplain Forest
The Conservation Center is located on 103 acres of conserved land along the Merrimack River, known locally as "the floodplain." The Merrimack River Floodplain Forest is open to the public and a popular spot for nature walks and birding. When visiting, you may run into local school groups touring the floodplain with a Forest Society educator.