Climate & Community

Since 2022, Chocorua Lake Conservancy and Cook Memorial Library in Tamworth have been convening an ongoing program series entitled Climate & Community. The goal of this program series has been to examine and respond to climate change and adaptation as a community through conversation, learning from subject experts and each other, and constructive action and creative response at home and in community—that is, to practice being in community, and listening, so that we can be resilient as a community in complex times. (Note: for recordings and resources from past programs in the series, scroll down this page.)

Beginning in 2024, the Climate & Community series will serve as a larger umbrella for events hosted by various community groups and organizations, and we are collectively creating a series of monthly and seasonal themes and inviting creative responses from anyone who would like to participate over this coming year. The community is invited to participate in any Climate & Community event throughout the year, including the monthly writing group Mountains to the Sea, hosted on Zoom by Cook Memorial Library.

We welcome local organizations who are hosting events that fit the Climate & Community themes to get in touch with one of us to be part of our shared Climate & Community event calendar.

To find future Climate & Community events, check the online calendar.

Climate Book Discussions

To go along with the “Climate & Community” series, we hold book discussions of titles that examine climate in some way. Borrow books ahead of time at the library and join us!

Coming up:

Join Cook Memorial Library and Chocorua Lake Conservancy for "A Winter of Water," the theme for this season's Climate & Community series of programs. We will kick off the series with an online book discussion of Water Always Wins: Thriving in an Age of Drought and Deluge by Erica Gies, which will be held on Wednesday, January 22 at 6:30 PM on Zoom.

book cover image of "Water Always Wins" by Erica Gies

We have 10 copies of the book available to borrow now from the Cook Memorial Library. Read and return so others can have a chance to read it before the discussion.

Books list from past discussions:

Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
Rooted: Life at the Crossroads of Science, Nature, and Spirit by Lyanda Lynn Haupt
The Ministry for the Future by Kim Stanley Robinson, discussion led by Karen McCall
The Bear by Andrew Krivak. This book and discussion was also the One Book One Valley community read for 2023
The Treeline by Ben Rawlence
The Light Pirate by Lily Brooks-Dalton

Past Climate & Community programs

Recordings of the online programs in this series may be found on the Cook Memorial Library Youtube channel.

Explore a Forester’s Mind – December 2, 2023: A walk in the north and south lots at C.C. Browne Woods with longtime consulting forester Dan Stepanauskas.

Big Solutions to Climate Change – October 25, 2023 with David Kunhardt, retired solar leader, long-time climate advocate, and member of the Chocorua Lake Conservancy Board and the Tamworth Energy Committee

Harvest Potluck and Conversation – September 27, 2023, a late summer harvest pot luck and community conversation about our town’s energy future.

Forest Management and Carbon – August 2 and August 5, 2023, a talk and field trip with UNH Cooperative Extension Natural Resources Field Specialist Wendy Scribner

Backyard Habitat in a Changing Climate – May 9, 2023, 7PM with Chocorua Lake Conservancy Stewardship Director Debra Marnich

Pollinators & Climate Change Considerations – April 17, 2023 with Athena Contus, beekeeper and teacher of Apiary Management

Solar Energy and Beneficial Electrification – March 1, 2023 with Ted Vansant, Founder and President of New England Commercial Solar Services

Climate and Health – February 7, 2023 with retired cardiologist Bob Dewey of NH Healthcare Workers for Climate Action

New Hampshire, New Normal – November 16, 2022 with (then) New Hampshire State Climatologist Dr. Mary Stampone

Community Climate Conversation – November 30, 2022, a discussion that asked: What would you like to learn about climate change? What will help our community be resilient and able to mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change here in our state? Input gathered at this community meeting helped guide Chocorua Lake Conservancy’s and Cook Memorial Library’s plans for the “Climate & Community” program series.