Middleboro teacher, outdoor educator promotes stewardship

MIDDLEBORO — When Alan Harris isn’t in his Middleboro classroom teaching about nature, he can be found on Sippican Lands Trust trails caring for nature and advocating for stewardship and connection. 

Harris has worked with the Sippican Lands Trust for over 30 years. Harris is a science teacher at Middleboro High School, where he teaches six classes and about 120 students a year. 

In the ‘90s, Harris moved to Marion and started volunteering with the Sippican Lands Trust. He eventually joined the Board of Directors and became the president. 

Harris said he believes conserving land is crucial, but getting people connected and involved with the land is even more important. 

“All the wonderful legal protections are important, but you also need people who feel ownership of the land and feel connected to it to keep that going and to make decisions in the future about that land,” he said. 

To Harris, stewardship of the land means taking care of the land while making sure everyone has equal access to it. 

Caring for the land looks like removing invasive species, supporting biodiversity, holding up conservation laws and environmental boundaries. 

Harris and the lands trust partners with multiple organizations to host hikes and stewardship days to accomplish these goals. 

Partners have included OutHounds Adventure, the Nasketucket Bird Club and the Massachusetts Forestry Service for themed walks. 

Volunteers also come together to care for the land. Work parties can include posting trail signs, removing invasive species and cleaning the trails. 

“It's enlightening to be with people who are excited to be out there and helping,” Harris said.

Some of Harris’ favorite walks include White Eagle Bog, Aucoot Cove and Peirson Woods. He especially enjoys the variety of birds found in different seasons across the area. 

He said he hopes people understand while these lands aren’t economic assets — they produce no tax revenue — they provide practical services like water control and filtration 

Inspired by Henry David Thoreau, Harris encourages people to choose one spot to connect with, observe it through the seasons and notice the small changes. 

As a teacher, he also hopes formal education can expand to support more hands-on learning and outdoor experiences to encourage people to explore the outdoors. 

In his classroom, he pushes for labs and physical manifestations of the lesson, which he said are valuable to students. 

Gardening or spending time in the backyard are simple ways he said students can begin connecting to the natural world. 

Harris’ favorite part of teaching is the “a-ha” moments, when students truly understand the lesson which comes from hands-on experiences. 

“You have to have a genuine experience,” Harris explained. “You have to be involved in this world somehow, and sometimes with the way we have our school structured, that gets a little bit hard to provide.”

To volunteer with the Sippican Lands Trust, reach out to Laura Gauthier at info@sippicanlandstrust.org.