TransformationatTheRocks forestsociety.orgSUMMER2022 ECORESERVES | A CAMP BY THE CREEK
Thank MonadnockYou,TrailsWeekSponsors!
Learn how you can support Monadnock Trails Week next year as a volunteer or a sponsor by visiting forestsociety.org/mtw.
Your support helped our staff and volunteers improve trails at Monadnock State Park and Gap Mountain Reservation and build community across the region. See you next year!
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FEATURES 14 Breaking Ground on Forest Society North at The Rocks Capital improvements at The Rocks kicked into high gear this summer, continuing a story that weaves together both tradition and innovation, and a deep appreciation of the North Country. 16 The Importance of EcoReserves Come along as forester Gabe Roxby showcases the Forest Society's EcoReserve program and some of the unique features found on these properties that he and his team work to protect. DEPARTMENTS 2 FROM THE PRESIDENT’S DESK The Rocks’ revival 4 THE WOODPILE + The Five Hikes Challenge returns + Moving mountains at Monadnock + Signage for property owners 6 IN THE FIELD Annual Meeting programs and field trips 8 THE FOREST CLASSROOM A summer camp for young and old 10 VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT The steward of Stillhouse 12 ON OUR LAND A new trail opens in the North Country 22 PUBLIC POLICY Understanding off-road usage in NH 24 PROJECT IN PROGRESS Forest Society North at The Rocks Campaign 26 THE 121ST ANNUAL MEETING A historic event returns to the Conservation Center 16 24 TABLE OF CONTENTS: SUMMER 2022, N o. 310 SMITHRYANBERRY,ANNASMITH,RYANLEFT)FROM(CLOCKWISE, 9 TransformationatTheRocks ECORESERVES A CAMP BY THE CREEK On our cover: As part of the Forest Society North at The Rocks Campaign, the 1884 Carriage Barn is undergoing renovations that retain its grand stone and shingle-style character while converting the interior into an energy-efficient education center that includes classrooms, event space, offices, and public facilities. Photo: Shanna Hale Photography
Matt Leahy, Public Policy Director
Dave Anderson, Senior Director of Education
E
Allyson Hicks, Concord
Gabe Roxby, Field Forester
Jason Hicks, Meredith
PRESIDENT
Deanna Howard, Etna Patricia Losik, Rye
FROM THE PRESIDENT’S DESK
Tony Cheek, Vice President for Finance
Connie Colton, Land Protection and Stewardship Coordinator
Anne Truslow, Vice President for Development
Wendy Weisiger, Managing Forester
Andrew Smith, Twin Mountain
Leah Hart, Land Protection Specialist
A Revival at The Rocks
Sarah Kern, Creek Farm Education Program Coordinator
Nigel Manley, Senior Outreach Manager, The Rocks
Bill Tucker, Goffstown
Meredith Reed O’Donnell, Foundation Relations Manager
Matt Scaccia, Recreation and Community Relations Manager
Naomi Brattlof, Director of Easement Stewardship
Peter Fauver, North Conway
VICE CHAIR
Ryan Smith, Communications Manager
Cameron Larnerd, Land Steward & Volunteer Coordinator
Cara Pearson, Membership Specialist
Will Abbott, Project Manager, The Rocks
CHAIR
Jack Savage, Middleton
In the Belknaps, staff and volunteers have been engaging Mount Major hikers as our land protection and development staff have wrapped up adding another 683 protected acres around our nearby Morse Preserve. In Cornish and Plainfield, thanks to the vision and generosity of abutting landowners, the protected land around our Yatsevitch Forest Reservation contin ues to Whereverexpand.you go, wherever you live in New Hampshire, there we are. Thank you for making it so.
Allan Krygeris, Senior Technology Specialist
Maria Stewart, Senior Executive Assistant
Drew Kellner, Brookline
Bill Crangle, Plymouth
Linda Dammann, Development Assistant
Steve Junkin, Field Forester
Susanne Kibler-Hacker, Senior Philanthropy Advisor
John Plummer, Regional Stewardship Manager
Stacie Hernandez, Land Protection Specialist and Regional Stewardship Manager
Margaret Liszka, Membership Director
Nancy Martland, Sugar Hill
North Woods or the Merrimack River Valley. Our goal is to engage people and part ners wherever we work.In Portsmouth, our recently reno vated Creek Farm Education Center is hosting dozens of programs and provid ing visitors with another, all-too-rare option to take a walk in the woods or have access to the tidal waters of Sagamore Creek. At Mount Monadnock, we just finished up another rousing rendition of Monadnock Trails Week, where dozens of volunteers, buoyed by the support of local businesses and donors, continued the hard but somehow fun and unquestionably satisfying work of improving the trails of one of the world’s most-hiked mountains.
Michael Morison, Peterborough
Jack Minich, Regional Stewardship Manager
arlier this summer we “broke ground” on the next big phase of our rebuilding at The Rocks, our 1,400-acre forest reservation and Christmas tree farm in Bethlehem, NH. Within weeks, the 1884 Carriage Barn, which we are renovating into a classroom, welcoming lobby, and offices for North Country staff and volunteers, was carefully undressed in preparation for needed sill work, reinforcement, and systems upgrades.
Tina Ripley, Administrative Coordinator
TREASURER
Laura Holske, Finance Specialist
In 2023, the building will be ready to welcome thousands of visitors a year to learn about forests and forest manage ment, explore the trails, enjoy a maple tour, cut their own Christmas tree, discover the rich history of the Glessner family, and charge an electric vehicle while they do it. Upgrades including solar panels and geothermal heating will propel us toward a net zero energy budget.
Carrie Deegan, Reservation Stewardship and Engagement Director
STAFF
Don Floyd, Concord
Jack Savage is the president of the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests. He can be reached by email at jsavage @forestsociety.org.
Janet Zeller, Concord
George Epstein, Silver Lake
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Equally important, the campus will host Forest Society staff, and our investment represents a commitment to doing more of the work we do—land conservation, stewardship, advocacy, education—north of the We’venotches.beenconsistently active in north ern New Hampshire through the years. We currently own 17 reservations constituting 7,500 acres and hold easements on tens of thousands of acres involving more than 200 properties. But we recognize the need and opportunity for additional conserva tion—work that demands presence and proximity. Our plans for The Rocks have given us the confidence to pursue what will be our largest fee acquisition conser vation project in our 121-year history: 3,750 acres in Shelburne, NH.
Karen Moran, Webster
Brian Hotz, Vice President for Land Conservation
Michelle Morse, Human Resource Director
Charlie Bridges, New Durham
Harriette Yazzie-Whitcomb, Administrative Assistant
Deb Buxton, Greenfield
Sara Krzyzaniak, Data Processor
As a statewide organization, we endeavor to customize our approach in various parts of the state. The conservation priorities and opportunities in the Seacoast are vastly different from those in the Great
SECRETARY
Ann McCoy, Development Manager
Anna Berry, Director of Communications and Digital Outreach
Carl Murphy, Facilities Manager
Elizabeth Salas Evans, Weare
Tom Wagner, Campton
Nik Berube, Maintenance Assistant
Jack Savage, President
Frank Allen, Building and Grounds Assistant
Rita Carroll, Tree Farm Administrator
A nonprofit membership organization founded in 1901 to protect the state’s most important landscapes and promote wise use of its renewable natural resources. Basic annual membership fee is $40 and includes a subscription to Forest Notes.
Free Play in Nature
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Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests
Trail Snaps
“My cousin Molly and I are having a fantastic time paddling this summer. We’ve completed two of the suggested outings for the [Merrimack Paddle Challenge]; one of them several times. We enjoy seeing wildlife along the way. It has been very exciting seeing eagles several times and many other birds. We look forward to continuing this beautiful adventure—and picking up some trash along the way.” – Janet Lindonen (@janet_lindonen)
What’s next for New Hampshire forests? forestsociety.org/spongy-moths
A cool tradition returns on a hot day forestsociety.org/free-play
Tag #forestsociety on Instagram for a chance to be featured in a future issue of Forest Notes.
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Copyright 2022 SPNHF. US ISSN: 0015 7457 54 Portsmouth Street, Concord, N.H. 03301 | Phone: 603-224-9945 | Fax: 603-228-0423 info@forestsociety.org | forestsociety.org
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Forest Notes is printed on elemental chlorine-free Sappi Flo paper with 10 percent post-consumer recycled content. Sappi Flo is made from pulp purchased from suppliers who document sound environmental practices and sustainable forest management. Permission is required for reproduction of any part of this magazine.
WEB EXCLUSIVES
The top shots from Monadnock Trails Week forestsociety.org/trailsweek22
the Forest Society. “What’s so cool about the program to me is that participants can discover some of our very best staffrecommended trails to scenic shorelines and summits. These are views and vistas
that you and your friends and family can put on the autumn ‘must do’ list for weekend fun. All you need to do is pick your 5 hikes!”
Registered participants receive a buff, trail maps with directions, and hiking tips. Participants can continue to use the Forest Society Mobile App, powered by OuterSpatial, to track their progress, access digital maps, and even post photos from the trail. The Forest Society’s newest reservation, Ammonoosuc River Forest in Bethlehem (see page 12), will also be included as a destination choice. “The 2022 5 Hikes Challenge includes twenty-eight unique and scenic walking or hiking destinations on Forest Society conservation land in New Hampshire,” said Dave Anderson, senior director of education at
REGISTRATION & MORE INFORMATION AT FORESTSOCIETY.ORG/5HIKES Aug 31 - Oct 31 Challenge yourself to complete five hikes this fall on Forest Society reservations! FREE for Forest Society members. Newneckfogaiter r2022! thomas algozzine ruth ward CP lightseybonnie duran corri wilson ruth ward A “Hike-it-Yourself” Autumn Adventure
4 | FOREST NOTES Summer 2022 THE WOODPILE—NEWS NOT SO NEATLY STACKED
The Forest Society’s popular do-it-your self hiking adventure is back for the third year starting August 31 and running until October 31. From Andrew Brook Forest to Weeks Woods, hundreds of people have hiked at Forest Society reservations across New Hampshire as part of this event.
Mount Major Reservation is just one of many popular places to explore during the Forest Society’s Five Hike Challenge this fall.
P.O. Box 161, Contoocook, NH 03229 • 603-746-4846
Martin Forestry Consulting, LLC
Licensed foresters should address inquiries about advertising to Anne Truslow by calling 603-224-9945 or
Email: office@forecollc.com
P.O. Box 597, Rumney, NH 03266 • 603-786-9544
to consult with a licensed forester before undertaking land management activities.
Full Circle Forestry, LLC
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Hunting Signs for Landowners
FORECO: Forest Resource Consultants
Eric Radlof, NHLPF #447 603-321-8249 • eradlof.fcf@gmail.com
Providing a full range of ecologically based and eco nomically practical forestry services to landowners that share a long-term stewardship vision for their forest.
atruslow@forestsociety.orgemailing.
Quality Consulting Forestry with Integrity. Guaranteed. Jeremy Turner, NHLPF #318 — Southern NH Matthiasjturner@meadowsendco.comNevins,NHLPF#518 — Central NH Ryanmnevins@meadowsendco.comKilborn,NHLPF#442—Northern NH rkilborn@meadowsendco.com
Meadowsend Consulting Company
P.O. Box 89, New Hampton, NH 03256 • 603-744-9484
Offering complete forest management services including timber sales, cruises, and appraisals and wildlife habitat management.
Email: martinforestry@gmail.com
Calhoun & Corwin Forestry, LLC
Vast range of quality land management services. Connect with us for a free site consultation! meadowsendco.com • 603.526.8686
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Complete forest management services
On Monadnock’s White Arrow Trail, workers improved 100 feet of rocky trail and constructed two new drainages. Work was done on the Marlboro Trail, where 130 feet of stone paving was added through a muddy section of trail, and on Gap Mountain, where volunteers constructed a stone staircase. Improvements at several trailheads, including Old Toll Road, Gap North, Marlboro Trail, and Dublin Trail, resulted in cleared brush, fresh paint, and new signs, as well as a replacement roof on the kiosk at Old Toll Road. By the end of the event, 42 volunteers had contributed approximately 550 hours to trail improvements. Forest Society staff and temporary crew leaders spent more than 336 hours leading and supporting their efforts.
Realize what you value the most in your forest. Serving individual, municipal, state, non-government, and industry forest owners.
41 Pine St., Peterborough, NH 03458 • 603-562-5620
The Forest Society encourages landowners The following
Drainages and rock staircases were two important trail features that Monadnock Trails Week volunteers built at this year’s event.
Moving Mountains at Monadnock
Ehrhard Frost, NHLPF #103 802-785-4749 • efrost.fcf@gmail.com
-NRCS Technical Service Provider, Tree Farm Inspector 752 Rt. 103A Newbury, NH 03255 • 802-310-0292
As part of Operation Land Share, a program of the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department, landowners are provided assistance in the form of access management signage that is specifically designed to address the most common issues landowners experience in sharing their property with hunters and other outdoor recreation users. The only requirement of landowners who participate in Operation Land Share is that they agree to leave the majority of their property open to hunting. There are fourteen specific signs available free of charge to landowners participating in the program. Landowners can use the signs to manage access issues on their property. For more information or to place an order, visit wildlife.state.nh.us/landshare/ols.html.
Offering three licensed foresters, licensed land surveyor
Email: swiftcorwin@gmail.com
Jeffrey Snitkin NHLPF #452 802-310-0292 • jsnitkin.fcf@gmail.com
Summer 2022 FOREST NOTES | 5
Thanks to more than 50 hearty volun teers and staff and numerous local partners and sponsors, the Forest Society accomplished significant trail and struc tural improvements at Mount Monandock and Gap Mountain during this year's Monadnock Trails Week despite intense heat and humidity. The Forest Society and New Hampshire State Parks worked together to host the 16th annual event from July 22 to July 26, which included trail work, community-building events, and education programs.
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Robert Goodby, professor of anthropology at Franklin Pierce University, holds a Ph.D. in anthropology from Brown University and has more than 30 years of experience excavating Native American archaeological sites in New England. He has directed more than 400 archaeological studies authorized by the National Historic Preservation Act and his work has appeared in anthropology journals and in anthologies published by the Smithsonian Institution Press and University Press of New England. In this presentation, Goodby delves into the history of Native Americans and their habitation of the Monadnock Region for the last 13,000 years.
Energy efficiency and green building technologies have been hallmarks of the Forest Society’s Conservation Center in Concord since its original construction in 1980. The addition of the Weeks Wing in 1990 and the French Wing in 2000 offer a showcase for evolving technologies of energy efficiency. Join Forest Society staff Carl Murphy and Matt Scaccia for a behind the scenes tour of our headquarters.
1–2 p.m. Business Meeting and Awards
12–1 p.m. Lunch
Saturday, September 2022 | The Forest Society Conservation Center, Concord, NH
A trail winds through the Merrimack River Outdoor Education and Conservation Area in Concord.
11:30 a.m. Registration opens
2 p.m. Keynote Speaker: Dr. Michael E. Mann
IN THE FIELD KENNYELLEN
3. Merrimack River Floodplain Natural History Walk
Registration fee of $50 per person includes field trip, picnic lunch, and
1. Merrimack River Paddle Trip with North Country Kayak
This gentle paddling trip, led by Forest Society and North Country Kayak staff, explores the channel around the Concord Island Reserve, the banks of the Forest Society’s Merrimack River Outdoor Education and Conservation Area, and some of the more urban landscapes around Concord.
On this 1.5-mile natural and cultural history tour of the Merrimack River Outdoor Education and Conservation Area, Forest Society educators Dave Anderson and Sarah Kern will guide participants through stands of white pine, mowed fields, and a silver maple floodplain forest and explain the relevance of these important habitats and the wildlife that relies on them.
4. Tour of the Forest Society’s Conservation Center
Total paddle time: 2 hours. Total paddling mileage: 4 miles. Additional cost: $50/person; includes kayak rental. Trip limited to 15.
5. Humans and Nature in the Monadnock Region: The First 13,000 Years
Join Forest Society forester Steve Junkin and Stillhouse Forest volunteer land steward Craig Mabie for a tour of the Forest Society’s Stillhouse Forest. The two-hour hike is approximately 2 miles round trip and will follow informal trails, old logging roads, and might include some mild bushwhacking. This outing provides access to views of secluded parts of the Merrimack River and undeveloped forest habitat.
The Forest Society’s 121st Annual Meeting
9AGENDAa.m.–11:30 a.m. Field trips
6 | FOREST NOTES Summer 2022
Visitprogram.forestsociety.org/annualmeeting for more information and to register.
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Dr. Michael Mann will lead a conversation at 2 p.m. on how we can avert the worst impacts of climate change. Dr. Mann is a distinguished professor of Atmospheric Science and director of the Earth System Science Center at Penn State. His research focuses on climate science and climate change.
2. Stillhouse Forest Hike, Canterbury
FIELD TRIPS
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Steward ($750 to $999)
Bernstein, Shur, Sawyer & Nelson, P.A. Merrimack County Savings Bank
The Forest Society…Where Conservation and Business Meet
Rise Private Wealth Management, Inc.
Twin State Sand & Gravel Co., Inc.
We are grateful to the many businesses that support the Forest Society with gifts of less than $250.
Eastern Mountain Sports Fuller’s Sugarhouse, LLC Gideon Asen, LLC
Shell Oil Company
Ambit Engineering, Inc.
Ameresco, Inc.
C&S Wholesale Grocers
Lenk Orthodontics
Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Chinburg CommunityPropertiesToolbox, Inc.
Whalen Public & Media Relations, LLC
Microsoft OSROracleNovartisMotorolaMilliporeSigmaCorporationSolutionsCorporationOpenSystemsResources, Inc.
Summit Circle ($5,000 and up)
Durgin and Crowell Lumber Co., Inc.
Matching Gift Companies
American Biltrite, Inc.
Great Brook Veterinary Clinic, LLC
Martin Forestry Consulting, LLC
Mallory Portraits
Partner (continued)
Altus BadgerEngineeringPeabody& Smith Realty Inc.
New England Flower Farms North Woodlands, Inc.
The Forest Society thanks our business partners for their generous support
Innovative Natural Resource Solutions, LLC
Northeast Delta Dental
Wipfli LLP
Seaboard International Forest Products, LLC
The Secret Agency, LLC
Orr & Reno P.A.
Tri-State Iron Works Inc.
TheMassMutualLibertyIBMTheGoogle,GileadGeneralGartner,Facebook,ErieDell,CitizensCorporationBankInc.InsuranceInc.Inc.ElectricSciences,Inc.LLCHomeDepot,Inc.CorporationMutualInsuranceMcGraw-HillCompanies, Inc.
Northland Forest Products, Inc.
Autodesk, Inc.
Colleague ($250 to $499)
Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc.
Robbins Samyn-d’EliaLumberArchitects, P.A.
Half Moon Enterprises
Acapella Technologies, LLC
Bose
Rockywold-Deephaven Camps, Inc.
Blue Mountain Forest Association
Pine Springs R.M. Piper, Inc.
Subaru of America
Bangor Savings Bank
Mulligan Forest LLC
The Travelers Companies, Inc.
Capitol Craftsman, LLC
J and M Morse Trucking, LLC Kozikowski Properties, LLC
Whole Wealth Management, LLC Zambon Brothers Logging
Plymouth Soapworks, LLC
Ransmeier & Spellman, P.C.
Black North, LLC Blaktop, Inc.
New England Private Wealth Advisors, LLC
For information about business memberships, sponsorships, or to initiate a gift membership program for your clients or employees, please contact Anne Truslow at (603) 224-9945 or atruslow@forestsociety.org.
Arcomm Communications Corporation
Meadowsend Timberlands Limited Mediation Partners of New England, LLC
Amgen, Inc.
Amaresco, Inc.
Trustees’ Circle ($2,500 to $4,999)
Devine, Millimet & Branch, PA Post and Beam Brewery Partner ($500 to $749)
Pennyroyal Hill Land Surveying and Forestry LLC
The Lyme Timber Company LP
SCM Associates, Inc.
Gunstock Mountain Resort
Bank of America
The Music Mill
Dublin Road Tap Room and Eatery
NH Conservation Real Estate
Amica Mutual Insurance Company
BCM Environmental & Land Law, PLLC Checkmate Payroll Services
President’s Circle ($1,000 to $2,499)
The reptile was just one of many creatures that my six-year-olds, Evan and Jonah, found at The Gundalow Company’s summer camp in early July. From hermit crabs to sea urchins, the camps deliver on the Gundalow’s mission to “protect the Piscataqua Region’s maritime heritage and environment through education and action.” And Creek Farm, known as the place where the forest meets the tides in Portsmouth, has long been an ideal base for many of the camp programs. It’s also home to many partnerships between the Forest Society and local conservation groups and nonprofit organizations. “Our partnership at Creek Farm is priceless,” said Sarah Kern, Creek Farm education program coordinator for the Forest Society, of the Gundalow programs. “Research shows that when organizations partner together, they reach farther and wider....Creek Farm is returning to what [the original owners] envisioned it to be: a place for the community to come to center and enjoy themselves.”Sinceacquiring the 35-acre property known as Creek Farm in 2000, the Forest Society has worked to implement donor Lillian “Billie” Noel’s vision to have Creek Farm “maintained in an undeveloped state except as necessary for providing access and facilities for the use of this property by the citizens of the City of Portsmouth and the State of New Hampshire for their use and enjoyment.”
On my twins’ first day of camp, they were greeted at Creek Farm by a garter snake. While the unexpected visitor made one parent jump, the curious kids ran right toward it, scaring away the snake and any of the campers’ first-day jitters.
Gundalow Program Manager Jess Ohrenberger says the camps are now an essential part of the organization’s educa tion goals. “We always thought it would be a thing we did in the background and not the forefront of what we do,” Ohren berger notes. “But we have the demand and it’s awesome to get kids out there….[Our] camps bring in a lot more families and a lot more diversity to our programs and our following.” During the rest of the year, the organization serves thousands of students, who spend a few hours sailing aboard the gundalow, a shallow drafted type of cargo barge, once common in the Gulf of Maine’s rivers and estuaries, and learn about the past 300 years on the working waterfront through hands-on activities.
“With access to the river and Sagamore Creek being so protected, it’s a really great place for the kids to learn how to kayak,” Ohrenberger says. “Even though it has a current, we can control that and work around that.”
All Aboard! Creek Farm’s Resident Summer Camp Grows Up
8 | FOREST NOTES Summer 2022
By Anna Berry
The variety of summer camp experi ences gets kids on and around the water for place-based exploration, including the multi-age River Rats camps at Creek Farm and Discovery Camps, which partners with other organizations, including Straw bery Banke Museum. The campers explore marine science, boat building, history, kayaking, and more. This summer, the number of campers is up 32 percent.
THE FOREST CLASSROOM
Ohrenberger said approximately 400 chil dren will take part this year, many of whom will spend time at Creek Farm.
Gundalow Company campers help raise the sail of the Piscataqua in summer 2021.
By the end of the week at their camp, Jonah and Evan had indeed made happy memories. Jonah was proud of winning the knot-tying competition. Evan’s favorite part was sailing on the gundalow and touching a sea urchin, which he noted should really be called a “sea hedgehog.”
Above: At camp this summer, the author’s six-year-old son, Jonah, enjoyed kayaking and exploring the sand bars near the dock on Sagamore Creek.
Anna Berry is the director of communications and digital outreach for the Forest Society.
There was lots of excitement about learning to paddle, as indicated by the many little voices echoing outside the Forest Society Education Center at Creek Farm in early July: “Why are there tiny kayaks?” “Can I have a big one?” “I call the green one!” Evan reported later that he was a little scared about kayaking, but he added proudly that he didn’t tip over. The pint-sized paddlers were right at home among the many other visitors to Creek Farm exploring the water and exposed sand bars by boat that day.
For the group of campers that my kids were a part of in early July, the days included maritime-themed games and learning about topics such as erosion and knot tying, putting the sail up on the traditionally built gundalow called Piscataqua, and plenty of time to explore the water by kayak.
As the Gundalow Company helps shape the next generation of outdoor enthusiasts, Ohrenberger says it’s important that the camps also teach respect. “Our rules center around respect. Respect for yourself, others, and our place,” she says. “One way we respect our place is we can pick up trash…and we make sure that we’re not pulling apart plants or killing wildlife we find. We also think that if these kids experience it, they’re going to care about it and they’re going to want to protect it just because they have so many happy memories.”
The Gundalow Company camps have been so popular that now adults can take part, too. Ohrenberger said three sessions
Right: A camper shows off hermit crabs found in Sagamore Creek.
COMPANYGUNDALOWTHEOFCOURTESYBERRY,ANNATOP)FROMPAGE,(THISCOMPANY;GUNDALOWTHEOFCOURTESYPAGE)(OPPOSITE
Summer 2022 FOREST NOTES | 9
She added that campers can also see the change of the tides and learn about landbased species on the Little Harbor Loop trail. “[Creek Farm] really combines all that New Hampshire has to offer in terms of nature in one location,” Ohrenberger says. “Everyone is really excited to come back to this area…not just because of what we’re offering but because the place is so unique and special.”
of new adult “camp” programs filled immediately and campers from their 20s to late 70s joined in the fun this summer. “They’re going to do all of the same things that kids do,” she says. “I think people are stressed out with their everyday lives and the last two years have not been easy for anyone…I think people are looking for an outlet to just kind of relax and think about the joys of being a kid again.”
On a private tour of the property, he shows me his favorite points of interest— in addition to some particularly large patches of poison ivy to avoid. As he guides me through the forest by memory, it becomes obvious that he is spending
Volunteer Land Steward Craig Mabie says he’s always been a “conservation person,” and he brings that passion to his current role reporting on the state of Stillhouse Forest in Canterbury.
In the center of it all, bushwhacking through bittersweet and beech saplings, is Craig Mabie. Born and raised in Newport, N.H., and now residing in Loudon after a 30-year stint in Seattle, Wa., Mabie is the volunteer land steward for Stillhouse. In this position, his passions align perfectly with his job responsibilities. “I’ve always
VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT
10 | FOREST NOTES Summer 2022
been a conservation person, and an adventure guy,” Mabie says. “I do all kinds of skiing, biking, fly fishing, and kayaking...so, I’ve always been into land preservation in various forms.” Mabie’s role consists of reporting on the state of the property, including documenting signs of unwanted recreation, maintenance needs on property infrastructure, and trail or land erosion. These reports help the Forest Society get an idea of how best to manage the property.
By Sophie Oehler
Between
a winding back road in Canterbury and the sandy banks of the Merrimack River, the trees at the Forest Society’s Stillhouse Forest shuffle quietly in a late June breeze. Pro tected in 2018, the 291-acre property is known for its hardwood forests, ravines shaded by hemlocks, and vernal pools surrounded by thickets of lady ferns.
Lost and Found: A Volunteer Finds His Place on the Banks of the Merrimack
their residence. Mabie found out about the program after volunteering with the Forest Society on other projects. He was already an active volunteer with the Canterbury Shaker Village Trails and Grounds Crew, as well as the Loudon Trails Program, and Jackson Ski Touring Foundation. Now, in his second year of service, Mabie believes his work maintaining trails with these organizations helped him feel prepared and inspired to join.
The Volunteer Land Steward Program has been in action since 1993, training and assisting more than 170 volunteer land stewards who monitor an assigned Forest Society property within 20 miles of
Sophie Oehler is the communications and outreach intern for the Forest Society.
is managed for the protec tion of wetlands, riparian zones (the inter face between bodies of water and land), and water quality. Nearly 600,000 people rely on the Merrimack for drinking water every day, and conservation land such as Stillhouse ensures the water entering the river is that much cleaner thanks to the filtering power of forests.
more time out here than just the suggested bi-annual check-in. “Stillhouse is an undeveloped piece of property,” he says, “so, it’s really raw and beautiful in that way. [Getting to go] bushwhacking with my GPS, map, and compass is really satisfying.”
at the bottom. Pine trees tower over the edge and wildflowers pop up around the rim of the eroded bank. On the opposite side of the emerald water is the Canter bury boat launch.
Although some trails do exist, they are often blocked by waist-high grass thickets or fallen trees. In fact, we are surprised to find the woods road into the forest has been recently mowed, which Mabie duti fullyStillhousenotes.
As we walk through the cool woods, songbirds serenade us from the forest canopy. We see herd trails created by deer and a smattering of different butterfly species. Mabie says he has also spotted bald eagles soaring over the river and signs of otter habitat in the riparian zones. Not only is Stillhouse home to a diverse array of plant and tree life, it is also what he calls a “sanctuary for wildlife.” “There’s not a lot of people; it’s a non-motorized, non-developed site. Because of the river access [and] because of Hart Hill... there’s quite a diverse ecosystem in here for all creatures to benefit,” he notes.
OEHLERSOPHIE
In the two and a half hours we spent walking the property, we never heard a car or a lawnmower or a chainsaw. There were no trail signs, no lost gloves waiting for their owners in the parking lot, and very little litter save for a single beer can and an overturned green horse bucket. In fact, the only other traces of humanity to be found were an old silo foundation and the sound
And it does. Stillhouse is one of those places that still feels wild. The silo is practically invisible, the forest having long since grown in around it, as if trying to remove all signs of former human occupation from view. The wildness is what inspires Craig Mabie to continue the work he does. “Stewarding land and keeping the land healthy is supremely important and getting more important all the time,” he says. “There’s a great deal of satisfaction knowing you are helping your particular piece of land meet its goals, as well as meet the goals of the biggerThoughpicture.”being a volunteer land steward is rewarding, Mabie says it does come with the occasional challenge. Even though land stewarding has a lot to do with the land, it often has more to do with com municating with abutting landowners. “[I have to] make sure I’m being a good listener. I wanted to educate myself on the issues that people are facing. So, [I’ve] just been listening to get an understanding of what those issues are, so that I can work with them as best I can.”
Stillhouse a trailblazer in river and riparian area preservation, but it is also a diverse one at that. The reserva tion boasts a variety of ecological environ ments: meadows created by logging projects, cliff precipices, and ravines deco rated by a brook and a hemlock colony. This diversity is what inspires Mabie to continue his land steward work. “Preserv ing land in regard to climate change, clean drinking water...and taking developmen tal pressures off our land, allowing these wild places to remain wild, [is] a big part of myAftermotivation.”awhilefighting our way through brush, we arrive at one of his favorite spots: a sandy bluff overlooking a bend in the river. The land falls away in a steep drop off to reveal a thin strip of a sandbar
Like many large industrial rivers in the country, the Merrimack has had a complicated history. In 2010, the U.S. Forest Service listed it as one of the most threatened rivers. Since then, a statewide effort has been launched to protect it for safe drinking water and recreation. Stillhouse serves as part of that preservation by protecting a large section of the riverbank from dangerous runoff andNotpollution.onlyis
Regardless, Mabie wholeheartedly recommends the position of volunteer land steward. “Do it, do it, do it. It’s a wonderful experience to be able to have one of these properties to oversee and become familiar with and to understand. You can really effect change; you can make things happen.” On my drive home from Stillhouse, I think about Mabie’s enthusiasm for his work. In a time of climate insecurity and grief, there is something reassuring about knowing that places like Stillhouse will remain untouched, undisputed, unscathed, thanks to people like Craig and their love for the forests and all that grows within them.
of a plane engine overhead. “It feels strange hearing a plane in a place like this,” Mabie comments, as we watch it flying toward Manchester.
We then move to his other favorite view of the river where a rocky peninsula juts into the shallows of the water. On the bank above the stony shore is the riparian area, covered in lady fern, and, in spring, vernal pools, an important ecological environment for amphibians and insects to reproduce and feed.
Summer 2022 FOREST NOTES | 11
He tells me that these are all the same places he leads groups to as part of a prop erty tour he started in 2020. With a goal of showing participants the beauty of the property and talking about the importance of conservation, he’s introduced members of the Havenwood Heights Retirement Community to the forest, as well as groups from the Canterbury Shaker Village Trails and Grounds Crew and the Merrimack River Watershed Council. “People are excited to see Stillhouse,” he says. “Unfor tunately, most people don’t get to see it, so I enjoy that aspect [of the tours].”
Local Trout Unlimited members, community leaders, and Forest Society staff celebrated the official opening of the Ammonoosuc River Forest and access trail on July 9.
The new reservation, the Forest Society’s 191st, consists of two sections: 80 acres abutting Route 302 on the north side of the river and 193 acres abutting the White Mountain National Forest on the south side. The upstream end of the property starts at the Carroll and Bethlehem town line, just beyond NH Fish and Game’s angler access parking area on Route 302 and about two miles west of Twin Mountain.
Scenic Byway. With a significant sand and gravel aquifer underlying the property, the conserved land protects local drinking water, including for local homeowners with wells. The land also protects historic features of the old Boston & Maine Rail road bed, whose culverts are made of massive, hand-cut granite beams.
Funding for the project included contri butions from the NH Land & Community Heritage Investment Program (LCHIP), the NH Fish and Game Department’s Fisheries Habitat Program, the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation’s Upper Connecticut River Mitigation and Enhancement Fund, and Moose Plate program funds provided by the New Hampshire State Conservation Committee. Trout Unlimited and its members played a key role by providing more than $60,000 in direct support
The recreational value of the property extends beyond its well-known trout fishery. The Twin Mountain Connector snowmo bile trail runs through the property’s southern section connecting the White Mountain National Forest to many trails in the north. On the river, kayakers and whitewater canoeists delight in this stretch of fast water each spring, and for scenery, great views of the Presidential and Franco nia ranges are visible within the property and from Route 302, where over a mile of undeveloped frontage provides a scenic buffer along this designated New Hampshire
In December 2020, landowners Dick and Nancy Gould generously sold 273 acres along 1.8 miles of the Ammonoosuc River to the Forest Society at a price of only one-third of the land’s full value, enabling the permanent conservation of the prop erty. The Ammonoosuc, which means “small, narrow fishing place” in Abenaki, is one of the largest rivers in the northern White Mountains, originating high on Mount Washington and flowing westward to meet the Connecticut River in Woodsville, N.H. With key cold-water fish eries in its upper reaches, the river is home to wild brook trout, as well as rainbows and browns. Haystack Brook, which flows northerly through the property and into the Ammonoosuc River, provides high-quality habitat for eastern brook trout, both as a refuge from high main stem temperatures in the summer and as a spawning ground in the fall. “Trout are great indicators of the health of our rivers, lakes, and ponds,” says Art Greene, Ammonoosuc Chapter representative for Trout Unlimited New Hampshire. “The conservation of this river frontage is significant for the protection of wildlife and water quality, and Trout Unlimited is honored to have played a part in conserving this valuable land, not only for our anglers, but for all outdoor enthusiasts.”
The Forest Society knows Tom Howe would enjoy all of the new fish stories that will be made and told along the banks of the Ammo for years to come!
By Andy Crowley and Anna Berry Anew
angler access trail at the Forest Society’s Ammonoosuc River Forest officially opened on July 9 in Beth lehem. The trail was built to provide access for fishing the Ammonoosuc River on a sustainable path, carefully constructed to limit the environmental impact from visitors. This fall, the trail will be officially dedicated as the Tom Howe Trail, in honor of the Forest Society’s dear colleague, who envisioned this trail as a lasting legacy for anglers on what proved to be his final conservation project.
Opening Day: Hikers, Anglers Enjoy New Access to North Country River
12 | FOREST NOTES Summer 2022 ON OUR LAND
Summer 2022 FOREST NOTES | 13 DEEGANCARRIE nhpbs.org/hometown Join host Rebecca Rule as she explores New Hampshire’s small cities and towns — one story at a time. TOGETHER WE TELL NEW HAMPSHIRE STORIES
With over 30,000 balsam and Fraser fir trees in the fields, The Rocks Christmas Tree Farm is also thriving. Last year’s wholesale sales were very strong, and despite the construction, families con tinued to return for their annual tradition of cutting a Christmas
Nearly 50 people gathered to celebrate the beginning of the Carriage Barn renovation with a ground-breaking ceremony on June 23 at The Rocks in Bethlehem.
The Carriage Barn renovation is the next, and by far most ambitious, phase of the Forest Society’s re-envisioning of The Rocks. Last summer, the site of the beloved Tool Building that burned to the ground on a frigid February night in 2019 was reclaimed. Using the massive granite foundation stones left behind, landscape architect Leigh Starer created a hillside amphitheater that echoes the adjacent formal gardens, designed by the Olmsted firm at the turn of the twentieth century. This summer, Starer and her team loamed and seeded the amphitheater and restored the Glessner lilacs and other plantings, creating a series of outdoor “rooms” facing the spectacular White Mountain view to the east.
n June 23, 2022, golden shovels plunged into a pile of rich soil, symbolizing the start of the next phase of a great transformation at The Rocks in Bethlehem.
throughout the property. Outside the building, the look and feel of the structure will retain its historic character, with faded shin gles replaced and stained the traditional Rocks Red—a formula on file at the local paint store for the better part of a century.
Soon after the ceremonial shovels were lifted, the real work began. Inside the building, a new floor and insulated building envelope will allow for radiant heat powered by geothermal and solar systems. Interpretation of the net zero aspects of the build ing, from the solar field to the energy use meters, will be featured
Breaking Ground on Forest Society North at The Rocks
14 | FOREST NOTES Summer 2022
The 1884 stone and shingle Carriage Barn that sits along Glessner Road, designed by architect Isaac Scott and expanded by Hermann von Holst in 1907, is now undergoing a renovation led by Samyn–D’Elia Architects and Milestone Engineering & Construction. Over the coming year, this magnificent building will be converted into a welcoming center for conservation, recreation, education, and community use. New classroom, gallery, and meeting spaces will offer opportunities for hosting events and expanding interpretive and educational programs, while office space in the loft will allow statewide Forest Society conservation, stewardship, and outreach staff to serve the North Country from a local hub.
O
By Anne Truslow
On the occasion of the groundbreaking in June, Bethlehem Selectboard chair Bruce Caplain thanked the Forest Society for making this investment in The Rocks, saying that it attracts tourists and visitors to Bethlehem, making it an important part of the local community and economy. Executive Councilor Joe Kenney chimed in, “Why do we love the North Country? Why do we love these types of projects? It’s because we know that we’re leaving a legacy for the next generation, and we’re going to be a part of that legacy and we get to shape the future here in the North Country. And having the Forest Society North here is going to be a great contribution.”
Part of the renovations taking place at The Rocks this summer include the recontouring of the landscape to maximize views of the White Mountains (top) and provide spectacular outdoor venue space from a new ampitheater (bottom).
tree at The Rocks. Farm operations are now centered at the Red House at 686 Main Street in Bethlehem, located closer to the fields and away from public areas. A new heated workshop was constructed by Garland Mill of Lancaster to allow for winter repairs and seasonal wreath-making.
Learn More
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The Rocks is a unique place. For many, it is the site of family traditions and rites of passage, where annual Christmas trees are cut, weddings are hosted, and quiet walks in the woods are had. For others, it is a site to experience traditional New England,
To follow the progress of the Carriage Barn renovation, oratruslow@forestsociety.orgorforestsociety.org/the-rockstheturnNorthForforestsociety.org/the-rocks.visitmoreontheForestSocietyatTheRocksCampaign,topage24.Tosupportcampaign,visitcontactAnneTruslowat603-224-9945x319.
visiting the New Hampshire Maple Experience and riding on a horse-drawn wagon. For the Forest Society, The Rocks is a central hub for our work in the North Country. With the expanded facility, past programs will resume, including the popular maple tours, wildflower walks, and historical talks about the Glessners and the property, and new programs and partnerships will have the capacity to grow to create a true forest exploration center.
Anne Truslow is the vice president for development for the Forest Society.
The Forest Society owns more than 7,500 acres in the North Country—soon to be more than 11,000 acres with the planned acquisition of the 3,750-acre Mahoosuc Highlands in Shelburne. And we are responsible for stewarding more than 240 conserva tion easements that protect 49,000 acres in the northern part of the state. With enthusiasm for outdoor recreation greater than ever, a surge in real estate sales during the pandemic, the impor tance of forest conservation to mitigating climate change, and strong interest among landowners in conserving and managing their lands for long-term benefits, the Forest Society’s role in the North Country is as important now as it has ever been.
The Forest Society’s Ecological Reserve Program
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SMITHRYAN
Left: In recognition of the enriched natural communities and plant populations that grow on the property, the Forest Society designated a portion of the Yatsevitch Forest in Plainfield and Cornish as an EcoReserve in 2005.
By Gabe Roxby
id you know that the land the Forest Society owns and manages provides a multitude of benefits to nature and society? Our forests sequester and store carbon. They provide habitat for wildlife. They generate clean air and filter the water that flows into our streams and rivers. And they provide a source of sustainably grown forest products that we use every day. Timber harvesting is the primary tool we use to create and sustain a diverse mixture of wildlife habitats and harvesting and selling renewable forest products also allows us to earn income to support our mission. Despite the benefits of cutting trees, we also believe in the value of protecting wilderness and old-growth forests where we let natural processes prevail. To this end, the Forest Society established the Ecological Reserve (EcoReserve) Program in 2001, an internal designation meant to formalize our long-standing practice of setting aside some parts of our lands as “natural areas.”
ScenicSustainingBiodiversityandBeauty:
Summer 2022 FOREST NOTES | 17
However, not all of the Forest Society’s EcoReserves were created to protect old-growth forests. For example, a portion of the Kauffmann Forest in Stark was designated as an EcoReserve in part to protect populations of unusual plants that
In an EcoReserve, the Forest Society’s primary goal and management strategy is to sustain biodiversity and ecological processes; all other land uses are secondary. On most of our other land, managing for high-quality, high-value forest products is one of our many management goals. In an EcoReserve, it’s not a goal at all and it isn’t a factor when considering forest management. However, this doesn't necessarily mean that all EcoReserves are entirely unmanaged forever. In some cases, active management, including removing trees, is necessary to sustain the ecological characteristics that make that area unique.
18 | FOREST NOTES Summer 2022
are best suited to grow in the forest’s shady understory. In Plainfield and Cornish, the Yatsevitch Forest lies atop a vein of circumneutral bedrock. In 2005, the Forest Society designated an EcoReserve on a portion of the property in recognition of the enriched natural communities and plant populations that grow on site. Both of these forests are tangible examples of the value that the Forest Society places on biodiversity in its forest management practices.
True old-growth forests are exceedingly rare in New England, covering only about 0.1 to 0.4 percent of the region. Although definitions vary, an old-growth forest can be defined as forestland that was never directly impacted by intensive human land uses such as timber harvesting and agriculture. These are areas that have been governed by natural processes since before the time of European settlement. A few of the Forest Society’s EcoReserves contain old-growth forests, including the Williams Family Forest in Stoddard. Here, visitors can hike a rugged, remote trail network that crosses through an ancient forest. Many think that old-growth forests contain a uniform canopy of giant trees, but in reality, these forests are defined by their complexity and variability. Huge, old trees are present, but they grow among partially dead trees, rotting downed wood, and young trees growing in the openings where old trees once stood.
Summer 2022 FOREST NOTES | 19
Above: Golden light blankets the Yatsevitch Forest in Cornish and Plainfield. Photo: Ryan Smith.
20 | FOREST NOTES Summer 2022
Top left: In 2017, Forest Society staff took part in a prescribed fire at the Harmon Preserve in Freedom with a goal of restoring the globally rare pitch pine–scrub oak natural community.
Top right: It took only a year for pitch pine seedlings to germinate and begin growing again. Left: Large trees like this giant on the Williams Family Forest in Stoddard are just one characteristic of an old growth forest.
On the Yatsevitch Forest, a population of invasive species was removed when they crept too close to a population of rare plants. At the Forest Society’s Harmon Preserve in Freedom, prescribed fire is periodically needed to maintain a globally rare pitch pine–scrub oak natural community. Fire removes the duff layer and exposes mineral soil, allowing the seeds from pitch pine cones (which open from extended days of intense heat) to fall into a spot suitable for germination. The scrub oaks in the understory burn, but they sprout back vigorously due to their intact root systems. Prescribed fires also create habitat that is critical to the survival of several rare species of butterflies, which are restricted to living in pitch pine–scrub oak forests.
For a short hike—under a mile—through a unique Atlantic white cedar swamp, visit Cooper Cedar Woods in New Durham. The Forest Society established an EcoReserve in 2002 on this property to protect the slow-growing cedar trees and uncommon understory plants that depend on this rare natural community.
Left: Steep cliffs at the Kauffmann Forest in Stark provide valuable wildlife habitat and sometimes sites for rare or unusual plants.
Summer 2022 FOREST NOTES | 21
Get Out!
To preserve and protect the fragile ecology, many Forest Society EcoReserves don’t have recreation infrastructure on the property, including parking lots, bathrooms, and trails. But some reserves do have trails and are well worth visiting for their environmental and recreational features.
Gabe Roxby is a forester for the Forest Society.
For a more challenging hike, consider visiting Madame Sherri Forest in Chesterfield. Hiking up the Wantastiquet Mountain Trail will bring you into an EcoReserve designated in 2008 that protects uncommon geologic features, critical wildlife habitats, and exemplary natural communities. In addition to these unique natural features, there are great views from the top of Wantastiquet Mountain.
For more information about these reservations, visit forestsociety.org/reservationguide.
Right: A nutrient poor, acidic bog on an EcoReserve in Sharon provides good habitat for carnivorous pitcher plants.
The Forest Society owns nearly 60,000 acres in New Hampshire and it has designated more than 10 percent of that land as Eco logical Reserves. An additional 20 percent of Forest Society land contains terrain that is either too wet, too steep, or too rugged to allow for safe and productive timber harvesting. This land includes spectacular marshes, exposed rocky ridgelines, mucky forested wetlands, and steep cliff faces. These areas, while not for mally designated as EcoReserves, will also be left alone to allow nature to take its course. Totaling nearly 18,000 acres, this land complements the portions of our properties where we practice timber harvesting, which results in a more diverse landscape for biodiversity and wildlife. Thoughtful, sustainable forest manage ment and timber harvesting has always been a central part of the Forest Society’s land management philosophy, but we also strongly believe in the value of letting some places grow wild.
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22 | FOREST NOTES Summer 2022 PUBLIC POLICY
• Do the law enforcement agencies—NH Fish and Game Department, NH State Police, county sheriffs, and municipal police—have the capacity to enforce the OHRV-related laws?
• How can OHRV users mitigate the noise and other impacts that property owners whose homes abut existing trails are experiencing?
• Should the education and safety re quirements for OHRV riders be changed or improved to account for the in creased ridership?
Berlin illustrates the place this sector has assumed in the economic development plans for our state.
However, this growth has created concerns and conflicts among OHRV users, non-OHRV users, other sectors of the outdoor recreation industry, private property owners, homeowners, and state agencies. These groups are seeking to address many questions and issues, •including:Howtoquantify the economic impact on the State’s economy?
ATV operators take in the views of the White Mountains during the Mt. Washington Auto Road’s NH ATV Day.
A Road Map for Analyzing Off-Road Use in New Hampshire
By Matt Leahy
Over the last ten years, New Hamp shire has experienced significant growth in the use of Off-High way Recreational Vehicles (OHRVs), including All-terrain Vehicles (ATVs). For example, in 2015 there were 54,155 OHRV registrations. That number increased to 77,601 in 2020. Increasingly, advocates view the 1,300-mile network of trails and the number of users as an important part of the economy in the state, especially in the North Country. The annual two-day festival at Jericho Mountain State Park in
Finding a mutual understanding among all of those stakeholders admittedly will be a challenge. Yet, OHRV enthusiasts, landowners, non-motorized recreationists, and the communities that host OHRV activity all share one common value: a desire to be outdoors enjoying our state’s natural areas. That common ground should be the starting point for the Commission’s work.
Matt Leahy is the public policy director for the Forest Society.
YOUR GUIDE TO FORESTTRAILS!SOCIETY The Forest Society Mobile App, powered by OuterSpatial, makes getting outside easy by putting information about amazing destinations –including directions, photos & maps – right at your fingertips. Aim your smartphone's camera at the QR code to download the OuterSpatial app & join our NH community. Learn more: forestsociety.org/app2.0)COMMONS(CREATIVEROADAUTOWASHINGTONMT.
Among the questions the commission will look to answer are:
One of the difficulties that has undermined previous attempts to find constructive solutions is the tendency, for example during legislation hearings, for the conversation to split into an “us versus them” debate of OHRV users against nonOHRV users. The Study Commission can counter that problem by providing another valuable service. Specifically, it will be a meeting place and forum for the broad number of stakeholders of this issue.
work together to provide consistency in enforcement of current laws related to OHRVs?
Fortunately, the New Hampshire Legislature recognized these concerns by approving House Bill 1188. Signed into law by Governor Sununu on July 1, 2022, the bill establishes a five-year study commission to review OHRV use in New Hampshire and make recommendations on legislative solutions. Twenty-two members will sit on this commission, including one appointed jointly by the Forest Society, the Nature Conservancy, and the Appalachian Mountain Club.
• Is it time for the State of New Hamp shire to develop a master trail plan for all recreational trail users?
Summer 2022 FOREST NOTES | 23
• How can the Fish and Game Depart ment, New Hampshire State Police, county sheriffs, and municipal police
• What are the effects of OHRV use on state and town roads, including class 5 and class 6 roads?
• What are the positive and adverse effects of OHRV activity upon the state and local economies?
• What are the effects of noise, dust, and careless or reckless behavior of riders on abutters to trails and roads where OHRVs are used?
Balancing the desires of those who want to experience the thrill of OHRV rid ing without degrading New Hampshire’s special natural resources or intruding upon the rights of property owners to enjoy the sanctity of their own special place is achievable. By using that common ground as a guide, the Commission can find this difficult balancing point.
• Reconnecting the flow of outdoor space to highlight the gardens and views and linking the Carriage Barn with the amphitheater and path to the NH Maple Museum
Once renovations are complete, the 1884 Carriage Barn at The Rocks will be used as the Forest Society’s North Country program center.
A Transformational Opportunity: The Forest Society North at The Rocks Campaign
commitment by the Forest Society to invest in the forests, communities, and economy of northern New Hampshire as part of our statewide and regional mission.
But from the ashes rose an outpouring of support. In the days after the fire, the Forest Society received emotional notes from people across the nation who hold The Rocks in a special part of their hearts, and nearly 150 donations came in to support the recovery effort.
24 | FOREST NOTES Summer 2022
From these principles, the vision grew for a Forest Society North at The Rocks that not only restores but expands the Forest Society’s capacity to provide educational programs, community meeting and event space, land conservation and stewardship services located north of the notches, recreational opportunities for many abilities, and a thriving Christmas tree farm in the North Country. Renovating the Carriage Barn as a net zero facility with geothermal and solar systems allows us to continue an organizational commitment to sustainability and green building while also preserving the sense of place and history that is so fundamental to the character of the property. The Forest Society North at The Rocks Campaign is not simply a building project. It is a
• Creating a hillside amphitheater overlooking fields of fir trees and boasting views of the White Mountains
The Forest Society’s campaign for Forest Society North at The Rocks was softly launched that summer, while plans for rebuilding took shape. An ad hoc commit tee consisting of members of the Board of Trustees and staff huddled for months with architects and engineers to consider a wide range of alternatives, from not rebuilding at all to designing a new state-of-the-art green building. Two things were clear from the beginning: the panoramic view of the White Mountains revealed in the absence of the lost buildings was too beautiful to block—it should be featured. And the quietly elegant—and large—1884 Carriage Barn stood ready to offer historic continuity and connection to the past while providing the space needed for twenty-first century purposes.
PROJECT IN PROGRESS
On
a frigid February night in 2019, fire tore through the Forest Society’s North Country Education Center at The Rocks in Bethlehem, demolishing the historic fourstory Tool Building and adjacent Electric Plant. These buildings formed the nucleus of operations at The Rocks for more than a century, originally supporting the working farm at the heart of the Glessners’ White Mountain estate and more recently, housing meeting and classroom space, which served upwards of 14,000 visitors annually, offices and living space for staff, and the main workshop and equipment storage for the Christmas tree farm. The loss was a profound shock..
Transforming the landscape and buildings at The Rocks is an $8.5 million effort.The plan includes:
• Renovating the Carriage Barn as a net zero program center
Town/City: State: Zip:
Left: Guests tour the gardens at The Rocks in Bethlehem.
______
• Centering farm operations from the Red House, separate from public space
is my tax-deductible contribution of $_____________
Email:
VISA
• Securing a $2 million endowment for both programs and operations in the future
Right: The renovations at The Rocks include building a new hillside amphitheater that boasts views of the Kilkenny and Presidential ranges.
Thank you for your help!
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Exp. date: ______ Security code:
YES, I’D LIKE TO SUPPORT THE FOREST SOCIETY NORTH AT THE ROCKS CAMPAIGN Telephone:Address:Name:
Enclosed
Thanks to leadership gifts and pledges from both individuals and foundations, we are more than halfway to our goal of raising $8.5 million! To meet our milestones
in this multi-year campaign, our goal is to secure $2 million in commitments by the end of December 2022. A leadership gift now has the potential to make a transfor mational impact. And, as we continue to prepare competitive applications for funding, demonstrating broad support for this project through donations large and small also makes a difference.
MasterCard Number: ________________________________
Please mail the completed form to: Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests 54 Portsmouth Street, Concord, NH 03301 Or donate online at forestsociety.org/fsn. For more information, call Anne Truslow at 603-224-9945 or email atruslow@forestsociety.org.
Please join the Campaign for Forest Society North at The Rocks by making a gift today or contacting Anne Truslow, vice president for development, with questions or to discuss planned giving, multi-year pledges, or gifts of stock. During the summer and fall, access to The Rocks will be limited due to construction, so please contact Anne if you would like to arrange a special visit to see the site in progress!
11:30 a.m. Registration Opens at Conservation Center
54 Portsmouth Street Concord, NH 03301-5400
Address Service Requested
Please join us for our 121st Annual Meeting SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 24 • CONCORD, NH
FIELD TRIPS:
4. Energy Efficient Building Tour: The Evolution of the Conservation Center Since 1980
LOCATION: The Forest Society Conservation Center, 54 Portsmouth Street, Concord, NH
5. The First 13,000 Years: Archaeology of the Monadnock Region with Dr. Robert Goodby
COST: Registration includes field trips, lunch, and program.
For more information or to register, visit forestsociety.org/annualmeeting or contact Linda Dammann at 603-224-9945 x325 or ldammann@forestsociety.org.
USOrganizationNonprofitPostagePaidManchester,NHPermitNo.0494SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION OF NEW HAMPSHIRE FORESTS
2. Hike at Stillhouse Forest in Canterbury
Thanks to Our Lead Sponsors
MEETING SCHEDULE:
Left: Keynote speaker Dr. Michael E. Mann is a climatologist and geophysicist and the director of the Earth System Science Center at Pennsylvania State University. Right: A trail winds through a floodplain forest on the banks of the Merrimack River at the Forest Society’s headquarters property in Concord.
1:00 p.m. Business Meeting, Recognitions and Conservationist of the Year Award
3. Merrimack River Floodplain Natural History Walk
Trips begin at 9:00 a.m. No extra cost unless noted.
12:00 p.m. Welcome and Buffet Lunch
1. Paddling the Merrimack (Cost: $50; Participant Limit: 15)
2:00 p.m. Keynote Address: Dr. Michael Mann on The New Climate War: With Bold Action, We Can Avert the Worst Impacts of Climate Change
Regular Price: $50/person (Registration deadline September 16)
Turn to page 6 for field trip details.
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9:00 a.m.–11:30 a.m. Field Trips