THE FATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE'S ASH TREES
Forever Connected A Writer Makes a Special Bond With Mount Major
WINTER 2022
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TABLE OF CONTENTS: WINTER 2022, No. 308
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(CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT) MARY ELLEN HUMPHREY, STACIE HERNANDEZ, COURTESY OF UNH COOPERATIVE EXTENSION
18 DEPARTMENTS 2 FROM THE PRESIDENT’S DESK
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The funny part of tree farming
4 THE WOODPILE
FEATURES 6 Forever Connected An author reflects on her experience hiking Mount Major more than 1,000 times in all types of weather.
12 Ashes to Ashes The race is on to save ash trees from a deadly invasive insect that’s spreading across New Hampshire.
Recapping the 5 Hikes Challenge
5 IN THE FIELD A lecture series returns in person
18 THE FOREST CLASSROOM This women-only workshop series is making a buzz
19 VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT Meet the David Dana Forest’s rock star land steward
20 NATURE’S VIEW Migrating trees with a human assist
22 PUBLIC POLICY UPDATE A natural solution to emerging infrastructure
24 PROJECT IN PROGRESS
THE FATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE'S ASH TREES
Adding acres to a forest in Gilmanton Forever Connected A Writer Makes a Special Bond With Mount Major
26 THE MANY FACES OF CONSERVATION A couple plans for future conservation needs On our cover:
WINTER 2022
forestsociety.org
Snowshoers hike along the Hanson Trail at the Forest Society’s High Watch Preserve in Effingham. Photo by Jerry Monkman/Ecophotography.
FROM THE PRESIDENT’S DESK
CHAIR Bill Tucker, Goffstown
VICE CHAIR Drew Kellner, Brookline
SECRETARY Karen Moran, Webster
TREASURER Andrew Smith, Twin Mountain
PRESIDENT Jack Savage, Middleton
BOARD OF TRUSTEES Charlie Bridges, New Durham Deb Buxton, Greenfield Bill Crangle, Plymouth George Epstein, Silver Lake Elizabeth Salas Evans, Weare Peter Fauver, North Conway Don Floyd, Concord Allyson Hicks, Concord Jason Hicks, Meredith Deanna Howard, Etna Patricia Losik, Rye Nancy Martland, Sugar Hill Michael Morison, Peterborough Tom Wagner, Campton Janet Zeller, Concord
STAFF Will Abbott, Project Manager, The Rocks Frank Allen, Building and Grounds Assistant Dave Anderson, Senior Director of Education Anna Berry, Digital Outreach Manager Nik Berube, Maintenance Assistant Naomi Brattlof, Director of Easement Stewardship Rita Carroll, Tree Farm Administrator Tony Cheek, Vice President for Finance Connie Colton, Land Protection and Stewardship Coordinator Andy Crowley, Stewardship Projects Manager Linda Dammann, Development Assistant Carrie Deegan, Reservation Stewardship and Engagement Director Maria Finnegan, Manager of Individual Giving Leah Hart, Land Protection Specialist Stacie Hernandez, Easement Steward Laura Holske, Finance Specialist Brian Hotz, Vice President for Land Conservation Steve Junkin, Field Forester Sarah Kern, Creek Farm Education Program Coordinator Susanne Kibler-Hacker, Senior Philanthropy Advisor Allan Krygeris, Senior Technology Specialist Sara Krzyzaniak, Data Processor Rebecca Lapitino, Policy & Reservation Stewardship Coordinator Matt Leahy, Public Policy Director Cameron Larnerd, Land Steward & Volunteer Coordinator Margaret Liszka, Membership Director Nigel Manley, Director, North Country Properties Ann McCoy, Development Manager Jack Minich, Easement Steward Michelle Morse, Human Resource Director Carl Murphy, Facilities Manager Meredith Reed O’Donnell, Foundation Relations Manager Tina Ripley, Administrative Assistant John Plummer, Conservation Easement Steward Gabe Roxby, Field Forester Jack Savage, President Matt Scaccia, Recreation and Community Relations Manager Ryan Smith, Communications Manager Maria Stewart, Senior Executive Assistant Anne Truslow, Vice President for Development Wendy Weisiger, Managing Forester Harriette Yazzie-Whitcomb, Receptionist
The Funny Part of Tree Farming
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mong our more celebrated certified tree farmers in New Hampshire was PJ O’Rourke, who died recently of complications related to lung cancer at age 74. PJ spoke at our Annual Meeting in 2013 and had the crowd howling with his decidedly unflattering views of the Northern Pass transmission line proposal. Knowing his audience, he also opined on the travails of being a landowner in northern New England. With more than a little good humor, he loved to assume the mantle of the befuddled and overworked tree farmer. “A demanding life it is,” he wrote in the Wall Street Journal in 2012. “Sleet, snow, frost or freezing rain, the crop must be brought in—every 40 years no matter what.” As a self-described “failed country gentleman,” PJ claimed, “the difference between being a certified tree farm and being lost in the woods is a bureaucratic mystery fully understood only by the Department of Agriculture.” No wonder he was confused, given that here in our state the New Hampshire Division of Forests and Lands is part of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. He must have been knocking on the wrong state bureau door looking for help. On being a tree farmer, he wrote, “I think it means I can deduct what I spend on growing trees (nothing) from what I earn on selling timber (nothing).” As a certified tree farmer myself, I love his joke—it often
seems like it’s true. But as the some 1,500 tree farmers (including the Forest Society) in the state know, there is a bit more to it—especially since we are committed to improving those forests over time through sustainable forest management. And depending on how many acres there are in your tree farm, and the age and health of your forest, it’s possible you might wear yourself out bringing the crop in twice as often. The Forest Society is one of the sponsors of the NH Tree Farm program. New Hampshire was the 29th state to adopt the program, a moment celebrated in 1950 at the Andorra Forest in Stoddard. (Massachusetts beat us to it by two years.) According to the State Forest Action Plan, 70 percent of forestland is owned by private landowners like PJ O’Rourke. He may have feigned bewilderment for our amusement, been occasionally lost in the woods, and failed in his quest to be a “country gentleman,” but he left this world as something even more noble, a New Hampshire tree farmer.
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.
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(OPPOSITE PAGE) RYAN SMITH; (THIS PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT) COURTESY OF NHPR, ANNA BERRY, FOREST SOCIETY FILES, AMANDA MELTZER
Something Wild Listen to the latest episode of Something Wild and subscribe to the podcast forestsociety.org/somethingwild
Forestry Fridays Our foresters take you behind the scenes of their work each week facebook.com/ForestSociety
Open for Adventure 12 Forest Society reservations that offer plowed parking forestsociety.org/winteradventures
On a cold winter day in late December 2021, Amanda Meltzer (@nhadventuremom) and her son and daughter (pictured) climbed 3,166-foot Mount Monadnock. Did you know that the Forest Society owns more than 4,500 acres at Monadnock and leases much of this land to Monadnock State Park?
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Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests 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. Editor: Ryan Smith Design & Production: The Secret Agency Printing: R.C. Brayshaw & Company, Inc. 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. 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 The Forest Society proudly supports the following organizations:
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Winter 2022 FOREST NOTES | 3
THE WOODPILE—NEWS NOT SO NEATLY STACKED
DIY Adventures: The 2021 5 Hikes Challenge Wraps Up With Record Numbers By Anna Berry By exploring Forest Society reservations dotted across the state, from the Sunapee Region’s Andrew Brook Forest to the Lakes Region’s Weeks Woods, more than 350 people learned the value of conservation and reservation stewardship, in addition to getting some fresh air and exercise, in the 2021 5 Hikes Challenge. From August 30 through October 31, participants had to visit five or more Forest Society reservations, hiking at least one trail at each location, in order to receive a Forest Society buff and some bragging rights with their hiking friends. New to the challenge this year, participants had the option to use the Forest Society’s Mobile App, powered by OuterSpatial, to track their progress and access digital trail
maps in the field. Forest Society members were offered free registration for the challenge and most of the participants were returning hikers from the 2020 program. “I love the 5 Hikes Challenge, especially now that it is ‘virtual,’” one participant noted in a program survey. “I have the freedom to choose from a large variety of hikes… [and find] a hike that fits my needs in terms of strenuousness and driving distance.” It was the second year the Forest Society ran the popular program in a do-it-yourself format to keep people safe and socially distanced. One of the youngest hikers in the 2021 challenge was Barbara Daley’s two-year-old granddaughter who climbed Hedgehog Mountain in Deering. Another group
GREAT STORIES!
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On-Demand| Online |Podcast
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combined their hike with a sunrise yoga session at the Morse Preserve in Alton. According to a Forest Society survey, the top reasons participants took the challenge this year were to explore new hiking destinations, get some exercise, boost their mental health and relieve some stress, and have fun with friends and family. Others noted that it was a great way to see protected properties that are well-maintained and safe to hike. Encouraged by participation numbers this year, staff members are already thinking about the ways they can bring back the program in 2022—so stay tuned! In the meantime, check out more photos from this year’s challenge at forestsociety.org/ 5Hikes2021.
IN THE FIELD
Cottrell-Baldwin Environmental Lecture Series
Consulting Foresters
The Cottrell-Baldwin Environmental Lecture Series, sponsored by the Forest Society and the NH Division of Forests and Lands, will be held at the Baldwin Environmental Center at Fox Forest in Hillsborough. The popular late-winter series celebrates the environmental and scholarly legacy of Annette and Bill Cottrell and State Research Forester, Henry I. Baldwin. For more information, visit forestsociety.org/cottrellbaldwin.
TUESDAY, MARCH 15 | 78:30 P.M.
TUESDAY, MARCH 29 | 78:30 P.M.
Humans and Nature in the Monadnock Region: The First 12,000 Years
Up for Grabs! Timber Pirates, Lumber Barons, and the Battles Over Maine’s Public Lands
Speaker: Dr. Robert Goodby, Professor of Anthropology at Franklin Pierce University Native Americans have lived in the Monadnock Region for 13,000 years. Archaeological evidence from sites in Swanzey, Peterborough, Hinsdale, and Keene reflect their use of a broad range of terrestrial and aquatic animals, c. 5,000–700 years before present. Archaeological data reveals Native use of the landscape and natural resources, highlighting settlement patterns, seasonal movements, technology, site settings, and responses to climate change. Archaeological data also contributes to an understanding of long-term patterns and changes in species range that has potential utility for modern conservation and wildlife management.
TUESDAY, MARCH 22 | 78:30 P.M.
Dive into the History of Livermore Falls, New Hampshire Speakers: Mark Doperalski, New Hampshire State Archaeologist David Truby, Review and Compliance Archaeologist for the State of New Hampshire Join New Hampshire’s Department of Natural and Cultural Resources archaeology team to learn the details of the archeological discoveries at Livermore Falls State Forest in Plymouth. This area was initially excavated to investigate post-contact archaeological deposits associated with the nineteenth and twentieth century industrial complex and associated residential occupation known as “The Hollow.” During their excavations, however, a somewhat substantial pre-contact Native American archaeological deposit was also identified, including the discovery of a fire hearth radiocarbon dated to roughly 3,000 years ago. Learn the fascinating details of the site and how the archaeologists uncovered heretofore unknown history at Livermore Falls.
Speaker: Thomas Urquhart, Author and Former Director of Maine Audubon The origin of Maine’s Public Reserved Lands goes back to the 1780s when Maine was a part of Massachusetts. As a state, Maine continued the Commonwealth’s policy of reserving a “public lot” in every township sold off from its public domain. These lots (1000 acres each) were to serve the future needs, especially religious and educational, of the town. They could not be sold. When wildland townships remained unsettled, the state could only sell the rights to cut the timber on the public lots. Lumber interests (and subsequently paper companies) bought the rights and managed the land as if it was their own. A century later, after a ten-year legal struggle, Maine recovered the public lots. They are now the core of its magnificent Public Reserved Lands, managed for timber, wildlife, and recreation. Join us to learn the story of how these tracts were re-acquired.
TUESDAY, APRIL 5 | 78:30 P.M.
Allagash: New England’s Wild River Speakers: Tim Caverly, Maine author and retired ranger, and his wife Susan Join us for a presentation that includes music as well as scenic and historic photos from Maine’s northern forest. Spectators will virtually canoe the world-famous Allagash River, discover forgotten logging history, and learn about Native American archaeology. Narrated by former supervisor of the Allagash Wilderness Waterway, Tim Caverly, and his wife Susan, participants will hear first-hand about the lore, legends, and colorful characters that Tim experienced during his 32 years working as a Maine park ranger.
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Meadowsend Consulting Company Quality Consulting Forestry with Integrity. Guaranteed.
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meadowsendco.com • 603.526.8686 Licensed foresters should address inquiries about advertising to Anne Truslow by calling 603-224-9945 or emailing atruslow@forestsociety.org. Winter 2022 FOREST NOTES | 5
Fever Connected
A Writer Muses About Her 1,000 Ascents of Mount Major BY MARY ELLEN HUMPHREY
Watching sunrises from the summit of Mount Major was always a soul-stirring experience the author cherished over the course of hiking the mountain more than 1,000 times.
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EMILY LORD
T
he nature of things is change. Hiking mountains has taught me this. Every hike is unique and special. The ambient noises, smells, and sights vary from season to season in the snow, wind, and rain. Change is inevitable. I’ve hiked many summits over the years, including the two biggies: Mount Washington and Katahdin. Located only a half hour from my home in Rochester, N.H., Mount Major in Alton is my favorite, though. I was in my mid-fifties when I began hiking this popular mountain. For over ten years, I traversed it every chance I got—sometimes two, three, or four times a week. I often hiked the mountain twice in one day, ascending the Boulder Loop Trail, descending the Brook Trail, then up the Main Trail, and finally down the Boulder Loop Trail again. At 1,786 feet, Mount Major offers the benefits of being on a mountain trail in a more manageable way for someone of average fitness. Hiking the trails as much as I did made them easier. I didn’t have to look for trail markers or worry about what’s ahead. I already knew and was prepared. This familiarity allows for more contemplative solo hiking. While I’ll cherish the memories of hiking the mountain with friends and family, hiking solo offered me a chance to find peace and the strength to face life’s difficult problems. It’s where I learned to be grateful for the truly wonderful things in my life despite the hardships. Mount Major was where I went to sort out my thoughts, to celebrate, and sometimes to grieve.
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hen my son and daughter, who live in Maryland and New York, respectively, visited with their children, we always fit in a hike to “Meme’s mountain.” My grandchildren really got what it meant to be playful in nature, relishing the wonder and delight of exploring, pretending, and imagining. They played all the way up the mountain, climbing the boulders and imagining all kinds of fun scenarios. Hiking is a magical experience for young and old—if you tune in. Paying attention was a hallmark of Thoreau’s daily routine. He wrote, “I think that I cannot preserve my health and spirits, unless I spend four hours a day at least—and it is customarily more than that—sauntering through the woods and over the hills and fields, absolutely free from all worldly engagements.” I couldn’t agree more. New Hampshire is blessed with natural amenities for everyone to enjoy. These special places enrich our lives and, as is often the case, we don’t grasp how special they are until it’s too late. In 2015, a coalition of organizations, led by the Forest Society, the Lakes Region Conservation Trust, and the Belknap Range Conservation Coalition, raised more than a million dollars to conserve key parcels of land on and surrounding Mount Major. Having witnessed their stewardship of many other precious properties, I was happy the Forest Society was going to be the stewards of the mountain. With thousands of visitors each year, most of them in the summertime, you can imagine the toll it takes on Mount Major’s trails. More than 80,000 people hike it every year. Many are visitors to New Hampshire, but there are also the regulars, local folks who are drawn back time and time again to the magic of this special place. My friends and I speculated what changes might be coming to the mountain. Would hiking fees be implemented? Would the trails be changed, improved, or moved? Mostly, we were relieved that a reputable organization had taken charge of this precious real estate, protecting it from development at the very least. One of the first changes I noticed was the installation of Porta Potties—yeah! As one hike led to another, I eventually summited the mountain more than 1,000 times before I retired and moved to New York in the fall of 2018 to be closer with my daughter and her children. During those years I hiked Mount Major, I came to feel fit, physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. The mountain truly became a friend, a special place that took me beyond its physical boundaries. I learned a lot about myself and shared some truly memorable experiences with others. Here are some of my favorite memories.
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Above: On her sixtieth birthday, Mary Ellen and some friends hiked Mount Major to watch sunrise from the summit. Inset: Mary Ellen and her hiking friend Art Richardson prepare to night hike Mount Major to celebrate her sixtieth birthday.
MY B-LIST EVENT In 2012, as my sixtieth birthday approached, I wanted to do something really special—something I would never forget. Decade birthdays can be so profound, and this one weighed on my mind. How many more decade birthdays would there be? Certainly not as many as had already passed. I remember them all. Turning ten: double digits. Turning twenty: no more teenager. Turning thirty: full speed ahead. Turning forty: wait, what? Turning fifty: oh my, what now? Fifty was a hard one. I looked back and saw all of those life events; but looking ahead, I couldn’t see anything. So, I changed my life in a huge way. Now with my
(OPPOSITE PAGE, FROM TOP) ART RICHARDSON, RUSSELL GRANT; (THIS PAGE) MARY ELLEN HUMPHREY
On the night of the Perseid meteor shower in August 2013, Mary Ellen helped to organize a watch party from the top of Mount Major. Although clouds moved in overnight, participants were still able to see some meteors streak across the sky.
sixtieth birthday on the horizon, I could only hang on for what was next. I asked my friends to come up with some ideas for my birthday list. It wasn’t a bucket list; but rather to celebrate being alive, I wanted something really extraordinary for my sixtieth birthday experience. The day turned out to exceed my expectations. To start, my friends accompanied me in the middle of the night to watch sunrise from atop Mount Major. I carried a thermos of tea with honey and some whole-grain cupcakes. Rain was predicted, so I thought sunrise was going to be a dud, but instead it was gorgeous. Red skies all around. After, we headed to my house for a farmer’s breakfast complete with blueberry pancakes, sausage, home fries, and scrambled eggs. Some of my friends had to head to work, but three accompanied me for the rest of the day where we ziplined at Canon Mountain and boated across Lake Winnipesaukee to have dinner at a shoreside restaurant. One of my friends came over to my house that night. It was only 8:30 when we returned, but we were exhausted. We toasted each other with a glass of champagne and called it a day.
THE PERSEID METEOR SHOWER Have you ever watched the Perseid meteor shower? What about from a mountaintop? Well, in August 2013, a hiker friend of mine, Rex Gallagher, organized one such event atop Mount Major for 51 of his friends. Rex made scrupulous arrangements, obtaining permission from the property owner at the time and even purchasing insurance. He invited a couple of University of New Hampshire professors to teach some geology about the mountain and the constellations in the night sky. I learned that those pits in the granite on the summit are made by lightning strikes. One formed a perfect heart shape. It was a fabulous outing, and even though clouds moved in overnight, I saw about twenty meteors before our view was obscured. I was so happy to have spent my night exploring, listening to archeological information, learning about the night sky, and telling stories of our favorite hiking experiences. Toward the end, another hiker friend of mine, Art Richardson, and I helped shepherd some of the hikers down the mountain in the middle of the night. I think Art and I made at least four trips up and down the trail that night. Winter 2022 FOREST NOTES | 9
Over the years during which Mary Ellen Humphrey climbed Mount Major, she wrote poetry, including Snow, which she penned after finishing a leisurely hike of the mountain in winter. “The entire day was so magical,” she notes. “There were these huge snowflakes drifting slowly to the ground, absorbing sounds making the world eerily quiet and peaceful.”
Snow I awoke to white not blue The air saturated with white flakes Falling softly, steadily, to the ground Like they have a purpose, a map to follow Determined, declining, deliberate.
On a snowy winter day in 2015, when few people were out hiking, Mary Ellen scampered up Mount Major to take photos of the magical landscape.
The soft white comforts me Like a soft white light bulb The pace slows down It muffles, and buffers Dispenses, dissipates, defuses.
In 2014, one of my friends was looking for something different to do with her Meetup group, so I suggested they hike Mount Major. To make it even more special, we asked everyone to bring a poem to read on the summit. We called the outing Poetry on a Mountaintop. Most of the hikers brought a poem, but there was one young man who didn’t. He expressed to me that he really didn’t understand poetry. No matter how hard he tried, it wasn’t his thing. I assured him that the best way to enjoy poetry is to not try to understand it at all, but to feel it. Just let the words be whatever they are, kind of like eating your favorite ice cream. You don’t think about how it’s made or the ingredients. You just savor the wonderful flavor. At the summit, we assembled away from the crowd where it
For a while, anxiety Is suspended as I am Mesmerized by the hypnotic falling flakes. The ground is covered with a soft down blanket Delicate, drifting, delicious. I’m floating slowly to the ground My thoughts cleansed Content and calm in this quiet world, Nature’s freshly washed white linen, Distracting, distinctive, divine.
POETRY ON A MOUNTAINTOP
was quiet. The conditions were perfect: sunny and bright with no clouds and a light breeze. After eating our picnic lunch, we began to share our poems. There was a special magic in the words of those poems, as if the mountain was part of our reading experience. Of course it was. When we returned to the parking lot, the young man thanked me, noting that he’d never thought he’d like poetry but thought that it was really nice. ——— I still have one more adventure planned for Mount Major: my seventieth birthday. In July, I’ll return to New Hampshire and once more hike to my favorite summit. I’ll bring a poem, a thermos of tea with honey, and maybe some blueberry muffins. I am so excited to return! I look forward to seeing all of those special places along the trail, including the fantastic views and some of the trail improvements my hiking friend Art told me about. Will I remember every detail along the trail? I suspect it will all come back to me with every step I take. It also looks like I’ll have quite a bit of company with me. My daughter said she and her husband and her children will join. And a few folks from where I live in New York, 11 hours away from Alton, have even said they’d like to come. I doubt I can do a sunrise hike this time, but I plan to stay for at least a week in the area, so perhaps I can do a sunset hike before I return. My concern is that I haven’t been hiking a lot. The terrain is pretty flat where I live and I hope I’m fit enough to make it to the top without slowing others down. Oh well! I miss Mount Major. The only reason I left is because I missed my family more. My grandchildren are growing up so fast. I wanted to be part of their lives, which is so important for families. The experience of hiking Mount Major changed me forever. It changed my way of thinking, and how I deal with life’s stresses. When I’m on the mountain, I feel so close to the power of creation, the innate wonder of our Mother Earth. I am eager to come back, as if I was returning to a childhood home where I know I belong.
Above: Mary Ellen poses for a photo on the summit of Mount Major, her happy place.
MARY ELLEN HUMPHREY (X2)
Mary Ellen Humphrey, M.Ed., retired and moved to Ripley, N.Y., in 2018 to write and establish a new life near her family. She self-published My Mountain Friend: Wandering and Pondering Mount Major in 2021, a memoir about hiking Mount Major more than 1,000 times. The book is available for purchase on Amazon.
SAVE THE DATE! Interested in making a difference at Mount Major? Join the Forest Society on Earth Day, April 22, to lend a hand picking up trash and prepping Mount Major’s trails for the summer hiking season. Visit forestsociety.org/events for more info. Winter 2022 FOREST NOTES | 11
The Future of Ash Trees in New England: Looking at the research BY STACIE HERNANDEZ
Above: The metallic green adult emerald ash borer. Top right: Bill Gould, an Abenaki artist based out of Warner, N.H., makes intricate splint baskets out of brown ash trees that he harvests in New Hampshire. Right: A white ash tree stands tall outside the home of the author.
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(OPPOSITE PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP RIGHT) COURTESY OF ABENAKI TRAILS PROJECT, STACIE HERNANDEZ, DAVID CAPPAERT; (THIS PAGE, FROM TOP) EVELYN FITZGERALD (CREATIVE COMMONS 2.0), KATY CHAYKA (X2)
W
ith 84 percent of its land mass covered with trees, New Hampshire is the second-most forested state in the country. Only Maine has a greater percentage of forest cover. The Granite State has a number of valuable native hardwood trees growing in its forests, including white, green, and black ash. White ash (Fraxinus americana) and green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica) are commonly used for firewood and as lumber for flooring, furniture, and cabinetry. The wood from these trees is lightweight and split-resistant, two qualities that make it perfect for canoe paddles and baseball bats. Black or brown ash (Fraxinus nigra) is culturally significant to Abenaki people, who have used the wood for basket weaving for thousands of years. Naturally, the trees are an important food source and provide habitat for wildlife; and they contribute to a healthy and diverse ecosystem. But today this important natural resource is facing a severe threat. To comprehend this threat, it’s important to understand the war trees wage with insects. Over the course of thousands of years, insect herbivores (insects that feed on plants) co-evolved with plants in their native range and reached a balance where the herbivore does not cause fatal harm to the plant host. During that time, plant defensive traits may arise, either morphological—with structures such as thorns, spines, or waxy surfaces—or through the production of compounds that deter herbivores. In response to a tree’s defense mechanisms, herbivores adapt over time by overcoming the plant’s toxins or becoming undetectable by the host. This evolution of defense and resistance, which scientists refer to as an arms race, is why these native species have been able to co-exist for centuries without mass die-off. But what happens when a non-native herbivore sets up shop in New Hampshire? In the case of the ash tree, the results haven’t been promising. In 2002, the emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis), an insect native to Asia, was first detected in Michigan before it spread to many parts of the country leaving a path of destruction in its wake. These invasive herbivores have a leg up on ash in North America because the tree’s natural defenses are ineffective against them. It is feared by many that mature ash trees will be lost from our forests and along our streets, following a similar path of our once-common American Chestnut.
ASH TREE IDENTIFICATION
White ash: The leaves, leaflets, and stems are opposite. Leaves are pinnately compound with 7 leaflets. The leaflets are connected to the main leaf stem with a small stem or petiole. The underside of the leaf has a white tint. White ash bark is deeply ridged and diamond shaped. This species is typically found growing in dry soil.
Green ash: The compound leaves have 5 to 9 leaflets that have a very short petiole that the leaf tapers to. The leaf is green on both sides. The bark is somewhat flaky with shallow ridges. It can typically be found growing in floodplains and swamps.
The Impact As emerald ash borer (EAB) spreads across New England, foresters are adjusting their forest management plans to slow the advance of the insect. “The damage [caused by EAB] is drastic and very noticeable nearly everywhere you go in the central and eastern part of the state,” says Steve Junkin, a field forester with the Forest Society. “My street here in Northwood has a number of ash trees growing along its sides, and there was very little sign of EAB only two or three years ago. Now, seventy percent of those ash are dead. EAB has marched into every county except Coos so far.” Unlike maple, hemlock, fir, and white pine, which are prominent components of our forests, ash only accounts for about 3 percent of the total trees growing in the state. This is due in part to New Hampshire’s soil, which tends to hold fewer nutrients on average than ash prefer. Ash is found to be locally abundant in sites with rich soil and plays an important ecological role in these areas.
Learn More: To learn more about the emerald ash borer, their distribution in New Hampshire, and the current management practices to reduce their spread, visit nhbugs.org.
Black ash: The compound leaves have up to 11 leaflets with serrated edges. The leaflets are sessile on the main stem (no petiole). The bark is scaly and flaking is common. It can typically be found growing in wet soils with poor drainage. Winter 2022 FOREST NOTES | 13
Top left: A half-inch-long adult emerald ash borer perches on top of a leaf. Bottom left: An aborist injects a systemic insecticide into the base of an ash tree to protect the tree from the borer. Top: “Ash blonding” is a common sign that a tree has been infested with borers. Small holes in the bark are also a sign that a tree is infested.
The scarcity of the species makes them hard to manage, Junkin says. “The practice of cutting larger diameter ash trees will slow the progression of the insect, but only to a small extent,” he says. “Starving the insect population by eliminating their food source is a practice that just isn’t feasible in New Hampshire because our forests are broken up among many different landowners who have different goals for their land. So, it’s just not practical to apply this approach on a broad scale with good results.”
SHORTTERM SOLUTIONS To maintain a healthy seed bank of ash trees for the future, the New Hampshire Division of Forest and Lands is currently treating specific sites with systemic insecticide about every three years. The agency aims to preserve a healthy genetic stock of future ash seed sources for regeneration projects by treating high-quality trees before the mature ash in our forest die off. So far, they have saved 10 to 14 ash trees at four Forest Society properties and the agency is looking to treat more in the coming years. Using a systemic insecticide is also the best short-term solution for landowners who are interested in saving exemplary ash trees in their forest.
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Online: There are 22 species of ash trees in the U.S., all of which are susceptible to EAB. The releases of biological control agents (e.g., parasitic wasps) within infestations of EAB have been occurring for over a decade in most states. To learn more about the value of these releases, visit https://bit.ly/3dh4zlx.
Recently, the Forest Society’s strategy has been to promote the regeneration of ash trees when possible. Foresters are targeting sites where ash trees tend to grow best, including places where the soils are enriched and often have sugar maple and basswood growing with the ash. “With well-timed timber harvests, these sites could be flooded with thousands of young ash seedlings,” Junkin says. “Any mature ash left will more than likely die; however, young ash are not as susceptible to EAB attack, and with time, biocontrol insects can build their own populations allowing for a more endemic forest health condition to occur in the future.” Currently, the Forest Society is working toward regenerating ash at Mount Monadnock Reservation in Dublin and Ashuelot River Headwaters Forest in Lempster. Junkin says Forest Society foresters will continue to monitor these regeneration locations and refine their approach as things progress.
(OPPOSITE PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT) DEBBIE MILLER, DAVID CAPPAERT (X2)
Ash Research in New Hampshire To effectively manage the nearly 60,000 acres the Forest Society owns, staff have provided space and opportunity for the latest scientific research to be conducted on Forest Society land in an effort to combat the devastating impacts of EAB. When the insect was first detected in Concord, N.H, in 2013, the Forest Society helped with delimiting surveys to understand how widely the newly introduced insect had spread. Samples were taken from trees within a given radius around the initial detection site and analyzed to see if they were infected. From this data, a map was developed and quarantines were set in place. Staff also performed visual surveys to observe mortality and infestation by EAB during the dormant season when there aren’t any leaves and spotting the tell-tale sign of EAB, bark blonding, is easier. Junkin says it takes EAB only 3 to 4 years to kill an ash tree if the trees aren’t treated with a systemic insecticide to protect it, so time is of the essence. Everyone from forest health experts to University of New Hampshire (UNH) graduate students to employees of the State of New Hampshire’s Forest Health Program have been monitoring the spread and studying the insect. With Forest Society permission, UNH began a three-year research project in 2019 at some Forest Society properties, including Jennings Forest in New Durham and later at Powder Major’s Forest in Madbury. The project also took place at Lee Town Forest, a property the Forest Society holds a conservation easement on. Todd Johnson, a postdoctoral research associate who works in the lab of UNH Associate Professor of Forest Ecosystem Health Jeff Garnas, is studying the defensive response of ash trees when they are exposed to EAB and methyl jasmonate, a natural plant hormone. When trees detect that herbivores are attacking, they produce methyl jasmonate to defend against the insect. Applying this chemical to trees simulates an attack by an herbivore, allowing a comparison of the reaction between trees that have received natural versus simulated attacks. Johnson says the project’s overall goal is to evaluate how effective top-down forces (i.e., specialized natural enemies, such as introduced biocontrol agents) and bottom-up forces (i.e., plant defenses) are causing mortality to EAB across a range of small diameter green and white ash (3–15 cm DBH) that will remain in forests after EAB has invaded and killed most, if not all, of the larger ash trees. “Understanding how effective top-down and bottom-up forces are in killing EAB in smaller ash is important for managing EAB and tree populations in ‘aftermath forests,’ where most of the standing ash greater than 5 centimeters DBH have been killed,” he says. Johnson also wants to understand a tree’s response time required to defend against EAB and the chemical compounds the trees use to kill the insect. The project is part of a larger study that builds off research that was originally conducted in the Midwest to determine the defensive capacity of ash trees and whether introduced biological control agents can successfully parasitize EAB. “We want to build off previous research and
DID YOU KNOW? Trees have natural chemical defenses against pests that harm them. Among those chemicals is a familiar one, hydrogen peroxide, one of many chemicals associated with the hypersensitive response, which is the first defense a tree employs when an herbivore is detected in living tissue. The tree will surround the insect larvae with hydrogen peroxide and other chemicals to either kill the invader or starve it. If successful, trees will often cover the damaged region with callose tissue, which explains why trees have so many scars under their bark.
understand how resistant, or not, younger or smaller trees are to EAB, as these will be the remaining trees as larger ash die or as the seedling layer of ash begins to mature into a susceptible size to EAB,” he says. Some early takeaways from the research suggest that the defensive chemistry of green and white ash in the Northeast may differ as compared to previous studies from trees in the Midwest, which makes Johnson’s data unique and important for New England. Trees also rely on natural enemies to keep invasive insects in check. For EAB, that would be Tetrastichus planipennisi and Spathius galinae, two species of tiny parasitic wasps that co-evolved with EAB in their native range within Asia. These species have been widely used nationwide to reduce EAB populations. Johnson released the wasps as a biological control agent at the field sites in order to research the impacts they have on the experimental borer’s larvae and trees and to see if the wasps will attack natural populations of EAB also present at the sites. Through his research, Johnson also wants to understand if and how tree resistance and biological control are compatible. Will the heavily defended trees also kill the wasps? The field work was completed in fall 2021, leaving Johnson with plenty of data to analyze. He plans to publish two reports, which will cover the first two years of research, and a third report, which will cover the changes that were made in the 2021 field season. “Through all of this work, the hope is that we can ‘prime’ the defensive capacity of ash trees, through application of chemicals or by breeding trees that respond more rapidly against herbivores in the future,” Johnson says. It’s a tall task, but Johnson is encouraged by the support his research has received and the interest people have taken in doing their part to stop the spread of the insect. Stacie Hernandez is an easement steward at the Forest Society.
Read more about Johnson’s research project on the following page. Winter 2022 FOREST NOTES | 15
Step by Step Story and Photos by Stacie Hernandez Over the course of Todd Johnson’s three-year study, different methods were used to collect data necessary for his research. In the first two years of his study, Johnson researched the defensive chemistry of ash trees in four size classes. By studying trees treated with emerald ash borer eggs, methyl jasmonate, or no treatment at all, Johnson tracked how tree defensive chemistry changes across these three conditions, the mortality of EAB across the different size classes, as well as the effectiveness of the introduced parasitic wasps. In the third year, Johnson focused on two size classes and studied how changing the timing of methyl jasmonate application could increase or decrease mortality to EAB. In all three years, the trees were introduced to parasitic wasps that are known to target EAB, and the trees were removed for study afterward.
Each year prior to the initiation of the study in early June, Johnson and Casey Coupe, a lab technician at UNH, searched for ash trees that had not already been impacted by EAB in the greater Durham area. Across three years, approximately 80 locations were scouted for the presence of green and white ash trees. When appropriate sites were found, trees were randomly selected in one of four size classes. Some of the trees that were used were located on Forest Society land, including Jennings Forest in New Durham in 2020, and Powder Major Forest in Madbury in 2021, as well as other state- or town-owned forests. The steps Johnson followed in his research are outlined below.
1) A baseline sample of the tree’s phloem tissue is collected to detect any chemicals present in the tree prior to treatment. 2) The first treatment is the placement of EAB eggs on the bark. The eggs, which are the size of the tip of a pencil, are placed in the beginning of June when they would naturally be laid. The process includes scraping the top layer of bark, sticking eggs in the bark, and protecting the treated area from the elements with Tyvek wrap.
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3) When the eggs hatch after a couple of weeks, Johnson and Coupe apply a naturally occurring plant hormone, methyl jasmonate, as the second treatment to some of the trees. Methyl jasmonate is a hormone trees produce upon the detection of herbivores. For the first two years of the study, methyl jasmonate was applied to trees without EAB, to understand how the plant hormone alone changes plant defensive chemistry. In the third year of the study, methyl jasmonate was applied at different points in time to trees with and without EAB. This was done to see if trees could be given an early warning prior to attack and to determine if early application of methyl jasmonate would affect the survival of EAB. 4) After treatments are finished, a second phloem sample is collected to detect the chemical compounds the plant activated as a defensive reaction. 5) Parasitic wasps (T. planipennisi and S. galinae) are then released to measure biocontrol success in EAB larvae.
16 | FOREST NOTES Winter 2022
6 6) After a couple of months, the tree is cut into three log sections: two from the top (under the crown) and one from the lower artificially infested section. Beetles in the Agrilus genus typically attack from the crown downwards because it is warmer and they are attracted by the ash leaves. It is important to collect the top sections to observe if the tree was naturally infested with the borer.
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7) The bark of the tree is peeled back very carefully to observe the gallery—the larval tunnel of the borer—and to collect the larvae that hatched from the eggs. This is done to determine the survival and developmental rate of the EAB larvae to observe the impact after treatment and the rates of parasitism of the wasps across different size classes and tree species. 8) After collecting the larvae from the bark, Coupe analyzes the specimens. He confirms the developmental stage of each EAB larva and dissects them under the microscope to look for internal parasite eggs to determine how successful the parasite releases were at the site. 9) The data is reviewed and presented at meetings and conferences, including the Northeastern Forest Pest Council and Entomological Society of America. The work will also be submitted to science journals for peer review. If accepted, the research will be published for other scientists and practitioners to learn from.
Left: An emerald ash borer larva is pictured on top of an ash log after being carefully extracted from a gallery. Right: Ash trees stripped of bark and emerald ash borer larvae are scattered on the ground in Johnson’s research site. Winter 2022 FOREST NOTES | 17
THE FOREST CLASSROOM
Building Skills and Confidence:
Chainsaw Safety and Operation for Women By Amy Arsenault
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id you know that women landowners help make management decisions on the over 1.8 million acres of New Hampshire forests and are primary decision makers on approximately 23 percent (429,000 acres) of the state's private forestland? The health of New Hampshire’s forestland is defined by the ability of private landowners, including women landowners, to make informed management decisions on their property. However, research has revealed that women are less likely to participate in management activities1, in part because outreach efforts have not connected with women as successfully as men. In response to this need for more outreach to women, UNH Cooperative Extension, NH Timberland Owners Association, the Forest Society, and other partners joined together to host Women in the Woods, an effort aimed at connecting women forest landowners, managers, and stewards with the resources, skills, and community they need to make informed stewardship decisions that promote healthy forest resources. The first Women in the Woods workshop taught a skill that is in high demand for women landowners: chainsaw safety and maintenance. The two-day workshop was held in early November at the Forest Society’s headquarters in Concord. It was led by Wendy Weisiger, managing forester for the Forest Society, Tish Carr, consultant and certified arborist, and Mike Gagnon, Hillsborough County extension forester. Fifteen participants, including landowners,
Women in the Woods participants are all smiles after spending two days learning how to maintain a chainsaw and operate it safely. natural resources professionals, and volunteers from across New England, gathered for the introductory course. In a pre-workshop survey, most participants noted having less than one year of experience or no experience using a chainsaw prior to the course. Several attendees noted that they felt uncomfortable or nervous handling a chainsaw safely and hoped to walk away from the workshop feeling more comfortable and confident. The focus of this workshop was on safety: safe posture, safe practices, safe clothing, and safe habits. The first day focused on safety gear, parts of a chainsaw and function, chainsaw safety features, basic saw maintenance, and an introduction to proper and safe saw operation. On day two, participants had the opportunity to practice chainsawing in a safe,
Learn More: Due to high demand, the Women in the Woods program team is gearing up to offer a variety of workshops this year. Are you interested in learning about upcoming events? Sign up for the Women in Woods newsletter at https://bit.ly/3sJQXZ0 to receive updates. 18 | FOREST NOTES Winter 2022
controlled, and supervised environment. Participants practiced basic chainsaw operation, safe movement and operation, making straight up and down cuts, limbing, bore cutting methods, and cutting tension and compression wood. Women in the Woods aims to foster an environment that provides peer-to-peer learning and knowledge transfer opportunities. In the post-workshop evaluation, participants remarked that the workshop was “very empowering” and that they “enjoyed watching others gain experience and cheering each other on.” Another goal of offering these women-focused programs is to create a comfortable space for participants to ask questions. One participant noted that they appreciated “the pace [they] worked at and the space to ask questions as needed.” Amy Arsenault is the forest stewardship outreach program manager for the University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension. References: 1Butler, S. M., Huff, E. S., Snyder, S. A., Butler, B. J., & Tyrrell, M. (2017). The Role of Gender in Management Behaviors on Family Forest Lands in the United States. Journal of Forestry.
VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT
The Virtue of Volunteering:
A Land Steward Gives Back To a North Country Forest By Carrie Deegan
(OPPOSITE PAGE) COURTESY OF UNH COOPERATIVE EXTENSION; (THIS PAGE) SUSAN KLEINKNECHT
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om Banit believes strongly in volunteer service. As a history and education professor at Kean University in New Jersey, he always encouraged his students to get involved in their local communities and do “good” things to make them better places to live and work. When he retired and relocated to northern New Hampshire, Banit took his own advice to heart by practicing “civic virtue,” which led him to become a land steward for the Forest Society’s David Dana Forest in Dalton. Banit takes his responsibilities as a volunteer land steward very seriously, contributing an incredible number of hours in all seasons to monitor the Dana Forest and maintain its trails. He spends his time clearing blown down trees off the trails, cleaning culverts and drainages to make sure roads and trails don’t wash out, and monitoring recreational uses on the 300-acre property. “I’m out there at least one day a week [in the] spring, summer, fall, and winter—it doesn’t matter. There is a lot of work to be done on a piece of land like this,” he notes. Banit has worked more than 900 hours in the three and a half years that he’s been a steward, completing and documenting with precision every task that needs doing. He acknowledges he’s had some good training in that regard. “I spent three years as a communications officer in the Marine Corps, including a tour in Vietnam. When you’re assigned something in the Marines, you simply do it and get it done well—no questions asked.” Based on Banit’s exceptional work as a volunteer land steward, the Forest Society recently nominated him for a Volunteer
Tom Banit, land steward for the David Dana Forest in Dalton, NH, was recently recognized with a Volunteer Service Award through Volunteer NH. Service Award through Volunteer NH. Banit went on to win the award and he was recognized for this accomplishment at the Spirit of New Hampshire Volunteer Awards ceremony in November 2021. “Tom is incredibly dedicated and David Dana Forest’s trail system is one of the best maintained in the state thanks to his phenomenal effort and attention to detail. He deserves this award,” says Andy Crowley, stewardship projects manager for the Forest Society. Banit says he’s seen a significant increase in hiker traffic over the years he’s been stewarding, which he attributes to
better availability of trail information in apps such as AllTrails and the Forest Society’s mobile trails app, powered by OuterSpatial, and to the heightened interest in outdoor recreation driven by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Dana Forest has about two miles of relatively easy trails, including one hike to an abandoned (unproductive) gold mine that was active for a short time in the early 1880s. “To me, it is a user-friendly forest,” Banit says. “It does not prepare someone to hike in the Himalayas or the Rocky Mountains, but it’s a great place for families to go, and they can get out and have a good time.” He also enjoys sharing the land use history of the property with visitors. “As a historian and educator, I still like to educate people. Once they get to know more about this forest, it becomes more interesting to them.” Banit’s energy is seemingly boundless, and his enthusiasm for community forests and the Forest Society’s work is genuine and infectious. “The Forest Society serves a very important function as society becomes more complex and people are rushing here and there,” he notes. “[It’s important] to have a forest locally where you can stay for several hours and go for a nice hike. You can go for a jog…you can go snowshoeing…and you can bring your child and dog with you. Everyone can get together and hike. That to me makes the Forest Society a good place to volunteer.” We could not agree more, Tom! Thanks for sharing your time, talents, and positive perspective with us! Carrie Deegan is the reservation stewardship and engagement director for the Forest Society. Winter 2022 FOREST NOTES | 19
NATURE’S VIEW
Attracted by the habitat and food they provide, the author experimented with planting black walnut trees on his woodlot in Sutton with varying degrees of success.
Imagining a Future Forest While Experimenting with Assisted Migration By Dave Anderson
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ver the past couple of years, I have collected a few dozen black walnuts from the Forest Society’s Creek Farm Reservation in Portsmouth and planted them on our family woodlot in Sutton. In this experiment with assisted migration—moving a temperate hardwood tree north, but still within its natural range stretching into northern New England and Canada—the walnuts leap-frogged some 75 miles from a former seaside estate to the rugged foothills of the Sunapee-Kearsarge region, 1,000 feet above sea level. Why plant walnut trees in the first place? Because they will grow here, produce shade and valuable lumber, and provide nutritious, edible nuts for wildlife. I have spotted relict American chestnut trees sprouting from blight-resistant 100year-old roots on my woodlot. In the early 1900s, a chestnut blight killed billions of native chestnuts growing in the eastern United States. The loss of the chestnut tree negatively impacted wildlife living in this 20 | FOREST NOTES Winter 2022
country’s original hardwood forest. Animals rely on nuts and seeds for sustenance, and when a food source disappears, it may take a while for nature to backfill that void. Hence, one motivation to plant walnut trees. To begin my walnut-planting foray, I removed the husks and dropped them in a bucket of water to determine their viability. I discarded the floaters and kept the sinkers. Walnuts germinate best after an exposure to cold temperatures for 75–125 days in a process called stratification. Some people stratify walnuts for planting in a refrigerator over winter. It’s easier to direct sow them in late autumn and have nature do the chilling, but squirrels are the issue. These foraging phenoms consumed 100 percent of the first round of walnuts I tried planting. I even caught squirrels inside my garage plucking walnuts from a 5-gallon bucket of water as if they were bobbing for apples at Halloween. To thwart their walnut thievery, I tried pre-sprouting the nuts in springtime, planting them in
4-inch-deep pots. My plan almost worked, though just a measly 2 percent germinated because I hadn’t checked the viability of the walnuts and the pots I used should have been at least 6- to 8-inches deep to accommodate the taproot. To add insult to injury, the squirrels also dug them from the pots in the summer. It was another epic fail. This past autumn, I acquired 1,000 walnuts from a property manager who collected them from lawns to prevent damaging his lawnmower’s mulching blades. I peered into one of the 50-gallon trash barrels containing an estimated 500 walnuts. The tart, citrus-scented walnut husks oozed a brown liquid that stains skin and clothing. The husks contain the chemical juglone, which inhibits the growth of plants looking to set up shop underneath a walnut tree or within their root zone. It’s a classic example of allelopathy: chemical warfare to control competition. Save yourself some time and grief by not composting the walnut husks in compost destined for
BORN1945/CREATIVE COMMONS 2.0 (X2)
vegetable or flower gardens. The brown liquid ooze acts like a broad-based herbicide that will wreak havoc on your veggies. I planted these walnuts before snowfall in November using a heavy stone bar to auger holes in the soil and widen each to create a pocket. After hitting too many rocks, I began simply tossing and scuffing walnuts under the red oak leaves in sunny openings amid old logging slash for concealment. Even if squirrels and mice consume 95 percent of the walnuts before spring germination, I thought my effort might generate 50 seedlings. Or maybe that’s just wishful thinking? The “wishful” part is envisioning the enhancement of tree species composition in a future forest in this era of rapidly changing climate and extreme weather. Some climate warming scenarios suggest New Hampshire will have the same climate as present-day Georgia. Climate change is already resulting in warmer, rainier winters and hotter, drought-prone summers punctuated by extreme rain and flooding events. With this in mind, does it make sense to encourage temperate zone flora by planting trees that formerly reached a northern range limit south of New Hampshire? I could probably go even further with my assisted migration experiment by planting a few more Central Appalachian trees and shrubs that are growing successfully in southern New Hampshire, including bitternut hickory, shagbark hickory, sassafras, red mulberry, and possibly tulip poplar. By increasing tree diversity, could it help our woodlot adapt more quickly to climate change impacts? Black walnut, shagbark hickory, and sassafras are native eastern forest tree species. I planted native walnut tree nuts a little further north of their existing natural range. A cautionary tale: it is worth considering the potential downsides of planting haphazardly. The planting of ornamental trees and shrubs as part of horticultural experiments have introduced some pervasive non-native plant species, which have escaped to colonize New Hampshire forests. Examples include
Norway maple, autumn olive, winged euonymus (aka burning bush), bittersweet, barberry, Japanese knotweed, and more. Imported nursery stock may have contributed to the more rapid spread of hemlock wooly adelgid and hemlock elongate scale diseases in the state. Forest Society Field Forester Gabe Roxby clarifies that tree planting is not necessarily building forest resilience but more an example of transition, a term used in a framework developed by the Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science. “Assisted migration—planting trees outside their current ranges—is an example of a climate adaptation strategy called transition. Management techniques that fall into this strategy seek to actively alter forest composition to make forests better adapted to predicted future climate conditions,” Roxby says. “Two other climate adaptation strategies are resistance and resilience. Management techniques to promote resistance are those that make forests better able to stay the way they are, resisting occurring changes to stay in their current state. Resilience strategies are those which seek to make forests better able to withstand future climate stress and perhaps be changed by them, but are resilient enough to return to their original tree species composition and ecosystem function.” “Suitable habitat for given tree species will move northward. Whether the trees themselves move northward is uncertain,” Roxby says. “Individual trees at the very northern edge of their range become relatively more important. They are the most cold-hardy genotypes of their species and can be expected to do better as the climate warms.” Changing forest habitats could also host a changing suite of mammals, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and birds. Conservation biologist Chris Martin at the Audubon Society of New Hampshire says bird range expansions are already underway. “As more temperate vegetation gradually moves in, it will create conditions that host more Appalachian species,” he says. “At least one pair of redheaded woodpeckers have been breeding
in central New Hampshire in the last few years. That’s new! And black vultures are appearing with greater frequency, too.” Martin says it makes sense to look at permanent residents rather than the strongly migratory birds. “For example, up in Pittsburg and Errol, our Christmas Bird Counts have only begun to find wild turkey flocks, including hens with young, in the last 15 years. In the North Country, there are examples of new surprise residents that have moved in over the last 10 years, including wintering red-bellied woodpeckers and tufted titmouse. Thanks to milder conditions, one mid-state bird that has increased in numbers [up north] over winter is the Carolina Wren, a vocal species folks might readily recognize by call.” As I planted the walnuts on my woodlot, I saw myself in the role of a seed-dispersal vector, a human equivalent of the mice, squirrels, and jays that originally moved the nut-bearing trees north. The hardwood forest we might recognize growing hickory, butternut, chestnut, oak, and beech arrived relatively late during the forest colonization of the post-glacial New England landscape. The oak-hickory forest type of the central Appalachian region appeared in the southern New England pollen record approximately 4,000 years ago compared to the boreal tree species, including willow, birch, spruce, and fir, which established themselves 9,000 years ago. These nutbearing trees moved northward relatively quickly as birds and mammals transported nuts faster and further. Pondering our warming planet, receding glaciers, and my opportunities to plant a few trees, I vote for growing more trees that will produce fruit, seeds, and nuts. I’m sure my resident squirrels will agree. Perhaps establishing walnut trees is merely “playing squirrel” in a warming forest landscape. More accurately, it is my attempt to find some thin silver lining in the dark thundercloud of predicted negative climate change impacts. Dave Anderson is the senior director of education for the Forest Society. Winter 2022 FOREST NOTES | 21
PUBLIC POLICY UPDATES
Structural Changes: Funding Green Infrastructure and Natural Solutions By Matt Leahy
22 | FOREST NOTES Winter 2022
A mighty hemlock tree grows high into the forest’s canopy at the Heald Tract in Wilton.
• $300 million for the Natural Resources Conservation Service’s Emergency Watershed Protection Program. • The bill also includes the Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness Act, which will improve energy efficiency in three key sectors: buildings, industry, and the federal government. Most of those initiatives fall into what is now being referred to as green infrastructure and natural solutions. By incorporating nature as well as engineered systems, public policy is evolving to incorporate actions that provide clean water, conserve ecosystem values and functions, and lessen the impacts of floods and other
disasters while meeting the daily needs of society. Often, these natural approaches are more affordable than relying solely on traditional gray infrastructure methods. As an example, studies have linked how maintaining (or increasing) forest cover in water supply watersheds results in improved water quality and lowered water treatment costs. The goal of investing is generally understood to be increasing the value of an asset over a period of time and involves the upfront expenditure of money, time, or effort. Natural solutions and green infrastructure meet this definition. Using public funds on such projects is an investment in the same way that constructing a new road results in a community-wide benefit. If a neighborhood, for example, becomes better able to withstand flood events because of the investments made to protect wetlands, that neighborhood is now a better place to live. If installing permeable pavement reduces stormwater runoff and promotes groundwater recharge, the improved water quality makes for a healthier community. Gray infrastructure will always be a part of our daily lives. However, nature can, and does, play an equally important function. The next step for policy makers is to further expand this role. Actions such as the passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act are a good example of how to do that. By prioritizing the protection and conservation of the country’s natural assets, we will see a return on this investment in the form of more resilient, vital communities. That sounds like a pretty good deal. Matt Leahy is the public policy manager for the Forest Society.
EMILY LORD
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he word “infrastructure” usually brings to mind images of roads, bridges, transmission lines, or the giant machines needed to construct them. That is understandable; for decades, policies governing transportation, energy, and economic development have prioritized those kinds of projects. True, these facilities are a necessity for our modern economy to function. However, this network of concrete, steel, and pavement—beyond the unsightly aesthetics— has also brought with it negative effects: air pollution, changes in water quality, fragmentation of wildlife habitats, and the conversion of forested areas. Fortunately, the expectations regarding what constitutes infrastructure are changing. For evidence, look at the recently enacted Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (also known as the bipartisan infrastructure bill). This enormous piece of legislation contains the following. • $1 billion for the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities program, which will support states, local communities, tribes, and territories as they undertake hazard mitigation projects, reducing the risks they face from disasters and natural hazards. • $7.5 billion to build out a national network of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations in the United States. Preliminary estimates indicate New Hampshire would expect to receive $17 million over five years to support the expansion of an EV charging network in the state. • $350 million for wildlife crossings across transportation corridors. • $350 million for solid waste and recycling grants to state governments.
The Forest Society thanks our business partners for their generous support Summit Circle ($5,000 and up)
Partner (continued)
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Trustees’ Circle ($2,500 to $4,999) Northeast Delta Dental The Secret Agency, LLC
President’s Circle ($1,000 to $2,499) Checkmate Payroll Services Chinburg Properties Community Toolbox, Inc. EOS Research Garden Life, LLC Lumbard & Kellner, LLC Mallory Portraits Martin Forestry Consulting, LLC Mulligan Forest, LLC New England Private Wealth Advisors, LLC Northland Forest Products, Inc. Pennyroyal Hill Land Surveying and Forestry LLC Ransmeier & Spellman, P.C. Rockywold-Deephaven Camps, Inc. SCM Associates, Inc. Wipfli LLP
Partner ($500 to $749) Arcomm Communications Corporation Blue Mountain Forest Association Capitol Craftsman, LLC Devine, Millimet & Branch, P.A. Durgin and Crowell Lumber Co., Inc. GMEC, Inc. Gunstock Mountain Resort
Colleague ($250 to $499) Acapella Technologies, LLC Altus Engineering Ambit Engineering, Inc. Bangor Savings Bank Black North, LLC Blaktop, Inc. Dublin Road Tap Room and Eatery Eastern Mountain Sports Fuller’s Sugarhouse, LLC Great Brook Veterinary Clinic, LLC Innovative Natural Resource Solutions, LLC J and M Morse Trucking, LLC Kozikowski Properties, LLC Lenk Orthodontics Limington Lumber Company New England Flower Farms North Woodlands, Inc. Orr & Reno P.A. Rise Private Wealth Management, Inc. River’s Bend Woodworking Studio, LLC Tri-State Iron Works, Inc. Twin State Sand & Gravel Co., Inc. Whole Wealth Management, LLC
We are grateful to the many businesses that support the Forest Society with gifts of less than $250.
The Forest Society…Where Conservation and Business Meet 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
PROJECT IN PROGRESS
Keeping Forests as Forests in Gilmanton
I
n 1801, Dr. Benjamin Kelley purchased a 1.25 acre lot at the intersection of Province Road (now Route 107) and the road to Loudon (now Route 129). The son of a Revolutionary War captain, Dr. Kelley became the first trained medical practitioner to settle in Gilmanton. He built a homestead and operated it as an inn and stage stop while also making medical house calls on horseback. Dr. Kelley and his son Charles expanded the family’s landholdings to 400 acres of farm and forestland by 1850. The junction of routes 107 and 129 became known as Kelley Corners, and Kelley kids made up a large percentage of students in the oneroom schoolhouse still located near this crossroads today. Four generations later, siblings George and Harriet Kelley donated the lands handed down to each of them to the Forest Society, together creating the 152-acre Charles G. Kelley Memorial Forest that includes the hayfield across from the original homestead, seen from Route 107. They named the forest for their great-grandfather. Now, the Forest Society has the opportunity to conserve land that passed down to another Kelley descendant by acquiring 30 acres located between the two properties that George and Harriet donated. Purchasing these 30 acres, which had been listed for sale, will protect a contiguous forest that also links with Gilmanton’s Pine Hill Town Forest. The property includes high-quality mature oak, hemlock, and pine forest, as well as 1,000 feet of stream frontage and part of a wetland complex located on the existing Kelley Memorial Forest lands. This area is the upper headwaters of the Suncook River, a tributary of the Merrimack River. The land will be managed for timber and wildlife habitat, and it is part of the field and forest landscape that gives this pocket of Gilmanton its quintessential rural village feel. 24 | FOREST NOTES Winter 2022
Managing Forester Wendy Weisiger studies a pine tree growing on the proposed addition to the Kelley Forest in Gilmanton. Protecting contiguous forestland is one of the Forest Society’s land conservation objectives, thus ensuring the integrity of wildlife habitat, water resources, and consistent forest management practices. This 30-acre project will create a 310-acre block of forest and fields, keeping Kelley Corners as scenic as it was when Benjamin Kelley
first arrived in 1801. To support the purchase price, costs, and a stewardship endowment, the Forest Society must raise $80,000 by April 30, 2022. Please help us expand the Charles G. Kelley Memorial Forest with a donation to the project today, and plan a scenic drive through Gilmanton in the spring—it is beautiful!
Fernwood Farm Conservation Area G I L M A N T O N Kelley Forest Addition 30 ac., Gilmanton, NH
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Kelley Forest Addition 30 ± ac., Gilmanton, NH Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests
YES, I WANT TO SUPPORT THE ADDITION OF 30 ACRES TO THE KELLEY MEMORIAL FOREST IN GILMANTON. Name: Address:
Town/City:
Telephone:
Email:
State:
Zip:
Enclosed is my tax-deductible contribution of $_____________ (OPPOSITE PAGE) STEVE JUNKIN
VISA
MasterCard Number: ________________________________ Exp. date: ______ Security code: ______
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/kelleyforest. For more information, call Anne Truslow at 603-224-9945 or email atruslow@forestsociety.org.
Thank you for your help! 4104T214/KF222FN
SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION OF NEW HAMPSHIRE FORESTS 54 Portsmouth Street Concord, NH 03301-5400
Nonprofit Organization US Postage Paid Manchester, NH Permit No. 0494
Address Service Requested
THE MANY FACES OF CONSERVATION
Carol and Robert Stewart Thornton, NH Members since 2000
PHOTO: JEREMY BARNABY, WWW.PICTURENH.COM
“W
MEMBERS MAKE THE DIFFERENCE! Carol and Robert are among the 10,000 members who helped the Forest Society protect more than a million acres in New Hampshire. To join them, use the envelope in this issue, or visit forestsociety.org/join-today. To learn more about the Assets to Acres program, visit forestsociety.org/assets-acres.
ith both our fathers being Eagle Scouts, we developed a conservation awareness in our childhoods, laying the foundation for our joint interest in conserving the worsening environment we heard about and, to some degree, experienced firsthand. When we began planning our retirement, New Hampshire beckoned us with its wilderness and outdoor opportunities. Eventually, we bought a 5-acre property abutting the White Mountain National Forest in a subdivision that was very conservation minded and still is today, twenty-plus years later. It didn't take long for us to find ways to pursue our interests. We became docents and tour guide volunteers at the Squam Lakes Natural Science Center. This experience exposed us to a wealth of conservation activities to pursue with various groups of like-minded new friends. During this time, the Forest Society was a beacon in its fight against Northern Pass, and we learned much about their mission to protect open space, wooded areas, and scenic landscapes. We later learned about how we could make a significant contribution to the Forest Society through its Assets to Acres program. We own a small parcel that wouldn’t, in and of itself, be particularly useful, but donating our home and property to the Forest Society as part of our estate plan will allow them to sell it and use the proceeds to protect larger areas with greater conservation values. This would make it possible for future generations to ‘inherit’ what we have been able to enjoy all this time.”
