This year was one of growth, program development, and (lots) of trail improvement projects!
- Our Stewardship staff pursued professional development opportunities in invasive species identification and control, trail building and design, wildlife habitat management, climate change, and equitable access to conservation land.
- We trained twelve people as property monitors or trail stewards and added them to our active roster of volunteers – something we’re happy to see as we bring more acreage under our care and management.
- For the first time since 2014 we had a summer intern! We were delighted to support Maddy Smith’s exploration of land stewardship and natural resource management, and were grateful for the help!
- Along with the projects listed below volunteers assisted with marking boundaries with PLC signs, repainting boundary blazes, and assisting with annual monitoring of more than 9,000 acres of land.
Bridge at Blackbriar Woods Preserve in Goffstown
In April and May, members of the Stewardship Committee and Dan Ewald repaired a bridge and completed drainage work on the trails at Blackbriar Woods in Goffstown.
A New Bridge to Senter Falls
The old bridge across Scataquog Brook at the Alan & Edgar Rice Nature Preserve had reached the end of its service lifetime (and will be repurposed). In May, with the help of volunteers and a generous donation of lumber and materials donated by Country Three Corners in Weare, we installed a new bridge with better decking and safety railing.
A Freshly Forged Trail at the Nissitissit Headwaters Preserve
In the Spring and Summer several volunteers from the Mason Trails Committee, in consultation with PLC and Stewardship Committee members, built a trail on PLC’s Nissitissit Headwaters Preserve in Mason. The Nissitissit Headwaters Preserve is (a sometimes temporary) home to many species of birds, and this is a recommended destination for avid birders in migration seasons!
Storm Cleanup at Tuthill Woodlands Preserve
Remember those gnarly storms and high winds in early summer? A number of trees came down at Tuthill Woodlands Preserve in New Boston. Dan Ewald, Intern Maddy Smith, and Stewardship Committee Chair Mike Boyko cleared the trees and cleaned up the trails in June.
BDR Blitz
Stewardship Intern Maddy Smith spent the summer completing Baseline Documentation Reports (or BDRs), updating signage at several PLC-protected properties, trail work, and other Stewardship tasks. Having Maddy on board helped us reach our goals (and then some). Thanks, Maddy!
A Moment of Thanks
On Saturday, July 30th, 25 volunteers gathered at the Deering Community Church for PLC’s Volunteer Appreciation Event. We planned an afternoon of fun, food, and field trips to honor their efforts.
The afternoon included two excursions. The first was to nearby Gregg Hill, a town-owned property in Deering subject to a PLC conservation easement.This property is home to recently installed pollinator gardens and a hilltop view of the surrounding landscape.The second outing was an exploration of the chestnut orchard at the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forest’s Tom Rush Forest. Special thanks to the Deering Community Church, Backyard Brewery, Gabe Roxby, and the PLC Stewardship Committee for helping to make the event a great success.
A Busy September
With the help of volunteers, we mowed back encroaching vegetation and cleaned up the trails at Tuthill Woodlands Preserve, following up on the storm damage and tree work from the summer.
Later in the month, a new bridge was installed at the Burke Family Wildlife Sanctuary in Deering.
More Improvements at the Alan & Edgar Rice Nature Preserve
Dan Ewald led a group of six volunteers in an overhaul of the trail to Senter Falls at the Alan and Edgar Rice Nature Preserve in Lyndeborough. Over the course of three workdays in September (we told you September was busy!) and October, we built a new 12-step staircase up a steep slope, replaced several slope retention boards to protect against hillside erosion, improved drainage to prevent trail flooding, and widened the trail in several places.
Reclaiming the Summit of Rose Mountain
In October, we held our largest volunteer workday of the year at the summit of Rose Mountain. Dan Ewald and twelve volunteers cut down 25 trees on the summit of Rose Mountain in Lyndeborough to rejuvenate lowbush blueberry growth, improve the views from the summit, and preserve the ecologically rare open-top mountain habitat. Branches and stumps were systematically stacked to create habitat for birds and small mammals
Rethinking Access to the Florence Tarr Wildlife Sanctuary
In November Dan Ewald and a members of the Stewardship Committee created a new trail at the Florence Tarr Wildlife Sanctuary in Bedford and Goffstown. The new trail eliminates the need for visitors enjoying the property’s extensive trail system to walk on the road to get back to their cars – safer and better scenery!
Thank you to everyone who has volunteered their time, energy and support to our Stewardship work. We’re proud of all we accomplished together, and we’re looking forward to an even more productive 2023! If you’d like to learn more about our Stewardship Volunteer opportunities, you can fill out our volunteer inquiry form and Dan Ewald will be in touch with you soon.
