July 2009 Archives
Malin Clyde wrote:
2009-07-29
I just got notice of an event this Saturday that looks really great, so I hurried to put together this brief update for you. As always, this and previous updates are available anytime online at Volunteers Working for Wildlife.
Enjoy summer! Malin
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Events & Workshops
Randolph Forest Day - Saturday, August 1
The annual Randolph Town Forest Day will take place this Saturday, August 1, and will focus on wildlife and wildlife habitats. It will be led by members of the Forest Commission and the Natural Resource Consultants on our Forestry team, Elise Lawson and John Severance (who are also Coverts Cooperators, along with Randolph Town Forest Commission member John Scarinza). Activities will be in two parts: a discussion in the Town Hall; and a field trip at 10 a.m. The field trip will visit an active beaver pond, where there is also a recently installed transect. The Forestry Team members will demonstrate a method of determining the various aquatic species using the beaver pond. They will also point out animal travel corridors along the edge of the beaver pond. The tour will visit deer yards in softwood stands and the Team members will describe their value to the deer in winter. The stop for lunch will take place at a log landing with scenic views and the tour will conclude with a visit to the Pond of Safety. Members of the Forest Commission and Forestry Team will be available throughout the day to answer questions and provide explanations about the Forest. Participants are welcome to attend only the morning session, or to just join the field trip. The field trip will not involve any long hikes, but those who go on it are reminded to wear shoes appropriate for moderately rough terrain and to bring a lunch and mosquito repellant. Children as young as six years of age should enjoy the experience. For more information or directions contact David Willcox at (603) 466-5104 or by e-mail to dlw@ncia.net. A flyer about the event is posted on the Coverts webpage here.
Woods, Water and Wildlife Festival - Saturday, August 1, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Branch Hill Farm, Milton Mills
Featuring guided walks and talks with nature experts, hayrides, live music and more, this fun, family-friendly event will take place on a 3,000-acre farm under conservation easement with the Forest Society. Organized by Moose Mountains Regional Greenways. For more information visit www.mmrg.info or call 603-817-8260.
Enhancing Forest Habitat - August 19, 2-5 p.m.
Andorra Forest, Stoddard, NH
Join Steve Roberge, UNH Cooperative Extension Forest Resource Educator for Cheshire County, for a walk through Andorra Forest. The focus will be on wildlife habitat management techniques employed at this large, private forest (recently named NH Tree Farm of the Year). For more information, including registration, you can view the flyer here.
Other News
Forest Society Position Announcement
Land Management & Policy Assistant
The Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests seeks an enterprising individual to serve in a full-time permanent position in an administrative support position for its land stewardship work. The Land Management & Policy Assistant will serve to support the Societys Land Management staff (65% of the work year), the Policy staff (10%) and the Societys commitment to administer the NH Tree Farm Program (25%). The successful candidate should have a minimum of between 2 and 3 years of experience in an administrative support role at a business or non-profit organization. Knowledge of and experience with Microsoft Office software (WORD, EXCEL, PowerPoint, Access) are essential. Working knowledge of budgeting and some accounting is preferred. Familiarity with GIS and/or the New Hampshire forestry community would be bonuses. Attention to detail, the capacity to be a self-starter and a warm and friendly personal approach toward people are required attributes of the successful candidate. Visit the Forest Society website at www.forestsociety.org for a detailed job description and salary range. Direct all inquiries by snail mail or e-mail with cover letter and resume to: Karen Rose, SPNHF, 54 Portsmouth Street, Concord, NH 03301 or krose@forestsociety.org . No phone calls please.
Malin Clyde wrote:
2009-07-17
Dear Coverts Cooperators & Friends,
Here are a few new updates and volunteer opportunities for you. I hope everyone is enjoying the newly arrived summer weather! As always, this and previous updates are available anytime online at Volunteers Working for Wildlife . And don’t forget to check out our re-vamped Wildlife Webpage , with lots of new information about wildlife habitats, species, the Wildlife Action Plan, and more!
Cheers,
Malin
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VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
Is there one or more Coverts Cooperators who would like to staff a booth at this festival on Aug. 1? It’s in Milton Mills – we had a booth last year, and I heard it was a great time. Please email Malin as soon as possible if you can help out. The Coverts office will provide all materials, including the Coverts display, handouts, hands-on activities, and a table. Here are the details:
Woods, Water and Wildlife Festival - Saturday, August 1, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Branch Hill Farm, Milton Mills
Featuring guided walks and talks with nature experts, hayrides, live music and more, this fun, family-friendly event will take place on a 3,000-acre farm under conservation easement with the Forest Society. Organized by Moose Mountains Regional Greenways. For more information visit www.mmrg.info or call 603-817-8260.
UNHCE Energy Answers Program Seeks Volunteers
Would you like to learn how you can reduce energy consumption in your home? Would you like to help other NH residents do the same? If so, become a UNHCE Energy Answers volunteer! UNH Cooperative Extension will offer training to existing UNHCE volunteers (such as Coverts Cooperators) on Monday, September 21 and Monday, September 28th to prepare volunteers to answer energy-related questions from the public on the Education Center's Info-Line in Manchester. These full-day sessions will be held at the Conservation Center in Concord. You must attend both sessions to be an Energy Answers volunteer. If you would like to learn more or be added to the mailing list for the programs on September 21st and Sept 28th, email Denise Blaha here .
Citizen Monitors Sought for Asian Longhorn Beetle in NH
Coverts Cooperators may be able to help forest health experts by keeping an eye out for Asian Longhorn Beetles. Read a new press release on this project, which is now at the beginning stages. If you think you see one of these beetles, you should contact your County Forester .
NEWS
White-nose Sydnrome Affects NH Bats this summer
Click here to read the latest on the white-nose bat syndrome and how it’s affecting NH bat populations.
NEW WORKSHOP POSTS
Beaver Ecology & Control
August 13, noon - 4:30 p.m. in Hillsborough or
August 14 noon – 4:30 in Lancaster
This workshop will introduce you to the natural ecology of beavers and discuss topics such as why beavers make dams, and what areas are most suitable for beavers (and thus most susceptible to flooding). We will discuss methods for improving habitat to benefit beavers and other wildlife associated with beaver-created openings, as well as how to discourage beavers from colonizing a stream or pond. Finally, we will discuss options for controlling flooding in areas where beavers are maintaining active dams. Complete program information, including registration form, speakers, and directions, is posted online here.
Woods Without Gile Hike, August 15, Springfild
Ann (CC005) and Marc Davis, in conjunction with the Sunapee-Ragged-Kearsarge Greenway Coalition and the Ausbon Sargent Land Preservation Trust, will host their fifth annual hike starting at 9 a.m. Saturday, August 15 on their property, Woods Without Gile, in Springfield, NH. Join us to celebrate the WWG’s recent designation as a Tree Farm. The easy to moderate hike will cover a portion of the 470-acre property. Rain or shine. The hike will be roughly 2 miles. See cellar holes, views, a beaver meadow, and recent timber harvests. Bring a picnic lunch. We’ll provide drinks and cookies. Plan on about two hours, longer if you plan to eat your lunch with us. Access to the property is via a Class VI road that is in good condition. Pickup trucks, Subarus, or other vehicles with a relatively high under carriage, will be able to negotiate the road. Please note, a timber harvest is under way on the Gile State Forest. If you meet a log truck, it has the right of way. Please e-mail woodswithoutgile@tds.net for directions and more information about the hike.
Strafford River Conservancy Workshops
The Strafford Rivers Conservancy is offering the following programs this summer and fall. For more information about any of these programs, For registration and directions, please contact the Strafford Rivers Conservancy at (603) 516-0772, e-mail here or register online at straffordriversconservancy.org .
Map & Compass Workshop (College Woods, Durham) – Saturday, July 25
Canoe-Kayak on the Salmon Falls River (Rollinsford) – Saturday, August 15
Walk on Stonehouse Pond (Barrington) – Saturday, September 19
Celebration of Conservation (Three Rivers Farm, Dover) – Saturday, September 26
Washburn Family Forest Opening, Sunday Aug 30, 2009 9:30 am to 2 pm.
Washburn Family Forest, Clarksville and Pittsburg, NH. Sponsored by The Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests. The dedication of the 2,100-acre Washburn Family Forest will include a hiking tour and a fishing demonstration. Come celebrate the unveiling of the Forest Society's largest North Country reservation! For more information call 603-224-9945.
Ashuelot River Headwaters Tours, Saturday Sept 26, 2009.
Tours start at 10 a.m., noon, and 2 p.m, Silver Mountain / Long Pond and Sand Pond, Lempster, NH. Sponsored by The Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests. Join us for an open house on the Ashuelot River Headwaters. Take a guided hike with Forest Society staff to the summit of Silver Mountain or explore the loop trail that includes the shoreline of Long Pond and Sand Pond. Learn the latest information about efforts to purchase and protect this 1,800-acre keystone tract of forestland. For more information call 603-224-9945.
WORKSHOPS PREVIOUSLY POSTED
Fern Identification – August 7, 8:30 – 3:30
Fox State Forest, Hillsborough
This workshop is likely the most intensive of its kind offered in NH. It is intended to teach natural resource professionals and backyard naturalists alike the skills necessary to positively identify the ferns of northeastern New England. A combination of indoor and outdoor instruction will be used to teach participants about basic fern morphology, terminology, hybridization, reproduction, and ecology. These skills will then be employed to identify ferns in the field using a fern key. This workshop is taught by Dr. Leslie Adams, a systematic botanist and forest ecologist whose area of specialty is floristic diversity in New Hampshire forests. Participants of all experience levels are encouraged to attend. For more information, including registration materials, click here for workshop brochure .
Save the Date! Tree Farm Field Day – September 19, Newport, NH
This is always a great event! Read more about this year’s winner by clicking here .
Malin Clyde wrote:
2009-07-01
Dear Coverts Cooperators & Friends,
Matt Tarr and I are busy reading through applications for this fall’s Coverts training workshop…it is always a fun and inspiring process!
In the meantime, workshop activities slow down for the summer, but I have some other news and updates for you. As always, this and previous updates are available anytime online at Volunteers Working for Wildlife . And don’t forget to check out our re-vamped Wildlife Webpage , with lots of new information about wildlife habitats, species, the Wildlife Action Plan, and more!
Cheers,
Malin
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NEWS
Submissions for “Making Tracks” Newsletter
I’m still looking for submissions for “Making Tracks.” I have very few! Please send me a quick note about what you’ve been up to, or a picture. Click here to send email to me. Without your contributions, the newsletter doesn’t amount to much! Thanks for your help.
New Brochures Available!
The newest Habitat Stewardship Brochures are sitting in my office! All Coverts Cooperators will receive copies in the mail next week, for the following critical habitats: Appalachian Oak-Pine Forests, Shrublands, Lowland Spruce-Fir Forests, and Peatlands. These publications are free for NH landowners, and are particularly aimed at those owning critical habitats on their land. I encourage you to use them in your outreach efforts. Stay tuned, as we will be developing an additional set of four brochures in the coming year!
Coverts Advice Needed!
The Coverts workshop team is starting to pull together the agenda and materials for the fall workshop, scheduled for Sept. 23-26, 2009. I need your advice! I am considering altering the materials provided to all Coverts volunteers (remember those huge notebooks?), and moving towards providing publications online (in part or in whole). Is this a good idea? Please help me decide, as you folks know how useful the notebooks are or are not. Click here to take a short web survey to let me know your opinion!
Grafton County & Sullivan County Cooperators Needed
Coverts volunteers in Grafton & Sullivan counties received a letter from the Coverts Project office describing the “Critical Habitats Education Project ” in the Upper Valley (click on the link to learn more). If you plan to attend the upcoming brainstorming sessions, you can RSVP here! Click here to send an email to Malin (RSVP for July 22nd in Meriden or July 23rd in Orford).
WORKSHOPS & EVENTS – Previously published
Northwood Meadows Discovery Day – July 11
Coverts Cooperator Carl Wallman (CC05) founded the Northwood Area Land Management Collaborative a few years ago, and it has taken off! Come learn more at the Northwood Meadows Discovery Day - - a celebration of the 20th Anniversary of Northwood Meadows State Park, and of the legacy left to present and future generations by M. Edward Burtt when he sold this park to the State - will take place July 11, at the Park. This grand event is an opportunity to discover and interact with the natural and cultural resources in and around Northwood Meadows State Park - lands which now form the core of the NALMC neighborhood. The day will be hosted by the Town of Northwood, in partnership with The Northwood Area Land Management Collaborative (NALMC), the Northwood Crankpullers and the NH Division of Resources and Economic Development. Save the date! To learn more, click here .
Monadnock Trails Week 2009
Saturday, July 11 through Wednesday, July 15 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Mount Monadnock Reservation State Park headquarters, Jaffrey
Join other Forset Society volunteers and conservation professionals from the Forest Society, NH State Parks, and Eastern Mountain Sports for five days of trail restoration on legendary Mount Monadnock. Come for one day only or for multiple days. Learn how to construct stone steps and waterbars, clear ice storm damage, mark trails, or close bootleg trails. For more information contact Carrie Deegan at cdeegan@forestsociety.org or 603-224-9945 x318. Click here for the Monadnock Trails Weeks flyer.
Woods, Water and Wildlife Festival - Saturday, August 1, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Branch Hill Farm, Milton Mills
Featuring guided walks and talks with nature experts, hayrides, live music and more, this fun, family-friendly event will take place on a 3,000-acre farm under conservation easement with the Forest Society. Organized by Moose Mountains Regional Greenways. For more information visit www.mmrg.info or call 603-817-8260.
Moose and Bear Thursday, July 16 and Thursday, August 6, 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Mount Washington Resort, Bretton Woods
Discover some New Hampshire wildlife with outdoor enthusiast Nigel Manley of The Rocks Estate. Discover intriguing educational facts about the animals in New Hampshire and get a feel for hands-on exhibits that include antlers and pelts.
Fern Identification – August 7, 8:30 – 3:30
Fox State Forest, Hillsborough
This workshop is likely the most intensive of its kind offered in NH. It is intended to teach natural resource professionals and backyard naturalists alike the skills necessary to positively identify the ferns of northeastern New England. A combination of indoor and outdoor instruction will be used to teach participants about basic fern morphology, terminology, hybridization, reproduction, and ecology. These skills will then be employed to identify ferns in the field using a fern key. This workshop is taught by Dr. Leslie Adams, a systematic botanist and forest ecologist whose area of specialty is floristic diversity in New Hampshire forests. Participants of all experience levels are encouraged to attend. For more information, including registration materials, click here for workshop brochure .
Save the Date! Tree Farm Field Day – September 19, Newport, NH
This is always a great event! Read more about this year’s winner by clicking here .
