September 19, 2009 Update
Malin Clyde wrote:
2009-09-19
Dear Coverts Cooperators & Friends,
I am getting ready for the 2009 Coverts Training, coming up next weekend in Greenfield. We have lots of great folks coming, and as always, we are excited to meet the new volunteers!
Several of you have asked about the alumni dinner – we had to change the format this year since the new facility can’t accommodate a private dinner. Instead, we have several Coverts Cooperators coming from nearby to talk about their experience as Coverts volunteers. Everyone else is off the hook!
There are quite a few events coming up – hope you can find a workshop or a volunteer project to keep you busy this fall! As always, this and previous updates are available anytime online at Volunteers Working for Wildlife .
Cheers,
Malin
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SPECIAL NOTICE RE: ENERGY ANSWERS
Dear Volunteers: With just a few days before Energy Answers training begins we have been contacted by 3 of you who have told us that you applied on-line and haven't heard anything. We have discovered that there must be some glitch in the technology because it seems some applications have been lost in the ether. If you are one of these volunteers who hasn't hear back from us, please contact me immediately by email or phone. The class is about full and depending on how many people this effects we will have to figure out a solution. We certainly apologize if you are one of these folks that haven't heard from us. We are trying to correct the problem and will do our best to figure out a solution.
Thank you for your patience and understanding,
Mary Tebo Davis
Community Forestry Educator, UNH Cooperative Extension
200 Bedford Street, Manchester, NH 03101
phone-629-9494 x140; fax-629-9998
UPCOMING WORKSHOPS
**This Weekend!**
Tree Farm Field Day – September 19, Blake Family Tree Farm, Newport, NH
This is always a great event! Register here today . Igor Blake has been selected as the 2009 New Hampshire Outstanding Tree Farmer of the Year by the NH Tree Farm Committee. Igor’s tree farm consists of over 300 acres in the town of Newport, NH along the banks of the Sugar River. The mixed pine and oak/hardwood forests have been managed by Igor and his family for nearly 80 years. Igor’s mother, N.N. Blake, joined the tree farm program in 1970 at the suggestion of Professor Mirov, University of California, Berkeley. Join us at the 2009 NH Tree Farm Field Day to celebrate Igor’s award winning tree farm on Saturday, September 19, 2009. The day long event will include a variety of educational tours of Igor’s tree farm, raffle and silent auction, chicken barbeque and pig roast.
Map & Compass Workshop – Emerson Brook Forest, Gilsum, NH
Sunday, Sept. 20, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
There's still time to register for the Map and Compass Workshop with Tom Sintros. This is a great opportunity to learn how to safely find your way in the natural environment. We're meeting at the Emerson Brook Forest Center for an introduction before carpooling to Pitcher Mountain. The workshop is appropriate for all age groups and family participation is encouraged. Bring a bag lunch, snacks, hats, drinking water and sunscreen. The Emerson Brook Forest Center in Gilsum, located 12 miles North of Keene on Rte.10 at the Gilsum /Marlow boundary. Suggested donation $5-10. No one turned away for lack of funds. Call 603-357-0860 or 603-352-1887 for more information or to register.
Invasive Plant Identification Workshop – September 25, Dover
Invasive species are non-native plants that were introduced to an area and have since become a threat to the native plant communities. There are currently 35 species that are banned in the State of New Hampshire. Come learn more at this introductory workshop. We will meet at the Strafford County Conservation District Office. From there we will walk around the Strafford County Farm where we will learn how to identify common
invasive species, how they are spread and discuss actions we can take to eradicate them.
We will also discuss financial assistance available to help remove invasive plants from your property. This workshop is free. Click here for the full description and directions . To pre-register or for more information contact Strafford County UNH Cooperative Extension at 603-749-4445 or
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 .
Walk on Stonehouse Pond (Barrington) – Saturday, September 19
Celebration of Conservation (Three Rivers Farm, Dover) – Saturday, September 26
Visit NH Falconry School in Deering – Sat. September 26
Writes Nancy Cowan (CC98), “I wanted to let all the Coverts people know that we are hosting a site on the Statewide Tour for NH Fish and Game Dept's celebration of National Hunting and Fishing Day. The NH School of Falconry and the NH Falconers Association welcome the public to drop by on Saturday, Sept. 26, from ten till four at the school location on Route 149 in Deering (183 Deering Center Road, Deering, NH). Direction wise, turn the OPPOSITE direction from how you turn to go to Fox State Forest when you make the turn in the middle of Hillsboro...We are just a mile and a half SOUTH of that intersection with 149...and ON Route 149. There will be flight demonstrations, equipment demonstrations, lots of birds on display and falconers to answer questions. Great family day and great for kids too...also photographers! Birds to be exhibited: Peregrine, Saker and Gyr falcons, Harris' Hawks, Goshawk, Redtailed hawks. Hope you can come!” Nancy Cowan
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.
Chainsaw Safety Workshop (Concord, NH), Friday October 23rd, 2009
TIME: 9AM - 4PM
PARTICIPANT LIMIT/REGISTRATION: 15 people, pre-registration required. Please sign up early to be sure of a spot. To register contact Tina Ripley at tripley@forestsociety.org <mailto:tripley@forestsociety.org > or 603-224-9945.
For general inquiry questions, contact Carrie Deegan at cdeegan@forestsociety.org <mailto:cdeegan@forestsociety.org > or 603-224-9945. Cost is $25 for non-members, $15 for SPNHF members, FREE for Land Stewards. Location at SPNHF Conservation Center, Concord, NH. This is a full day workshop using classroom and field instruction to teach you how to work safely with a chainsaw in the woods. Topics will include safety considerations, felling, bucking and routine maintenance. This training is required for Land Stewards to operate chainsaws on SPNHF properties. Jake Bronnenberg of Bronnenberg Logging & Trucking, Inc. will instruct. SPNHF staff will also assist.
DIRECTIONS: Conservation Center in Concord. Take I-93 to Exit 16, go east on Rte 132, then follow brown and white "Conservation Center" signs.
BRING: If you have them, please bring your own saw, maintenance tools, and
safety equipment (chaps, gloves, helmet, eye protection and ear protection).
Bring a bag lunch.
Asian Longhorn Beetle Workshops
Sept. 24 – North Haverhill
Oct. 1 – Conway
Oct. 13 – Alton
Oct. 21 – Laconia
If you own a tree, a woodlot, serve on your conservation commission, walk in the woods, or care about NH's hardwood forest, come to one of these workshops to learn how to identify the signs on trees, learn which trees are most threatened and where and how you should look for the insects, and how to report them if you find them. Forest Resources and Agriculture Educators will provide instruction. Click here for locations and direction.
Caring for Your Forest Workshops - Stoddard and Milton
October 9 - Chainsaw Safety
October 16 - Your Woodlot and Wildlife
October 23 - Cutting Firewood
October 30 - Selling TimberInterested in taking better care of your woodlot? Sharpening your forestry skills? Improving your woodlot for wildlife? Come to one, two, or all four of these workshops.
Each workshop is offered on the same day in two convenient locations. Choose the one nearest to you. The cost will cover refreshments and handout materials. UNH Cooperative Extension county foresters and specialists, and private foresters will teach the classes. You will be “in the field” for at least part of the day. Come prepared for weather. All workshops run from 12:30-4:30 pm. Eat your lunch before the workshop. Workshop locations are the Andorra Forest in Stoddard, NH and the NH Farm Museum in Milton, NH. Registration Information and workshop brochure are available here .
NH Children in Nature Conference – October 1, Northwood, NH
This annual workshop will provide community leaders and community organizations, including parents, educators, youth group leaders, non-profits and health care providers with tools, resources, and support to make local change to reconnect Children, Youth and Families to Nature. For more information and registration info, visit the website: www.nhchildreninNature.org
Ames Road Forest Tree Farm: Woodland Economics for Private Landowners
October 17, Loudon, NH, 8:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Meet Ned Therrien, who bought a Tree Farm 35 years ago as a retirement investment. He has kept meticulous records, recording time, effort, costs and revenues since the beginning. During this field session, he will share the lessons of his hard work. Landowners will gain valuable information about optimizing the economics of owning timberland and hear from Ned as well as the natural resource professionals that have been involved along the way. The session will include a woodlot tour, lively discussion and supporting materials. Registration materials, directions, and additional information are available online here.
GIS & GPS Workshops – Grafton County Cooperative Extension, N. Haverhill
UNH Cooperative Extension Geospatial Technologies Training Center will be offering the following GIS workshops from September 14-18, 2009.
- GIS on Pennies a Day - September 14th - 9am to noon - $40. Learn basic GIS concepts and about many free GIS software packages.
- Making Maps the Google Way - September 14th - 1pm to 4pm - $40. Learn how to create custom maps in Google Earth and share maps using Google Maps
- Getting to Know NH GRANIT Data Mapper - September 14th - 6pm to 8pm – Free. Learn to create GIS-based maps of NH towns using a free online tool.
- ArcGIS Drivers Permit - September 15th - 9am to 4pm - $90. Learn the basics of GIS and how to use make basic maps in ArcGIS.
- Intro to ArcGIS 9.3 - September 16th to 18th - 9am to 4pm - $275 reduced, $450 full
Learn how to use ArcGIS to make maps, create & edit GIS data and explore spatial relationships.
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
Weed Watchers needed in Lubberland Creek
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Interested in learning about invasives plants and helping stewardship staff monitor conservation lands for new infestations? Please join us for a training on Saturday, October 3rd to learn more about the program, and to sign up as a Weed Watcher! The new Weed Watcher program will be focused on The Nature Conservancy's Lubberland Creek Preserve in Newmarket and Durham, NH. We are looking for volunteers who can adopt areas of the Preserve. Volunteer will be asked to monitor their adopted areas in the spring and fall and report any findings to TNC staff. More info can be found at: http://www.nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/newhampshire/volunteer/art29499.html . Please RSVP to Karen Lombard .
Help Plan a “Get Out and Play” Weekend!
Coming to your town October 3-4, 2009…
Are you an organization that offers great outdoor activities? Do you already have something planned for October 3 or 4, or would you like to organize a local nature-based program or event that weekend? Following The New Hampshire Children in Nature Coalition (NHCiNC) “Building Nature Based Communities” conference on Oct. 1, we’re taking our message to the broader public, inviting any and all interested groups and individuals across the state to get children, youth and families outside. You can help by planning a hike, bike ride or paddle in your area, a nature play hour or perhaps an evening building fairy houses in a local woodland. Nature is all around you, so be creative! Events can be 1 hour or day-long, daytime or evening. Whether or not you or your organization can host an activity, we encourage you to participate – by letting people know your organization’s doors are open or simply urging friends and family to go for or walk or share a picnic lunch.We’ll post your activities right on the NHCiNC website. And, we’ll provide promotional flyers to help you reach new audiences for your event. Join us – let’s get out and play!Email the following information to Scott Fitzpatrick at sfitzpatrick@plustime.org :
Name of Organization (if applicable)
Name of Contact Person
Name of Event
Date and Time
100 word description
Location or Meeting Place
Contact Phone Number
Web link to your event (if applicable)
(We’ll be compiling follow-up data, so please plan to get a count of the number in attendance at your event.)
You can also contact Scott for more information or if you have any questions about the weekend. Scott Fitzpatrick, Program Support Services Consultant, PlusTime NH, 202 N. State St., Concord, NH 03301. Phone: 603-856-8837 x 222, Fax: (603)856-8840, www.plustime.org
Trail Volunteers Needed!
Saturday, October 17 at the Forest Society’s Heald Tract (Wilton, NH)
TIME: 9AM - 3:30 PM
They need help with trail marking (paint), constructing bog bridges, clearing/brushing out trails, establishing new trail where re-route is necessary, other trail maintenance tasks. Please bring backpack, bag lunch, water, hiking boots, work gloves, old clothes (some will be painting trail markers!). Please RSVP to Carrie Deegan if you are available and interested in assisting with this work! cdeegan@forestsociety.org or 603-224-9945 x318.
DIRECTIONS: From the center of Wilton, go W on Rte 101 (or from Peterborough, NH, go E on 101). Go S on Russell Hill Road (turn is about 3 miles from Wilton, or 10 miles from Peterborough). Russell Hill Road turns to dirt - follow it about 2.5 miles and you will pass King Brook Rd on your left... take the NEXT RIGHT on Heald Road (unsigned, but you will see a big red barn just past the turn). Go past the kiosk parking on the right hand side of the road and about 0.5 miles from the turn onto Heald Road, you will see a larger parking area bounded by logs on the left side of the road. We will meet here!
