May 2010 Archives
Join the next Coverts Gathering – Campton, NH
Phoebe’s Patience, Campton, NH
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Click here for program flyer (includes directions)
Coverts Cooperator David Peeler (CC08) and his wife Paula Woodward are hosting a Coverts Gathering at their property in Campton, NH on Saturday, May 29, from 9 a.m. to noon. The Peeler/Woodwards have been working on wildlife habitat improvements to their property for the last five years, and the results are worth a visit! We hope you’ll join us for the morning and stay for a picnic lunch and bonfire in the pasture afterwards.
What will you see? The Peeler/Woodward property is 97 acres of fields and forests, surrounded by more than 1,000 acres of privately owned, undeveloped forest. They have built over 7 miles of hiking trails, some of which we will explore (there will be two choices – a short and a longer hike). We will encounter older hemlock forest, several patch clearings, examples of timber stand improvement cuts, vernal pools, old apple orchards, and field habitats. The photo at right is on the Velvet Rocks trail near the largest vernal pool. The Peeler/Woodwards are actively managing their property to support diverse wildlife.
Currently, David and Paula rent their cottage as a vacation spot, since they presently live in Maryland. They hope to retire in Campton, but until then, they have built a website promoting the property and the cottage for renters. There are lots of great descriptions about the land and the wildlife that use it – if you visit the “Phoebe’s Patience” website here, you can get a good sense of the property from the many pictures posted on the site.
Attendance at the Campton gathering is free, but pre-registration is required and must be received no later than May 26th. If you are interested in bringing goodies for breakfast, please indicate so when you RSVP. Click on the link for More Information or to Register, or email Dave Falkenham: Dave.Falkenham@unh.edu or call Dave or Teresa at the UNHCE Grafton County office; 603-787-6944.
Malin Clyde wrote:
2010-05-24
Help Write NEW Online Guide to Forest Society Reservations!
The Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests has more than 165 reservations around the state that are open to the public for outdoor enjoyment. Volunteers are needed to help write a NEW online guide to their reservation system! Youll contribute your own insights, knowledge, and observations about trails, directions, and comments on the inside scoop about each property. Choose a reservation near you (see list here)!
Title: Writer, Forest Society Online Guide to Our Lands
Volunteer Qualifications: If you enjoy writing, exploring the outdoors, and are able to meet a June 30th deadline, we need your help! You must be able to submit your contributions by email.
Estimated time: depends on length of trail system and distance from your home, but we estimate 4-6 hours per reservation (including time in the field and writing).
Deadline for Completed Descriptions: June 30, 2010
Duties: Prepare short descriptions of the following property features:
1. Trail Information - walk the trail system, describe the trail (difficulty, distance, trail junctions, interesting things you see along the trail, views, etc.)
2. Directions provide physical descriptions of how to get the property from the most common routes (if you live in the area, you will know this best!); the Forest Society will also use Google Maps, but physical directions are more useful to some people.
3. The Inside Scoop A short description with your opinion about why people should visit this reservation. Youll receive authorship credit here!
4. Photographs of the property these may or may not be used for this project, but if you get some good shots, the Forest Society welcomes your contribution. (Sending them will give the Forest Society permission to use the photos, but you will receive photo credit).
Is There a Sample I Can Follow?
Model your submissions on the sample properties already completed and posted online here:
http://www.forestsociety.org/ourproperties/test2.asp
How Do I Sign Up? Visit the online form (see list here) for a list of the high-priority reservations that need descriptions written, and which ones have already been assigned. You can sign up using the Google Form, or you can choose one or more reservations and contact Joyce El Kouarti at joyce@forestsociety.org or (603) 224-9945.
Where Do I Send My Completed Work?
Email your completed information (items 1-4, above) to Joyce at joyce@forestsociety.org. Attach any photos, with captions if helpful. Forest Society staff will review each contribution and reserve the right to make edits for consistency and style.
Forest Society Staff Contact: Joyce El Kouarti at joyce@forestsociety.org or (603) 224-9945.
Malin Clyde wrote:
2010-05-18
Dear Coverts Volunteers, Partners, & Friends,
Lots of good volunteer and education items for your today! If you have an event or a volunteer project for me to include in the next update, please email here .
Remember to sign up for one or both of the upcoming Coverts Gatherings. They are both going to be great – read about what topics we’ll cover on the web articles for each (click below):
May 29 –Phoebe’s Patience Farm, Campton (David Peeler, CC08)
June 12 –Harmony Hill Farm , Northwood (Carl Wallman, CC 05)
As always, this announcement is available anytime online at: Volunteers Working for Wildlife .
Cheers!
Malin
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Volunteer Help Needed for Nature Walk - NEW
Saturday, August 7, 10 a.m.
Woods, Wildlife and Water Festival, Branch Hill Farm, Milton Mills, NH
Can you share your enthusiasm for the natural world? Can you identify a few birds, bugs, or wildlife sign? UNH Cooperative Extension Strafford County Forester Debbie Goard needs 1-2 volunteers to help lead a natural walk at this great annual outdoor event in Milton Mills. The event attracts 300-400 people, and focuses on environmental activities and organizations. Please RSVP to Malin (email here ) if you can help!
Invasive Plant Volunteer Opportunity - NEW
Sat., June 5, 9 a.m. – 12:30, Brentwood Game Farm – click here for brochure
Participants at this workshop will learn how to identify common invasive plant species in the field, their characteristics, why their control is necessary, and when to utilize mechanical vs. chemical methods of control. Attendees will observe how invasive plants can displace natural habitat. We will also address the concern for and how to recognize the presence of three invasive insects harmful to NH’s forests. For those participants interested, this workshop can be a prelude to future invasive plant volunteer opportunities in the Seacoast region.
Previously posted opportunities:
- Piping Plover beach monitoring - Allison Briggaman, 603-271-2461 or email her here
- Karner Blue Butterfly Workdays: May 22 & June 5, Concord – Click here for more
- Dragonfly Survey Volunteers Needed – Trainings on May 28 (Concord), June 5 (Haverhill), June 18 (Lancaster) Click here to learn more
- Reptile & Amphibian-Watching Volunteers Needed! Learn more here !
- Natural Resource Stewards Program Seeks Applicants - Click here to learn more
WORKSHOPS
Tree Farm Workshop Series - NEW
Are you an aspiring or experienced member of the Tree Farm Program? Come to a new workshop series for New Hampshire Tree Farmers and people interested in learning more about the NH Tree Farm Program. Programs will focus on the cornerstone themes of sustainable Tree Farm management: wood, water, wildlife, and recreation. All workshops will take place on Thursday evenings, 6-8 p.m. at the Pines Community Center in Northfield (with the exception of Aug. 26, which will be located at the State Forest Nursery in Boscowen from 5 – 8 p.m.). Northfield is located 17 miles north of Concord, NH.
May 27 - Is Tree Farming for You?
June 24 - Vernal Pools and Wetland Wildlife
July 22 - Building Trails on Your Tree Farm
August 26 - How Do Your Logs Saw Out – Where is the Value? Boscowen
September 23 - The Social Behavior of Black Bears with Ben Kilham
GIS and GPS Workshops – New Summer Schedule Announced
There are lots of great computer mapping workshops happening around the state this summer. There is a new introductory-level class, “GIS 101: Learning to Map in the Digital Age” that teaches you about free software you can use to map your world. We also highly recommend “Making Maps the Google Way” where you can learn lots of great tricks for using Google Maps in your conservation work. Check out the complete schedule here!
Previously Announced Workshops:
- May 25 –Improving Your Forest for Wildlife, Northwood
- May 29 – Coverts Gathering, Phoebe’s Patience, Campton
- June 4 – Tree & Shrub ID , Hollis & Lancaster
- June 5 – Invasive Plants Workshop, Brentwood – NEW (see description, above)
- June 11 – Chainsaw Safety for Weekend Woodcutters , Hollis & Lancaster
- June 12 –Coverts Gathering , Northwood Area Land Management Collaborative, Northwood
- June 15 –Managing Fields & Shrublands for Wildlife , Rochester
- June 18 – Cutting Firewood from Your Woodlot , Hollis & Lancaster
- June 25 – Selling Timber? Do it Right !, Hollis & Lancaster
OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS
Wildlife Action Plan Maps – Now Available By Town (Free and Online!!!) - NEW
NH Fish & Game and UNH Cooperative Extension have wanted to make the Wildlife Action Plan habitat and priority area maps easily available as individual town maps...and now they are! Look up the maps for your town today – and pass the news on to your town’s Conservation Commissioners, planners, local conservation group, or neighboring landowners. The habitat maps alone are a wealth of cool information – you can print them in 81/2 x 11 or 11 x 17 size, or download a .pdf image. Click here to check out the new website !
Recent News:
- Wildlands & Woodlands Conference, June 4, Concord
- New WAP Maps and Data Now Available
- Natural Communities website
- NH Coverts Project Seeking New Cooperators
- State of NH Birds Report Released
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Malin Clyde wrote:
2010-05-04
Dear Coverts Volunteer, Partners, & Friends,
Lots of great workshops and volunteer announcements for you – if you have an event or a volunteer project for me to include in the next updated, please email here .
Details are now available for both upcoming Coverts Gatherings. They are both going to be great – come to the one nearest you, or read about what topics we’ll cover on the web articles for each (click below):
May 29 –Phoebe’s Patience Farm, Campton (David Peeler, CC08)
June 12 –Harmony Hill Farm , Northwood (Carl Wallman, CC 05)
As always, this announcement is available anytime online at: Volunteers Working for Wildlife .
Cheers!
Malin
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Piping Plovers Nesting on Seacoast Beaches – Volunteer Monitors Needed Now! NEW
NH Fish & Game is looking for volunteers willing to watch over three piping plover nests where eggs are present: two nests in Hampton and one at Seabrook Beach. Nests will likely hatch just before Memorial Day weekend, and volunteers are needed between now and then and over the holiday weekend —to help educate beachgoers and deflect errant beach balls (just kidding, but is sounds fun, right?), etc. If you can help, please contact Allison Briggaman, 603-271-2461 or email her here .
Karner Blue Butterfly Workdays NEW
May 22, 10-12 - Lupine Planting, Concord
June 5, 10-12 – Butterfly Egg Collection
Come to one of the workdays scheduled for spring to help plant lupine or collect the eggs of the Karner Blue butterfly, New Hampshire’s state butterfly and an endangered species.
Click here to learn more about how to get involved!
Dragonfly Survey Volunteers Needed – Trainings Scheduled for 2010
May 28, 10 – 4 p.m, Concord
June 5, 10 – 4 p.m. Haverhill
June 18, 10 – 4 p.m. Lancaster
Scientist’s understanding of New Hampshire’s dragonflies and damselflies has increased dramatically as a result of the 3-year old NH Dragonfly Survey Project. But there is still much survey work to be done, and more volunteers are needed statewide. For more information, click here for the brochure & registration materials.
Reptile & Amphibian-Watching Volunteers Needed!
Many Coverts volunteers probably participate in Fish & Game’s “Reptile and Amphibian Reporting Program” (RAARP), and if you don’t, you should! Biologists need your eyes and ears to help locate and identify the presence of both rare and common species of reptiles and amphibians. Learn more about the program and how to report your sightings here !
Natural Resource Stewards Program Seeks Applicants NEW
This 12-week training program, with a broader natural resource curriculum than the Coverts Project (but also coordinated by UNH Cooperative Extension), will begin a new series in the fall on Fridays beginning Sept. 3 at Great Bay Community College in Portsmouth. The program was formerly known as “Community Tree Stewards.” Click here to learn more or for application materials .
WORKSHOPS
- May 6 – Vernal Pool Identification & Monitoring , Tamworth
- May 6 – Taking Action for Wildlife , Harris Center, Hancock
- May 8 – Cocheco River Sweep , Dover
- May 11 – Mud Season Breakfast – Forest Birds , Crawford Notch - There is still space left! This will be a great workshop to learn about forest birds. Sign up today!
- May 13 – The Road Less Salted/Water Quality & Roads , Greenland -
- May 13 – Vernal Pools & Wetland Wildlife , Sandown Town Forest
- May 15, Forest Openings: Woods & Wildlife , Blanchard Hill Farm, Greenfield, (owned by Coverts Cooperator Sheldon Pennoyer, CC02)– NEW LOCATION
- May 15, Project Learning Tree Training Workshop , Laconia/Gilford -
- May 16, Evans Mountain Spring Migration Bird Walk , Stafford
- May 25 –Improving Your Forest for Wildlife, Northwood
- May 29 – Coverts Gathering, Phoebe’s Patience, Campton
- June 4 – Tree & Shrub ID , Hollis & Lancaster
- June 11 – Chainsaw Safety for Weekend Woodcutters , Hollis & Lancaster
- June 12 –Coverts Gathering , Northwood Area Land Management Collaborative, Northwood
- June 15 –Managing Fields & Shrublands for Wildlife, Rochester
- June 18 – Cutting Firewood from Your Woodlot , Hollis & Lancaster
- June 25 – Selling Timber? Do it Right !, Hollis & Lancaster
OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS
Wildlands & Woodlands – A Vision for the New England Landscape Conference
June 4, Concord NEW
The New England Forestry Foundation is hosting a conference to “begin a dialogue among forest and farm landowners, conservationists, foresters, and others” about a conservation vision that NEFF has drafted. Register and learn more here
Recent News:
- New WAP Maps and Data Now Available
- New Natural Communities website
- NH Coverts Project Seeking New Cooperators
- State of NH Birds Report Released
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