Coverts Gathering:
Forest Openings & Early Successional Habitat
June 4, 2011, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m., Town of Sullivan, NH
- View Workshop Details Online
- View Map - Sullivan Town Hall, 452 Centre Street, Sullivan NH 03445
If you are interested in seeing recently-completed wildlife habitat improvement projects, come to a workshop (and "Coverts Gathering") in the town of Sullivan, NH on Saturday, June 4 from 9 a.m. – noon.
Join UNH Cooperative Extension Wildlife Specialist Matt Tarr, Cheshire County Extension Forester Steve Roberge and landowner Eric White (Coverts Cooperator, 2008) for a presentation and field tour of recent management to create early successional habitat benefiting declining wildlife. The morning will begin with a quick presentation on the basics of habitat requirements for wildlife and then travel to Eric White's property to explore different habitats and discuss the impacts his management will have on specific wildlife species.
Eric and his family own 76 acres of land in Sullivan, which lies in the midst of Cheshire County (Sullivan is in Cheshire County, not Sullivan County, in case you weren’t paying attention!). “Our place was logged pretty heavily sixty years ago, we’re guessing,” says Eric. “Since it was all growing back to be the same age, we’ve been working to create different types of habitats for birds and other wildlife.” You’ll see how Eric and his family have created new fields, as well as areas that will be maintained as shrubland (or “early-succesional) habitats, and areas where they are using timber stand improvement practices to maintain and encourage mature forests of sugar maple and poplar.
Eric is doing much of the work himself, but is also using outside contractors and 
professionals for some projects. He’s also a
NH Coverts Project volunteer, and has put into practice many of the things he learned when he attended the Coverts Project Workshop in 2008.
Eric and the other presenters will explain several different financial assistance programs which are available to help landowners implement habitat management projects. On the White’s property, they’ve received funding from the Natural Resource Conservation Service’s (NRCS) Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program and from the NH Fish & Game Small Grants Program. Participants will also hear about a new program from NRCS called the Conservation Stewardship Program.
The June 4th workshop is free, but participants much pre-register by calling the Cheshire County UNH Cooperative Extension office in Keene at 352-4550. This event will also require light hiking on uneven terrain, so when you come, wear appropriate footwear and come dressed for the weather.
