Daphne Godfrey, her grandson and his wife, and her great-grandchildren on the family land in Lyman, N.H.

We are very proud to announce the completion of our work with Daphne Godfrey, who permanently conserved her 160-acre former dairy farm and woodlands in Lyman. Congratulations to Daphne and her family, who give a tremendous gift to the people of Lyman and the region, and to the many species of wildlife which call her land home. Mrs. Godfrey first approached us about three years ago, and we’ve worked with her, her two daughters, and grandson to create a conservation easement that protects the great natural resources of her land (including vital bat habitat) and ensures that her heirs may have their own homes there if they wish.

For the Horse & Hound event, please RSVP to Martha Evelyn at 823-5747. We hope to see you there!

One hundred years ago the North Country faced a pivotal moment. Our forebears united across boundaries of geography, politics, and financial interests to win passage of the Weeks Act, which led to the creation of the White Mountain National Forest. Their actions guaranteed that the forest – the economic, ecological, and spiritual foundation of the region – would remain. They had a bold idea and audacious vision.

 One hundred years later, what is our bold vision? 

This question will be discussed as part of the Weeks Centennial Celebration, White Mountains Cultural Festival: Eight Days of Weeks.  ACT and the Arts Alliance of Northern New Hampshire (AANNH) are hosting the discussion on Saturday, August 13 from 4 to 6 p.m. at the home of ACT trustee Rosalind Page and Tom Simpson in Lisbon overlooking Pearl Lake. Wine and light fare will be served.

Well known author Nathaniel Tripp of Barnet, Vt. will lead the discussion. His most recent book, Confluence, focuses on the Connecticut River. According to a review in the Valley News, ”This is a powerful book. It will work on your psyche the way a really good poem does. Mainly what will stick with you though is the author’s powerful, articulate voice, at times kind and humorous, at times outraged.”

The question of what the future holds for the North Country is addressed by ACT Executive Director in the essay “The Rediscovery of the North Country.” The essay may be downloaded here.

Space is limited and reservations are required.  For an optional donation of $60 is requested, $100 for couples, you will receive a  limited-edition hard-cover copy of the new book Beyond the Notches: Stories of Place in New Hampshire’s North Country.” Please call ACT at 603-823-7777 or e-mail us at rbrown@aconservationtrust.org  for directions and reservations.

Keep Growing: Sowing the Seeds of Our Local Food Movement is a free public event at the Colonial Theater in Bethlehem, N.H. on Sunday Aug. 7 from 5 – 7 p.m. Watch the short film, Ladies of the Land, about four women whose career changes into farming change their lives. Participate in a panel discussion about local food and agriculture in our region, and enjoy locally grown and prepared light far courtesy of the Littleton Food Coop and Meadowstone Farm. For more on Keep Growing, visit the Web site www.keepgrowingnhvt.org.

Here’s Meadowstone Farm manager Sam Brown and chef Jenny Johnson talking about what might be served at the Keep Growing kick off.

Friday, July 22

9 a.m. – 2 p.m. Post Road, Sugar Hill

This free workshop for landowners focuses on managing the kinds of habitats that many people have here in the North Country: fields, wooded wetlands, and forest at various stages of growth. The Friday, July 22 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. workshop will follow the life cycle of woodcock, the iconic spring bird, to illustrate how various habitats are used by wildlife, and how a land management may be considered across a larger landscape.

The workshop will be led by wildlife biologists Will Staats and John Lanier, and UNH county foresters Dave Falkenham and Brendan Prusik.

The workshop starts at 9 a.m. at the home of Doug and Martha Evelyn on Post Road in Sugar Hill with a short slide presentation on habitat change and the particulars of woodcock. We will then head into the field, first in the adjacent meadow where bobolink are now nesting, and then into an alder swamp, where habitat restoration is planned. We will then walk through forest where near term timber harvest is an option, and end up in a forest with longer term high-value timber is maturing and wildlife management options abound.

The day will be very interactive with the emphasis on participants learning from direct observation the kinds of management strategies wildlife specialists and foresters use. Walking will not be difficult, but anticipate it may be wet and/or buggy. Please bring a lunch and water. Dogs are welcome. The session will end at 2 p.m. The land we will visit is all owned by ACT and is encouraged for public recreation and educational use.

Space is limited to please register by calling ACT at 823-7777 or e-mail rbrown@aconservationtrust.org. Copies of “Good Forestry in the Granite State” will be available at the workshop.

Early Saturday morning May 21 some local folks headed over to the Wedick Nature Reserve in Bethlehem, N.H., to enjoy a morning walk birding and enjoying the remains of a glacial lake. The drizzle didn’t keep the strong hearted away from this wonderful opportunity.

We started off near Wedick gravel pit entrance on Wing Road, which is ACT protected land. The group, led by ACT director Rebecca Brown, moved through the gravel pit. After we moved away from the road we stood around listening to the bird songs, counting the different birds we could hear. After about six birds I lost track, but the group shared the same observations.

As we moved further away from the road, the landscape changed. The habitat in and around the gravel pit was a mixture of new low tree growth and some wetland adapted plant species. When birding it is important to take notice to the type of habitat one is looking at. Many bird species look and sound very similar, especially if you’re like me, so just having an idea of where bird species occur is very important.

Looking for spring warblers.

Birds, warblers especially, are small, but have huge voices. So on this day we saw only glimpses of yellow feathers every so often up in the treetops and a flash as a bird flew by. With the help of Rebecca and Ginny Jeffryes we identified birds by song. The chestnut-sided warbler, a Nashville warbler, a phoebe, purple finch, and winter wren along with ravens and crows were some of the birds that graced us that damp morning.

We were pleasantly surprised to discover a cluster of pink lady slippers, an orchid native to New Hampshire, in the most unlikely place along one of the gravel pit access roads. More fun surprises were newly winged damselflies, assorted moths, and fresh bear prints!

The bear prints were small suggesting a young bear and we know they are fresh because the rain did not affect them that the area experienced the previous night and that morning.

A fresh bear print shows up clearly in the fine glacial till.

All in all, the morning was beautiful and the wildlife was plentiful. We just needed to stand around and be still to hear and notice all that this wonderful place in Bethlehem had to offer.

Courtney Bowler will start her senior year at the University of New Hampshire this fall. She lives in Littleton. 

The Wedicks created the reserve in 2009. They permanently conserved over 120 acres, including a mile along the Ammonoosuc River. The mix of wetlands, pond, and forest, plus extensive gravels deposits, makes this land particularly rich for wildlife and plants. While birds will be the emphasis of this walk, interesting wildflowers will no doubt be found, and the exemplary examples of our region’s glacial past will be also be explored (the bed of an ancient glacial lake provides the gravel, and varves).

While the Wedick land along the Ammonoosuc River is open for public use, the land on the opposite side of Wing Road ordinarily is not. So this is a special opportunity see an unusual place in the community.

The walk is hosted by the Ammonoosuc Conservation Trust, which holds the conservation easement on the property.  We will gather at an access point to the former gravel yard – look for the ACT sign. For more information please call 823-7777 or e-mail rbrown@aconservationtrust.org.

Carl Schaller

Everyone is invited to join members of the Ammonoosuc Conservation Trust (ACT), who are hosting the event. Schaller is known as one of the North Country’s wisest leaders and hardest workers on environmental issues. In January, ACT dedicated a trail to him, shown here. As a board member of ACT, Schaller helped build the trail on ACT’s Foss Forest in Sugar Hill.

The public is invited to this celebration, so please spread the word to anyone you know who would enjoy honoring Carl. For more information please call ACT at 823-7777 or visit www.aconservationtrust.org.

Carl Schaller

Carl Schaller of Littleton, N.H. is one of the North Country’s most beloved and tireless  leaders in conservation and environmental issues. Among Carl’s numerous contributions are starting the Littleton Conservation Commission and launching the first Earth Day celebration. Carl also served on the ACT board, and he and his wife Mary Lu are longtime members. An Episcopal priest,Carl was rector of All Saints in Littleton for 27 years and has served other local congregations  since his retirement from full time ministry.

On Jan. 9 ACT honored Carl by naming its first trail after him. Carl helped build the trail, which winds through a beautiful forest along a meandering brook on ACT’s Foss Forest in Sugar Hill. On Sunday Feb. 20 at All Saints Episcopal Church on Main Street in Littleton, the community is invited to join ACT in celebrating Carl’s work for the environment. The reception will be at 11:15 a.m. at the parish hall. Everyone is invited!

LITTLETON — Taking Action for Wildlife, a program of education and technical assistance for communities conducted by NH Fish & Game and UNH Cooperative Extension, is coming to the North Country. Staff from the two agencies will hold an informational meeting Tuesday, October 26 from 7:00-8:30 p.m. at the Littleton Senior Center to introduce interested community groups to the Taking Action for Wildlife program. The Ammonoosuc Conservation Trust and the North Country Council are working in partnership with the Taking Action for Wildlife team to bring this community assistance to towns.

Taking Action for Wildlife provides resources and direct guidance to communities working to include wildlife and habitats in conservation planning and actions. Through the Taking Action for Wildlife program, the Taking Action for Wildlife Team helps towns and cities identify and protect critical wildlife habitats and species of greatest conservation concern. They bring resources from the NH Wildlife Action Plan, a new Taking Action for Wildlife Web site and other sources. They then guide community representatives through the planning and action steps needed to reach your conservation goals.

At the October 26 meeting, Taking Action for Wildlife Team will present an overview of the NH Wildlife Action Plan, other Taking Action for Wildlife resources and will help attending community representatives identify their goals for action. Following the meeting, communities wishing to participate in Taking Action for Wildlife can apply for assistance. The Taking Action for Wildlife Team will then select up to four communities to receive assistance in spring, 2011. The emphasis will be helping the communities reach their wildlife habitat protection goals. The Team will meet with and assist the selected communities regularly for up to four months and provide consultation and assistance between meetings.

Towns included for primary consideration for Taking Action for Wildlife assistance include Bath, Bethlehem, Carroll, Dalton, Easton, Franconia, Haverhill, Lancaster, Landaff, Lisbon, Littleton, Lyman, Monroe, North Stratford, Northumberland, Randolph, Stark, Sugar Hill, and Whitefield. Other towns are also welcome.

For more information or to reserve a place at the October 26 meeting, contact Frank Mitchell of UNH Cooperative Extension at Frank.Mitchell@unh.edu or 463-7562.

Click here to RSVP!