We observe ACT’s Herbert G. Whipple Farm Conservation property over our back stone wall, and  I thought it might be useful for ACT to get a report of what we see, a sort of ” State of the Farm” report.

Most days there is evidence of one or more people walking in the field. This is based on the tracks we see in the snow in winter and some tracks in soft earth and visual sightings in the other seasons. As a conservative estimate I would say 500 person visits a year, but perhaps more than that. The commemorative bench at a view point in the field is well used.

The ecology of the field seems to be holding up well although the invasive plants dogbane and lupine are increasing in some areas.  From what I understand our only hope is to encourage native plants as removal or herbicide application has significant dangers and is often ineffective.
It took some experimentation with mowing regimes, but the 2009 mowing seems to be a successful approach. It is late enough to spare the ground nesting birds and supply several species with the bountiful blueberries, and early enough to impact the woody plants and other invasives such as dogbane and lupine. It could be a little earlier, perhaps the end of August to affect the invasives more. The mowing seemed well done this year.

Wildlife are doing well.  wild turkey, black bear and white-tailed deer are attracted to blueberries and the wild apple trees and moose are seen occasionally.  Coyote and red fox are rarely seen but leave tracks regularly.  We have two or sometimes three woodcock displaying in the field in spring and snipe are common.  There is a nesting pair of bobolinks.  Butterflies continue to be common in the field.
We need to continue the good work of clearing blown down trees to allow for mowing of the field, and at some point it will be necessary to cut or trim some of the trees on the field margins and the tree islands in the field if the field is not to shrink in size. Perhaps we should consider a clean up day as an activity for ACT members this next summer or fall before mowing.

An interesting development is that due to beaver activity on the little pond at the north edge of the property the shoreline of the pond is moving outward and I believe now has passed some of the property boundary so the Whipple Farm now has waterfront if you will! Someday we might be able to make a short boardwalk and viewing bench on the pond.

Tim Williams and his wife Janet live adjacent to the Herbert G. Whipple Farm Conservation Area in Sugar Hill. They were instrumental in the community effort that raised the funds to purchase this land for permanent conservation. This ACT-owned land is open to all – please visit!

American toad (Bofu americanus)

Some people say that up here in the North Country we don’t have enough to do .  . . or maybe the long winter makes us a bit addled. From some perspectives, both may be true. All I can say is that when the first warm, rainy nights of spring get here, there are some of us who go out after dark armed with flashlights looking on the roads for one of the most wonderful signs of spring: the salamanders, and the frogs. (You can do the same thing driving around in your car but the amphibian mortality rate can get pretty high.)

One night this week a large female toad crouched in our driveway, looking like she’d just dug her way out of the ground. Her eyes were still covered with the protective lids and she barely moved, as it was chilly. I moved her off the driveway and a little while later when I got back from walking the dogs noted that her eyes were open.

The toad was really early (look for them later in May and June). Spotted salamanders are typically the first amphibians to emerge from their winter torpor. They live in holes, often made by other animals like chipmunks, under the leaf litter and well out of sight. On the first rainy night over 42 degrees F, the salamanders start creeping toward their home vernal pools. Vernal pools are the pockets of water, some the size of small ponds, some no bigger than puddles, which fill in the spring and dry up by summer – hence no fish to feed on eggs and tadpoles – and are the breeding place for a variety of amphibians. The salamanders gather together in orgiastic balls – at least this is what I’m told. I’ve found individual salamanders on the roads, but never seen the real action in the pools.

These are not your average under-the-rock salamanders, either.  They are long: – 6 – 8 inches – and hefty. Jet black with yellow spots. You can’t miss them – if you can find them. Despite their size and apparent proclivity to gather in writhing groups on one “big night,” they are not easily found.

The frogs are a lot easier. The wood frogs (“croakers”) come out first – they were out on the roads the last couple of rainy nights, also on their way to their vernal pools. They wear a black mask, and are up to a couple of inches long. Their hoarse, not-so-melodic croaks, or quacks, are heard on warm afternoons and then all night. In fact, they are croaking outside our office at The Rocks in Bethlehem right now. You can see them floating on ponds and vernal pools for the next couple of weeks.

As early as tomorrow – and maybe some places tonight –  the spring peepers will show up. Within a few warm days their  unmistakeable piercing calls will fill the air. Walk close to their pond and they’ll all fall silent, for as long as they can stand it – which is not long – and then one and the next and then whole male community starts calling again. These frogs are tiny – about the length of your thumb nail. Compared to the salamander they are really hard to spot – but at least you know they are there. Happy spring!

Last evening I attended a session sponsored by the Connecticut River Joint Commission, whose job it is to study the Connecticut River, to hear the science behind river protection. The study of rivers is called Fluvial Geomorphology and by the end of the evening I  had a new appreciation for the scientists that spend their lives studying the rivers. The fundamentals of river behavior and the general principles of fluvial geomorphology are sedimentation, hydraulics, restoration, fish habitat improvement, riparian grazing management, and streambank erosion. Problem solving techniques for watershed management, riparian assessment, fish habitat structure evaluation, stream restoration, non-point source pollution and the integration of ecosystem concepts into watershed management are the outcomes of this kind of serious study.

As you can well imagine, it turns out that water will make its own path regardless of how man has tried to train  or confine it to new barriers. The ripple effect of changing the flow of water at one point works its way back to the point of original tampering. It has been estimated that over one third of the Connecticut River’s 85 mile stretch from Pittsburg, NH to Dalton, NH has been manipulated by man. In the 1800’s, when logging was the primary industry, the river was straightened to prevent log jams. Water powered mills popped up to take advantage of no cost power. The railroads also played a part in moving the water’s course to reduce the cost of building bridges over meandering streams.

Slowly, over time, the river has worked to regain control over its original path. Seems we could all take a lesson from the fluvial geomorphologists. Let’s get with the flow and stop operating our lives from a place of fear, shake it up, let’s have some fun!