Effingham Hike Series Kicks Off!

Land Steward Kamal Nath took the "Field Trip 101" workshop last year, and has really fulfilled his promise to lead at least one hike on a piece of conservation land in New Hampshire.  Kamal has scheduled a series of four hikes in the Effingham area in 2014, two of which are on the Forest Society's High Watch Preserve on Green Mountain.  The first of these took place on New Year's Day.  Below is Kamal's description of the day's outing.

Several winter-hardy hikers celebrated the New Year in Effingham by enjoying a snowshoe hike up the
North-West side of Green Mountain.  On a crisp, cold, but mostly sunny morning hikers enjoyed views of
Davis top, Green Mountain, and glimpses of Leavitt Brook flowing downhill.  The return views
encompassed the NH Mountain ranges to the North and west along with the Ossipee Lake, its bays and
other water-bodies.  Walking on the powdery snow, visitors learned about recent animal activities
(tracks of hare, mice, squirrel, deer and others).  On the trees, hikers saw evidence of recent porcupine
chewed bark and bear activities on beech trees, etc.

This was the first of the four Explore Effingham Landscape -2014 programs organized by Kamal Nath (co-led by Johanna Vienneau) under Speaking for Wildlife Field Trip 101 (UNH Cooperative Extension), sponsored by the Effingham Public Library and co-sponsored by the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests, Green Mountain Conservation Group, Effingham Conservation Commission.  The remaining three hikes dates are below.  Contact the Effingham Public Library at effinghampubliclibrary@gmail.com to register for any of these hikes!

  April 13 (Sunday) A Bird-Watch Walk: explore birds on such wetland habitats
 as the Larry Leavitt Preserve (ECC) and the Watt’s Preserve
 (Audubon). Total walk ~ 1 ½ hours.

  July 4 (Friday) A Green Mt. Hike: on Libby Rd. Trail by a tributary to Wilkinson
Brook and an area with the aftermath of the 2008 tornado. View
southeast Effingham and beyond from Hanson Top. Total hike ~ 2
¾ hours.

 October 31 (Friday) A Forest Walk: explore a leaf-littered forest forensic walk
(stone wall, cellar holes, cemetery) by Wilkinson Brook in the
Pine River State Forest. Total walk ~ 1 ½ hours.

First Day Hikes with NH State Parks!

For the past few years, the Forest Society has partnered with NH State Parks to offer guided hikes on the first day of the new year.  The motivation is to get people out and enjoying NH's natural environments on the very first day of the year, hopefully influencing folks to make a resolution to continue that practice as the year progresses. If they can do it in the frigid temperatures of January, they can certainly handle any other month!  Land Stewards have been a huge part of that effort, helping to plan and organize the "First Day Hikes" event and leading or co-leading guided hikes.  This year, hikes were offered at Monadnock Reservation/Monadnock State Park and on the Little Harbor Loop Trail which runs through SPNHF's Creek Farm Reservation, the Wentworth-Coolidge State Historic Site, and City of Portsmouth conservation land.

First Day Hike at Monadnock

At Mount Monadnock, land stewards John and Lise Bigl led a group of about 20 explorers on a hike along the Parker Trail, which they steward for the Forest Society and Monadnock State Park.  The group had a great day- clear but cold at about 15 degrees above zero - they talked about wildlife habitat, land conservation, forestry and the storied history of Mt. Monadnock as they hiked.

Monadnock

In Portsmouth, the group of participants was large (over 60) and the group split into two factions to hike the Little Harbor Loop trail with SPNHF land stewards Marsha Richelli and Robley Hall as guides.  Children and families made up a good contingent in both hikes, which made for a fun and energetic time.  Check out this video put together by NH State Parks about the First Day Hikes program in New Hampshire.