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.