Interpretive Nature Hike for the Lyndeborough Trails Association

The newly formed Lyndeborough Trails Association (http://lyndeboroughtrails.blogspot.com/) seeks to improve and expand the trail network in Lyndeborough, New Hampshire. Joe Trudeau led a half-day hike up "The Pinnacle" to describe to the group the history, flora, fauna, and natural communities along the trail. Additionally, Joe created a trail map based off of the work he did for the Natural Resources Inventory earlier in the year. The Pinnacle features the headwaters of Cold Brook, an important tributary to the Piscataquog River, as well as uncommon dry shrubland communities giving habitat to more than 20 native shrub species. The views are among the finest in the Monadnock Region, encompassing a panorama from the Wapack Range, to Monandnock, Crotched Mountain, and all the way to the Presidential Range 100 miles north.

The view from The Pinnacle, two days after the 2008 Ice Storm

Clement Hill Forest Management Plan, Deering N.H.

We were asked to prepare a forest management plan for a 54 acre forested property in Deering, NH. Most of the land is protected by a Conservation Easement held by the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests. It is part of a conservation block totalling over 2,600 acres that straddles the Hillsborough, Henniker, and Deering borders.

The project was a challenge as it was logged over the past winter, and part of our job was to inventory what was there, not just what is there now. We collected data on wetlands, hydrology, understory flora, wildlife, overstory trees, regeneration, stand dynamics, and harvest effects on the residual stand.

A major highlight was locating a unique enriched hardwood seepage forest featuring black ash, basswood, elm, hornbeam, and a very rich herbaceous understory. We also observed breeding rose-breasted grosbeaks, an uncommon bird in the northeast in the spring. Unusual plants like oak fern and baneberry occurred in the mature forests low in the property, while the closest areas to the road featured great early successioanl forest habitat in dense pole stands of aspen and mixed hardwoods.

To protect private property rights we are choosing to not post the management plan for public viewing, but if you own land and would like to see a sample of this type of work feel free to contact us and we can show you portions of some management plans to give you and idea of what we can do for you and your property.

Forest Guild Pisgah Old Growth Outing

Forest Guild members and other interested:

The upcoming Pisgah State Park old-growth forest field trip (July 19, 2009) has homework! To gain a better perspective of the history and conditions of the Pisgah forests, see this great paper by Harvard's David Foster. Check back in just before the outing for any additional information.

To download 2mb pdf visit our file sharing link below:

http://groups.google.com/group/preservelandworks

Also, you can download the tri-fold brochure of the outing at that site for all the information you'll need.

Mapping Protected Lands and Natural Features of Roxbury, N.H. and Surroundings

Private landowners in Roxbury requested a detailed conservation lands map for their own uses. They enjoy exploring the wild lands around them, but a good regional map is not available. This is a problem common to southwestern New Hampshire; plenty of open spaces to enjoy but few maps showing any detail. In addition to navigation, our clients, Amy & Carol, have discussed the possibility of protecting their own 17 acres. The map shows to them the various entities involved in land conservation in the area, the levels of protection of these areas, and it highlights the connectivity of these lands. A surprising 5,300 acres of conservation land are contiguous, and only minutes from the city of Keene. Amy & Carols property, which has extensive frontage on Spectacle Pond, would expand that base of contiguous conservation land and continue on the thoughtful work of many landowners, municipalities, and land trusts who have over the years amassed this impressive block of protected land.

Conservation Lands Mapping for Souhegan Valley Land Trust

The Souhegan Valley Land Trust (SVLT) recently deeded a critical piece of conservation land to the Town of Lyndeborough, NH. While only a few acres in size, the Lower Purgatory Falls Conservation Area features a spectacular 30 foot waterfall, popular hiking trails, historic sawmill infrastructure, and a stretch of Purgatory Brook. This property is within the Purgatory Brook Conservation Focus Area identified by Preserve Land Works for Lyndeborough in the Natural Resources Inventory we recently completed. SVLT asked us to prepare a publication quality GIS-based map of the area to serve as a baseline documentation of the property and the surrounding parcels.

Edward McDowell Lake Trail Maintenance

2009 marks the second year Preserve Land Works was chosen to maintain the trail system at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Edward McDowell Lake Project. The 1,200 acre tract of public land encompasses several miles of beautiful brooks, extensive wetlands, and unmanaged upland forests. The December 2008 ice storm toppled and damaged many trees, leaving the trails in terrible condition. We have been working hard to open the trails and fell hazard trees in close proximity to the trails. The West Ridge Trail follows the west side of the lake from NH Route 137 to the dam at the base of the lake. The trail passes through incredible mature forest well on its way towards attaining an 'old-growth' character. If you're up for a hike and would like to see something new, try this trail out, and enjoy the hard work we've been putting in for the publics benefit. Details can be found at the project webpage: http://www.nae.usace.army.mil/recreati/eml/emlhome.htm

Fruit Tree Pruning

The pruning season has come to an end, as buds have broken, leaves have appeared, and some trees are flowering. This season we pruned over 70 apple, crabapple, pear, cherry, peach, and other fruit trees in Lyndeborough, Greenfield, Hancock, and Peterborough, NH. Most of these trees had not been pruned or released for almost a decade. Maintaining fruit trees is an important aspect of conservation. The flowers are valuable pollinator habitat, the fruits are enjoyed by wildlife and people alike, and the diversity of varieties and strains protects our region from large scale destruction by tree pests and pathogens. Furthermore, unpruned fruit trees can look unsightly and will not live as long as well cared for trees. It is sad to see many of the once lively and productive orchards in southwestern NH growing in and falling apart. We are proud to be part of the effort to revitalize and restore these important trees throughout the region, and we applaud the efforts of commercial orchards and private landowners who are maintaining this tradition despite difficult economic pressures. As the global economy continues to change and localization becomes even more important, we will be thankful for those who took the effort to keep these trees healthy and abundant. If you have fruit trees on your property and would like a professional assessment of their health and options for conservation, call us up and we'll take a look. However, we won't be pruning again until March 2010.