Summer - Piscataquog Land Conservancy

Summer 2012
Piscataquog News
THE PISCATAQUOG LAND CONSERVANCY NEWSLETTER
High Bridge to Soar Over
the Piscataquog Once Again!
by Paula Bellemore
T
he Lyndeborough Trails Association (LTA), in partnership with PLC and
Piscataquog Area Trailways (PAT), has been working tirelessly over the past
year to restore the scenic High Bridge – a jewel of the Piscataquog River
watershed trail system—which has long been in serious need of repair. Restoration
of the 70-year-old bridge is a critical component in a plan developed by the LTA to
build support for open space preservation through increased access to and enjoyment of the scenic beauty of our region.
The bridge, spanning a series of cascading waterfalls on the South Branch of the
Piscataquog River in the adjoining corners of New Boston, Lyndeborough, and
Francestown, links the trail systems of these towns and extends horseback riding,
hiking, biking, and skiing access to many miles of trails beyond. (Motorized vehicles
are prohibited.)
A $25,000 matching grant from the NH Bureau of Trails was awarded to the LTA
last year, subject to equal funds being raised by the community. Various organizations and individuals came together to make this project happen. PLC assisted as
fiscal sponsor, allowing all contributions to be tax deductible. The PAT held
fundraisers, volunteers sought donations and coordinated the project, and by the
end of June, funds had been raised and the bridge restoration work was nearly
complete with just a few more tweaks needed to make the bridge safe for horses
and children.
Many consider the High Bridge area to be one of the
most beautiful stretches of the Piscataquog River, and
it is sure to be a popular destination for equestrians
and pedestrians alike. Hidden from nearby roads,
High Bridge offers a happy surprise to wanderers
as they detect the sound of water coursing through
the gorge. Steps quicken and children scamper ahead
to the 51-foot span, which provides passage 18 feet
above the river. With luck, you might spot river otters
frolicking in the natural water slides. And in winter,
Mother Nature sometimes creates caves under ice
shelves ringed with a curtain of icicles.
High Bridge is a destination whose beauty is an unexpected discovery in this remote oasis. Once you’re
standing on its wooden planks, the beauty of the
surrounding landscape demands that you linger. And
linger you will.
PLC was pleased to partner with LTA and is still
accepting designated donations to support the LTA’s
Cross Lyndeborough Trail Network. You can find an
LTA trail map at http://tinyurl.com/blzk8wj.
PLC congratulates LTA and its partners on the
completion of this project, and extends its thanks
to Piscataquog Area Trailways, the NH Bureau of
Rivers and Trails, and the many individuals who
contributed to its success.
Directions: Follow class-VI High Bridge Road east
off the Second NH Turnpike in Lyndeborough or
south off South New Boston Road in Francestown
(opposite Dodge Hill Road). A short walk will take
you to the bridge.
NOTE: While access to the bridge is public, all
abutting land along the river is privately owned.
Please respect private property signage and
keep this area pristine.
TO CONSERVE
the natural and scenic environment of the Piscataquog River Watershed communities:
Deering ~ Dunbarton ~ Francestown ~ Goffstown ~ Greenfield ~ Henniker
Lyndeborough ~ Manchester ~ Mont Vernon ~ New Boston ~ Weare
PLC
FROM MY CORNER
by Paula Bellemore
PLC Executive Director
I
recently spent some time on one of PLC’s many conservation
properties with a long-time friend of PLC. It was wonderful
to walk the forest with no particular agenda, just enjoying the
weather, the peaceful forest, and the satisfaction of knowing that,
thanks to PLC, the forest would remain this magical forever.
That morning inspired an idea…
On the second Saturday of each month, I invite you to join us for a brief “insiders only” sneak peek into one of PLC’s 91 conservation
properties. Each month we’ll explore a different property, led by either me, Allison Gillum (our new Land Protection Specialist),
or one of our Board members. No reservations are required, and we’ll try to keep walks to 2 hours, allowing us all plenty of time
to tackle our Saturday “To Do” lists!
Destinations will be posted on the PLC website a few days ahead, so be sure to check there for walk details. We are looking forward
to these monthly walks with great company, and hope you’ll come along!
Chevy Hill Forest:
156 Acres Preserved
in Weare
Based on and excerpted from the Chevy Hill Forest Management Plan by
Jeremy Turner, Meadowsend Timberlands, Ltd. Photo by Deb Ives.
P
LC is pleased to partner once again with the Town of Weare and the Weare
Conservation Commission in an ongoing effort to preserve the Town’s
important natural resources. This summer the Town of Weare will place
a conservation easement held by the PLC on the 156-acre Chevy Hill Forest,
located along Chevy Hill and Tiffany Hill Roads, thus ensuring permanent protection of the wildlife habitat found here, and preserving the forest’s ability to tell
its story. As was the case across New England, agricultural use in Weare peaked
in the mid- to late-1800s and then slowed rapidly early last century as many
farmers throughout New England abandoned their difficult agrarian lifestyles.
The once open land of the Chevy Hill Forest thus began its slow transformation.
The open pasture land abandoned by farmers tended to favor the establishment
and growth of white pine. Today’s forest bears witness to that – with some trees
as much as 160 years old. Since then there has been a series of timber harvests,
as evidenced by the old forest access roads and tree stumps of varying ages. These
harvests have transformed the primarily pine forest to a mostly hardwood forest,
providing a variety of habitats for wildlife.
Today, hardwood browse can be found where more recent timber harvests have
taken place. Deer and moose evidence is abundant, as is bear sign, most notably
claw marks on beech trees likely made by bear frequenting the adjacent wetlands.
Red oak, fairly abundant on the property, provides acorns that are eaten by a
variety of birds and many mammals, including turkey and deer. The beech trees
here are another mast producer. Beechnuts are consumed by many birds and
mammals and are an important part of a black bear’s diet prior to hibernation.
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Prior timber harvesting has created pockets of young
seedlings and saplings surrounded by mature (and
sometimes intermediate aged) trees. The large snags
found near these openings offer perching sites for raptors and other birds. Standing dead trees with cavities
are a habitat requirement for as many as 40 different
types of songbirds. Residual woody material created by
logging also fosters forest life. As this woody debris
decays, it houses numerous insects, invertebrates, small
mammals, amphibians, birds, and larger mammals.
Downed logs also contribute to the cool, moist, shady
conditions necessary for amphibian survival.
Prior timber harvesting has created
pockets of young seedlings and
saplings surrounded by mature (and
sometimes intermediate aged) trees.
Chevy Hill Forest was acquired by the Town of Weare
in the mid-2000’s, and in 2010 a forest management
plan was completed for the property based on these
forest management goals and objectives in the Town’s
forest master plan:
1. Maintain the diversity of plant and animal life
so as to sustain ecological processes.
2. Maintain a healthy and vigorous forest that
can sustainably yield forest products.
3. Allow hunting, fishing, hiking, botanical
observation, wildlife observation, and other
recreational activities.
PLC is pleased to partner with the Town of Weare on
this and other conservation projects, and congratulates
the Weare Conservation Commission on their foresight
and diligence in preserving these and other important
town resources. To learn more about Weare’s Town
Forests visit www.weare.nh.gov/WCC/prop erties.html.
Stories Behind the Land: Lillian Sizemore
by John McCausland
E
very one of the 90 properties that PLC protects has a distinct
story to tell: a story of its forest, fields, streams or wetlands,
its wildlife and plants – but also a story about the people
with vision who made a commitment to protect their land forever
from habitat destruction and development.
The trails on PLC’s Dow-Sizemore Wildlife Preserve on Dudley
Brook Road in Weare have their own, ever unfolding, stories to
tell – and so does Lillian Sizemore, the generous and farsighted
woman who donated a conservation easement on the property
to PLC some 25 years ago. She and her husband, Bob, moved to
Weare in 1974. Bob had just retired
from the Air Force as a career officer,
serving as a fighter pilot in Korea and
Vietnam. Although the couple was from
Memphis, where they had known each
other as children, they were looking for
a retirement home in rural New
England – a refuge from the horrors of
war that Bob had experienced.
When Lillian would propose travel to some distant spot, Bob
would reply that the “happiest I ever am is on my little red tractor
in the middle of my own woods.” He was always glad to come
home. Bob lovingly tended the tiny old Dow cemetery by the road
at the corner of the property, running a hose from the house in a
futile effort to grow grass on the shaded, moss-covered graves.
In 1988 Bob Sizemore died and was buried in the Dow cemetery,
with space beside him for Lillian when her time comes. A neighbor
down the road had recently sold off some of his property to development, distressing the Sizemores at the impairment of the rural
character of their neighborhood. Although Lillian was moving to
Maine to be in a small house near
friends, she didn’t want to see
her beloved woods developed. So
she turned to an acquaintance,
Bobby Reeve, the Weare town
forester. Bobby brought in the
PLC, and a donation of the property was arranged.
Today a rustic sign welcomes
Lillian wanted a view, but they quickly
walkers to the trails Bob
discovered that their budget didn’t
Sizemore built. The woods are
extend to that. Bob wanted woods,
unusually attractive, a pleasing
but not evergreens; he loved New
example of an old growth forest.
Hampshire’s fall foliage, but didn’t like
The
Dow-Sizemore trails link to
conifers. Their real estate agent showed
others
that extend south along
them dozens of properties, but none
Dudley Brook over adjacent
A sign greets visitors to the Dow-Sizemore Wildlife
suited them until they came upon the
properties. A snowmobile trail
Preserve.
(Photo:
John
McCausland)
old Dow home on a gravel back road
is being planned by the Weare
along Dudley Brook in Weare. “This is
Winter Wanderers that, with
it,” Bob decreed, leaving Lillian sputtering over how to cope with
the antiquated kitchen. The house was heated only by wood cut PLC approval and Lillian Sizemore’s blessing, will utilize a small
from the 10-acre lot across the road. Although the land had hand- corner of the Dow-Sizemore trails to better connect Weare with
some, large, white pines, these were offset by enough maples, oaks, Henniker for winter recreation.
Today, telling me the tale of her and Bob’s beloved woods from
birch, and other deciduous trees to satisfy Bob.
Over the years that the Sizemores lived in the old Dow house, Bob her cozy home on the Maine coast, Lillian Sizemore glows with
devoted his days to their woodland. He built a system of trails happiness at the pleasure others derive from the property that
gracefully winding through the woods and over its gentle grades. meant so much to her and her late husband.
3
THANK YOU TO ALL OUR SUPPORTERS!
We couldn’t do it without you! We are grateful for each and every
gift we receive and hope we have accurately listed them all here.
If we’ve made a mistake, please let us know right away, and accept
our most humble apologies!
$10,000+
$100 - $249
Anonymous (1)
Jed Callen & Carol Hess
Anonymous (3)
Len & Meredeth Allen
Brewster & Elizabeth Ames
Maureen & Bill Arakelian
Francestown Garden Club
Barb Beers
Cheryl Blackwood
Michael & Sandra Boyko
Herb & Rosa Bromberg
Philip & Virginia Brooks
Meredith Bunting
Jennifer Carleton
Thomas & Elizabeth Clow
Andre & Mary Ellen Compagna
Larry & Brigitte Cook
David R. Craig, Esq.
Ms. Catherine C. D'Agostino
Michael & Jane Decubellis
Mike DePetrillo & Kari Lewis
Paul & Deb Doscher
Grace Dunklee Cohen
Donna & Andy Dunn
George Eastman
Melinda Gehris & Richard Head
Don & Patricia Grosso
Jim Halla & Jeanne Ann Whittington
Ann & Zeke Harkleroad
John & Fernanda Harrington
Sherry Hieber
Holy Cross Episcopal Church
Nancy & Tom Inui
Verne Kaminski
Linda Kent
Lake Horace Landowners Corporation
Stu Lewin
Matt & Janet Lewis
Linehan Family
Herb & Deborah Little
Ken & Lyn Lombard
Harold Losey
Dwight & Heather Lovejoy
Dick & Ann Ludders
John & Donna Magee
Irving & Elinor McDowell
Esther L. Merrill
David & Maria Merry
Marty Milkovic & Elizabeth Bauer
Patricia Myers & Carolyn Sheehan
Christine & Brian Nase
Greg & Ellen Neilley
Pat Nelson
Janet Nixon
Thomas M. Noel & Barbara U. Stewart
Jon W. Nute
Diane Padilla & Ellen Musinsky
Michael Pare
Stephen & Laura Peach
Ray Petty
Molly A. Poole & James Hands
$5,000-$9,999
Marilyn Jordon Taylor
John & Anne McCausland
$2,500-$4,999
Deanna & Michael Powell
Jim & Sara Shirley
Susan & Bill Tucker
Alicia Walker
$1,000-$2,499
Anonymous (1)
Julie & John Apostolos
Chris & Rosemary Conroy
Robert & Shirley French
Marion & Albert Hess
Merrimack Mortgage Company, Inc.
Charley Farley Home Loans
Michael Nolen
H. Randall & Gail Parker
Mr. & Mrs. David N. Seager
Jeremy & Carolynne Shinn
Joshua & Hollis Young
$500-$999
Peter & Linda Berg
Helen & Mike Dutton
Lisa Ferro
Richard Floreani
Craig & Terry Knowles
Dave & Karen Salerno
John & Linda Seager
Dwight & Cindy Sowerby
Dr. Charles & Frances Townes
$250 - $499
Anonymous (1)
Scott & Laura Arvin
Judy Badot & Ron Cheney
Paula Bellemore
Holly & James Cassidy
Cheryl Christner & Tim White
Peter & Nancy Clark
Chris & Rosemary Conroy
Goldsberry Family
Marcy & Ted Graham
Paul & Chris Hague
Joan & Dana Haley
Betsy & Ralph Holmes
Addie Ann Lambarth
Kirk & Judith Leoni
Sue & Robert Makowiecki
Heidi & Stephen Pope
Doug Powers & Doria Harris
Eric & Donna Seidel
Steve & Jane Silberberg
Tim Taylor & Diana Cooke
Burr Tupper & Mary Weiss
Arthur & Roberta Walmsley
4
Ann Preston
Hannah Proctor
Public Service of New Hampshire
James & Jane Raymond
Susan M. Ruggles
Beth Salerno & Tod Ramseyer
Jim Scott & Julie Kirklin
Catherine Shaw Clark
Winfield Shaw Clark
Mike & Patty Shearin
Lillian E. Sizemore
David & Jillian Smith
Joseph & Kelley Spoerl
Louis & Sandra Springer
Betty Straw
Lawrence & Pia Sunderland
Guy Swenson & Mary Lindstrom
Kelly Teevan
Patricia A. Thompson
Hon. Alan Thulander &
Barbara Thulander
Henry Tiffany
Bob & Laura Todd
Todd Land Use Consultants, LLC
Town and Country Animal Hospital
Peter, Sandi & Nat Van Scoyoc
Lowell Von Ruden
Margaret Watkins
Janet & Lenny White
John & Jane Whitmore
Barry & Lois Wicklow
David & Candy Woodbury
$1 - $99
Anonymous (5)
Abigail Arnold
Bob & Cathy Arredondo
Susan & David Avery
Richard & Sharon Backus
Peter Bixby & Francelle Carapetyan
Jamie Bodwell
Charles & Martine Bohnsack
Frank Bolton
Polly Brendle
Jon Brooks & Jami Boyle
Phil & Marge Bryce
Jane & Steve Brzozowski
Donald & Marjorie Burke
Andy Cadorette & Reta Chaffee
Ruth & Joan Carney
Thomas & Judith Carr
Don & Sarah Chapman
Bob & Donna Chase
Raymond P. Clement & Family
Thomas C. Cooper &
Rhonda Frisch-Cooper
Martha Cruciani
Sally B. Curran
Fred Daggett
Debra & James Davis
Heidi Dawidoff
Dorothy Dillon & Bill Dodge
Ellen Dokton
Mrs. Stephanie Dubreuil
Mark Dunn & Joan Gilmore
Barbara Eiermann
Ronald Elliott
David Erikson & Karen Broemme
Erik Fey & Kathleen Rutty-Fey
Suzanne Gilbert
Goffstown Community Garden Club
George Goodloe
William Gould & Marie Stanger
Marilyn Greenhalge
Floyd Guyette & Mary Koon
Betsy Hardwick & Jeff Tarr
Clay & Terry Harkins
David Harris
Ben & Robin Haubrich
Joe & Sue Hayden
Fred & Barbara Hayes
John Heckman
Jean Heinemann
Henniker Veterinary Hospital
George Holt & Dr. Deborah Sellars
David & Carol Hulick
Dr. & Mrs. J. B. Hunter
Debra & Stephen Ives
Ray James
Daryl Johnson & Corky Benson
Krissa Johnson
Holen Katz
Gerald & Christine King
J. Marcel LaFlamme & Carol Swiech
John & Kathleen Lassey
Robert & Lee LeComte
Brenda Lind & Eugene Kelly
Linda Lindgren
The Little Nature Museum
Jonathan Loeb
Holly MacAdam
Marilyn Magee
Chester Masel
Dennis &. Maureen McCanty
Barbara McKusick Liscord &
Paul Liscord
Kevin McLarnon & Barbara Sholl
Jack & Brandy Mitroff
Judith Morse
George Naum
George & Jean Newton
Dorthea Oneil
Joan K. Partridge
Ronald L. Perry
David & Ruth Pierce
Patricia Pine
Eleanor Porritt
Norman & Pauline Richard
Karen & Jim Roach
Cynthia & Anthony Roberts
Dana & Louise Robie
Susan & Michael Sheets
James & Joyce Smith & Chris Lippincott
Alice & Emily St Hilaire
Holly & Mica Stark
Henrietta Startup
Paul & Tamre Steinhauer
Jerry & Diana Sterling
Paul Susca
Bob & Lorraine Terry
April Teshima
Barbara A. Thomson
Steve & Jackie Tippett
Will & Phyllis Townsend
Joseph & Cora Trimbur
David Trumble & Linda Taylor
Jeannine & Patrick Tucker
Thomas & Christine Tyrie
Erwin & Jean Walker
John F. Walker
Stephen Walker & Diane DeLuca
Ellie Weiss & George Carvill
Susan Weiss
James & Sandra White
Beth, Marty & Hope Widmayer
Jonathan & Jessica Willard
Fred & Marie Williams
Barbara Wolman
Piscataquog Legacy Society
Members who have gifted land to PLC
or included PLC in their estate plans.
Craig & Terry Knowles
Jay & Dot Marden
Susan B. Martin
Shirley Mulligan
Pam Nalefski
Stephen Pope
Eleanor Porritt
Robert Reeve
Keith Robinson & Lauren Warner
Robert H. Rogers
Gordon & Barbara Russell
Hormoz Soheili
James & Sara Shirley
Barbara Sholl
Lillian E. Sizemore
Joel & Cindy Stave
Patty Sullivan & Martin Gastrock
Lawrence & Pia Sunderland
Martha Sunderland
Guy Swenson & Mary Lindstrom
Robert & Laura Todd
Aasta Torsen & James Robb
Alicia Walker
Arthur & Roberta Walmsley
Bill Wasserman
Paul Welch
Barry & Lois Wicklow
Carole & Murray Wigsten
Rod & Evangeline Wilson
Anonymous (2) **
Roland Barnard**
Wendy Baron**
Paula Bellemore
Mary Bunting-Smith†**
Thomas & Joan Burke
Jed Callen**
Martha Colburn†**
Robert† & Irene Colburn**
Christopher & Rosemary Conroy
Richard Daggy†**
Florence Dow†
Alison G. Edwards
Barbara Gannon**
Melissa Gervais
Bettina Hackett
Carol Hess**
M. Elizabeth Hughes†**
John & Anne McCausland**
Joseph Millimet**
Pat Nelson**
Sarah B. Patt
Pearle Preston†**
Arthur Rice
Lyn Rice
Gordon & Barbara Russell**
Joel & Cindy Stave
George Thomas†**
Nora & John† Tuthill**
Arthur & Roberta Walmsley
Lovell Wright†**
Conservation Easement
Stewardship & Protection Fund
** Charter member of Legacy Society
† Deceased
RBC Wealth Management
-The Losey Carleton Group, Concord
Lifetime Members
2011 Annual Meeting
Chuck & Joanne Aubin
Jon Brooks & Jami Boyle
Philip & Virginia Brooks
David Brooks
Donald & Marjorie Burke
Tiffany & Dennis Calcutt
Winfield Shaw Clark
Alexander Clark
Dr. Judy & David Corbit
Paul & Deborra Doscher
Tom Grossman
Shawn & Denise Hawkes
Craig & Crystal Heafield
Elliott & Alison Hersey
Dr. Kathryn Kachavos
Dwight Sowerby, Esquire, Milford
Chuck & Joanne Aubin
Douglas A. McIninch
Michael Nolen
Arthur & Roberta Walmsley
Land Protection Assistance Fund
Julie & John Apostolos
Ken & Lyn Lombard
Evelyn & Michael Miller
Michael Nolen
Business Sponsors
2011-2012 Walk in the Woods!
New Boston Dental Care, PLLC
2011 Lobster by the River
Members who have preserved their land Studio Buteo, Weare
with a conservation easement.
2011 Volunteer Appreciation Gifts
Services & Support in Kind
Baldwin & Callen, PLLC, Concord
Brown Graphix, Goffstown
Country 3 Corners & Woodbury Gardens, Weare
Mark Dunn Law Offices, Concord
Floyd Guyette, General Contractor, Weare
Hess Gehris Solutions, Bow
Holy Cross Episcopal Church, Weare
Intuit, Inc., Mountain View, CA
Northeast Café, New Boston
Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, WA
Middle Branch Farm, New Boston
MV Communications, Manchester
New England Document Systems, Hooksett
Peregrine Design, LLC, Bow
Southern New Hampshire Planning Commission
Summit Computer Services, Weare
TechSoup, San Francisco, CA
Todd Land Use Consultants, New Boston
Town & Country Reprographics, Concord
UNH Cooperative Extension, Durham
Weber Stave Design, New Boston
Whipple Free Library, New Boston
In Memory of:
Jean “Grandma” Akers by Julie & John Apostolos
Martha & Sam Brooks by Philip & Virgnia Brooks
Ken & Dot Marvel by David & Linda Seager
John Palmer by Floyd Guyette & Mary Koon
Tom Pine by Patricia Pine
R.E. Sizemore by Lillian Sizemore
In Honor of:
The Clapp Family by Mica & Holly Stark
Brian & Darcy Drayton, as a belated Christmas gift by Paul Steinhauer
Carol Hess & Jed Callen by Albert & Marion Hess
John Magee with love by Meg & Dad
“My Parents” by Susan Gissler
Pat Nelson’s work as PLC newsletter editor
by Barbara Wolman
Janet Sholl by Barbara Sholl & Kevin McLarnon
Wm. R. Thompson by Susan Sheets
SUSTAINING MEMBERS
A special thanks to our Sustainers! Each made a
commitment of monthly support for the coming
year, and earned PLC an extra $100 from a donor.
Having this steady income stream helps keep
PLC on an even keel. Thank you!
To set up a monthly contribution on a credit or
debit card, please contact the PLC office.
$1,000+ ($85+/month)
Rosemary & Chris Conroy
Jerry & Carolynne Shinn
Josh & Holly Young
$500 – $999 ($40-85/month)
Mike & Helen Dutton
John & Linda Seager
$250 – $499 ($20-40/month)
Peter & Linda Berg
Holly Cassidy
Lisa Ferro
Joan Haley
John McCausland
David & Linda Seager
$100 – $249 ($8.50-20/month)
Richard & Sharon Backus
Paula Bellemore
Linda Kent
Pat Myers & Carolyn Sheehan
Greg & Ellen Neilley
Pat Nelson
Molly Poole & James Hands
Kelly Teevan
Janet & Lenny White
Cardinal flower, Lobelia cardinalis Photo: Kristen Smith
5
In Your Backyard:
Geocaching on PLC Properties
With data compiled by Vicki Smerekanicz
G
eocaching, a family-friendly, outdoor treasure hunting game played using
a GPS-enabled device, has now come to PLC! After carefully drafting
guidelines for the placement of caches, we have approved four caches to
date on two of our conservation properties:
• The Tuthill Woodlands Preserve, located off of Tucker Mill Road in
New Boston (two caches placed near some really neat spots)
• The Thomas Sanctuary off of Dougherty Lane in New Boston (two caches)
These are the first in a series of caches planned for PLC properties, but there are
numerous other caches throughout the watershed.
In case you’re not familiar with geocaching, this fun outdoor activity was created in
April 2000, and is now enjoyed by millions world-wide. Using a GPS unit to locate
a hidden cache can lead you to discover little known special places, scenic views, or
unique natural features you might never have found otherwise. Because children
particularly love the excitement of seeking out a hidden treasure, geocaching
provides a shared adventure for parent and child – and that has to be a good thing!
After choosing a geocache location from www.geocaching.com, participants use
their GPS to navigate to the supplied coordinates where they begin to search for
a well-hidden cache. The cache itself is some kind of container that might be
camouflaged under leaf litter, hidden in a hollow log, tucked under a rock, or
hidden in some other creative way. Geocaches are widespread, and their numbers are
growing daily. Who knows? There might be a geocache right in your neighborhood!
Claire Ives explores the contents of the geocache
Inside the cache box you’ll find a logbook, and perhaps a trinket for swapping – so
box she just found using a GPS unit.
come prepared with a trinket to leave. Interesting coins or small trinkets symbolic of
(Photo: Deb Ives)
your area are popular. Some of these items can even be tracked as they travel around
the world. Tallying your “finds” is really the only score kept in this sport, and although some like to be the first to find a newly placed
cache, or enjoy the challenge of finding the more secretive caches, the only real competition is with yourself. Geocaching is primarily
a fun activity that encourages exploration in the great outdoors.
To learn more or get started, visit www.geocaching.com to register for free access to geocache coordinates. There is also a beginner’s
guide at http://tinyurl.com/d6eamgd.
If you’re interested in geocaching, but don’t have a smart phone or GPS unit, there are two units available to borrow at the PLC
office, and volunteers are willing to provide geocaching assistance and tutorials. In fact, we happen to know there are a few caches
within a short walk from the PLC office – so why not go on a treasure hunt soon?
BOARD OF
DIRECTORS
President
Carol Hess
PLC OFFICE
603.487.3331
Executive Director
Paula Bellemore
Land Protection Specialist
Allison Gillum
Office Administrator
Barbara Hayes
Stewardship Coordinator
Debra Ives
6
Vice President
Bill Tucker
Treasurer
Gail Parker
Secretary
John McCausland
Directors
Rosemary Conroy
Paul Doscher
Brenda Lind
Mike Powell
Jim Shirley
Dwight Sowerby
Directors
Emeriti
Randy Parker
Gordon Russell
Robert Todd
Margaret Watkins
Legal
Counsel
Jed Callen
Newsletter
Editor
Pat Nelson
Newsletter
Design
Weber Stave Design
COMMITTEE
MEMBERS
Development
Jed Callen
Rosemary Conroy
Carol Hess
Mike Powell
Joshua Young
Invasive Species
Lyn Lombard
Hannah Proctor
Land Protection
Paul Doscher
Len Allen
Jed Callen
Kim DiPietro
John McCausland
Finance
David Nieman
Gail Parker
Stephanie Dubreuil Graham Pendlebury
David Preece
Dwight Sowerby
Jason Reimers
Bill Tucker
Jim Shirley
Peter Warecki
Keeping Track
Coordinator
Barbara Thomson
Outreach
Rosemary Conroy
Pat Nelson
Cindy Roberts
Cindy Stave
Stewardship
Len Allen
Jim Bannon
Brenda Lind
Graham Pendlebury
Steve Walker
phosphorus. Too many nutrients can over fertilize water,
which can lead to it containing too much algae and too
little oxygen.
Finally, downed trees can slow down stream flows and
help stabilize stream beds and stream banks, reducing
erosion and thereby reducing the amount of sediment in
the water downstream.
Ask the Science Guy:
Before 1970, downed trees were believed to be harmful
to fisheries by blocking upstream fish migration and
depleting oxygen in the water. Research over the years
has proven otherwise. In fact, carefully adding downed
trees to streams is often part of stream restoration. But
a natural wooded buffer along the stream bank will do
that all by itself if left alone.
Let Sleeping
Logs Lie
by Paul Susca
(Photo: Janet White)
Q: Should downed trees in streams be removed?
A: As you can probably guess from the title of this article, the answer
usually is no. Downed trees are generally thought of – by professionals
who know about such things – as good for life in the stream. Downed
trees (by which I mean individual logs, branches, and roots, as well as
whole trees) shelter fish from flows that are too fast for them to spawn,
raise their young, and forage for food. They can also help fish hide from
predators. Just ask any angler how many lures they’ve lost in snags! The
surface of the wood also provides a place to grow for microbes that serve
as the basis for a stream’s food chain.
Downed trees also help stream insects such as mayflies and stoneflies in
several ways. First, they trap leaf matter, providing a place for some
stream insects to live. Second, the insects rely on such leaf matter and the
wood itself for nutrients. Third, stream insects need places to emerge
from the water as they mature, and downed trees provide this as well.
Downed trees can even help make the water cleaner by whipping air into
the water, thereby increasing the amount of oxygen dissolved in the
water, which is good for fish such as trout that need high amounts of
oxygen in water. Another way downed trees can help clean water is
by trapping sediment that contains high amounts of nutrients such as
According to the NH Department of Environmental
Services (DES), a downed tree should be removed
from a stream only if it poses an imminent threat to
human safety, river integrity, or public infrastructure. An
example of this would be a blocked culvert. If there’s no
imminent hazard, DES recommends that “large woody
material” be left in a stream.
The long arm of the log!
A wetlands permit is generally not required to remove
downed trees if all of the following conditions are met:
no tracked or wheeled vehicles enter the streambed or
banks, you use only manual equipment or you use larger
equipment (such as a winch or excavator) from the top of
the bank, the streambed and bottom are not disturbed,
materials removed are placed outside of wetlands, and
removal is done gradually to prevent a sudden release of
impounded water that could cause erosion or siltation.
In some situations, you will need a permit, so it’s best to
check with the DES Wetlands Bureau first.
The author cannot take credit for the title puns in this
article! They and much of the information are taken from
NHDES fact sheet WD-R&L-21, Managing Large Woody
Material in Rivers and Streams, 2012.
Thank you, David & Linda!
Many thanks to David and Linda Seager, who donated $1500 to PLC to
honor the memory of Linda's late parents, Ken & Dot Marvell. Ken was a
charter member of the PLC (PWA) and one of our first board members. He
and Dot were active conservationists and tree farmers who “walked the
walk” in stewarding their award-winning Sunset Tree Farm in New Boston.
Their legacy lives on in the trees and trails of that remarkable forest.
Linda and David, at left, hosted PLC’s spring easement monitor training and
had fun learning how to use one of those “newfangled GPS thingamabobs.”
(Photo: Paula Bellemore)
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Don’t Miss These Events:
New! Monthly Second Saturday Hikes (See page 2.)
September 9 – Lobster on the River (See page 3.)
October 27 – Annual Meeting – Save the date!
Summer 2012 Volume 24, No.2
Piscataquog News
THE PISCATAQUOG LAND CONSERVANCY NEWSLETTER
Gorge-ous new footbridge
soars over the Piscataquog!
IN THIS ISSUE
High Bridge Soars Again!
Page 1
Second Saturday Walks
Page 2
Protecting Chevy Hill in Weare
Page 2
Dow-Sizemore Wildlife Preserve in Weare Page 3
Lobster on the River
Honor Roll of PLC Supporters
Page 3
Pages 4-5
Geocaching for Fun on PLC Properties
Page 6
Let Sleeping Logs Lie
Page 7
Looking down from the bridge to some of the falls.
(Photo: Pat Nelson)
A Gift in Honor of Ken & Dot Marvell
Page 7
Find out where it is in the cover story.