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Save the Forest, Cut the Trees
How logging and conservation intersect in New Hampshire
By Jeff Mucciarone, The Hippo

Foresters and loggers often get a bad rap for the harvesting part of the job. Forestry is still about making money from a forest's byproduct — wood. But that's not all it's about.

Rocks Estate to Serve as Sentinel Site for Asian Longhorned Beetle

The Asian Longhorned Beetle (ALB) is an exotic pest that threatens our forest resources and community trees. It attacks a variety of hardwoods, but the insect is especially attracted to painted maple trees. The maples at The Rocks Estate will serve as a focal point for outreach and education sessions on this foreign forest pest.

Group Trying to Restore Chestnut Trees
By David Brooks, The Cabinet

Hudson is home to one of the rarest examples of a long-gone American giant. The Chestnut's fat-rich nuts fed wildlife, as well as people, while its wood was prized for being rot resistant, strong and light. For centuries, it was a bulwark of America's forests and forestry industry. Then the blight hit, arriving from Asia.

Barrington's Stonehouse Pond Becomes Conservation Land

The natural beauty of Stonehouse Pond will be available to all those who seek it for generations to come, thanks to the efforts of the Trust for Public Land and Strafford Rivers Conservancy.

Grants Available to Fund Land Conservation Projects in Western NH

The Quabbin-to-Cardigan Partnership (Q2C) is seeking proposals for its second round of land conservation grants. Up to $50,000 per project will be awarded to non-profit land trusts, state agencies, and municipalities to fund transaction-related expenses on land conservation projects in New Hampshire's Quabbin-to-Cardigan region.

Visit the partnership at www.q2cpartnership.org.

NH's State Parks in a Sad State
By Melanie Plenda, Union Leader

Like many of New Hampshire's 92 state parks, natural areas and rest areas, Chesterfield Gorge was once a beautiful place for families to hike, picnic, use the rest room and get local tourist information. Now the area has fallen into disrepair.

State parks need a vision – and a realistic budget
By Jim O'Brien, Concord Monitor

"Gov. John Lynch has made ensuring our state parks remain jewels for all to enjoy a priority." - Lynch campaign website, July 8, 2010.

"There isn't one park that isn't in disrepair." - State Parks Director Ted Austin, Union Leader, July 7, 2010

Which of these two statements do you believe tells the real story of New Hampshire's state parks?

State Seeks Public Input on Pisgah State Park Management Plan

At 13,000 acres, Pisgah is New Hampshire's largest state park and not far from Brattleboro, VT and the Massachusetts border. Take a look at the management plan proposed by the Department of Resources and Economic Development, and let them know your thoughts.

Forest Society Volunteers Organize Effort to Repair Bridges at McCabe Forest

Forest Society Land Steward Peter Moore recently led a workday at the McCabe Forest in Antrim to re-set the footbridge and bog bridges that had floated away from their intended locations earlier this year.

Local Family Helps Ensure Monson Lives on
By Eric Stanway, Nashua Telegraph

Life in 18th-century New England was a difficult and uncertain affair, as early settlers found themselves at the mercy of bears, wolves and irate natives. It was in this environment that the town of Monson was founded in 1746. Things were never particularly promising for the nascent settlement: Monson existed for only 24 years. You can still see the ancient cellar holes at this Forest Society reservation thanks to local residents Russ and the late Geri Dickerman.

Mourning a Beloved Artist
By Karen Langley, Concord Monitor

The conservation community was deeply saddened to hear of the untimely passing of artist Lenita Bofinger, well known for her watercolors of the natural world. Lenita was the wife of former Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests' president/forester Paul Bofinger. Her artwork is currently included in the Merrimack River Painters exhibit at Pierce Law Center (see Events below).

Help the Forest Society Maintain the Merrimack River Floodplain

Each year, the Forest Society welcomes thousands of visitors to its Merrimack River Outdoor Education and Conservation Area in Concord. Traffic is particularly intense during the summer months, when the cool river waters beckon swimmers from near and far. We're grateful for the support we've received from Northeast Delta Dental and Grappone Auto Group, but we need your help, too.

Telltale Signs of Forests Aging – Naturally
By Dave Anderson

We tend to imagine forests as unchanging in the span of our lifetimes. Truth is: it's often in the midst of summer that we first notice decline of a shade tree or thinning in the canopy where blue sky shows amid green leaves.

Breakfast Before Hours

Join the Society for the Protection of NH Forests and the Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce for a delightful summer "Breakfast Before Hours" at the Conservation Center. Tuesday, July 27, 2010, the Concord Chamber of Commerce will be holding one of its popular Breakfast Before Hours networking events from 7:30 to 9 a.m. on the deck of the Forest Society's Conservation Center overlooking the city. Tours of the award-winning energy-efficient buildings will be available, including the new interpretative panels in the lobby. RSVP to the Chamber of Commerce at 603-224-8128 or register online at www.concordnhchamber.com.

New Hampshire Businesses for Social Responsibility Tours Conservation Center

New Hampshire Businesses for Social Responsibility had its first "Go On Tour" of 2010 at the Forest Society's Conservation Center. Guests enjoyed lively discussions plus tours of the building, the woodchip gasifier, and the grounds.

Main Street and Back Roads/Bethlehem, NH
Chronicle, WCVBTV

The Rocks Estate was recently featured on Chronicle as part of a story on Bethlehem, NH. This small town high up in the White Mountains is bouncing back, thanks to an infusion of women entrepreneurs, the purple explosion of the Lupine Festival, and other local efforts.