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Field Trips

Morse Preserve Snowshoe Hike

Saturday, February 11, 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Evelyn H. & Albert D. Morse, Sr. Preserve, Alton

Animal tracking is at its best in the snow. Join Forest Society Land Stewards Ken and Suzanne Marvin on a snowshoe hike on the Evelyn H. & Albert D. Morse, Sr. Preserve and learn about wild animals and Alton Mountain area history. This 1.7-mile hike is somewhat challenging, but will take place at a pace most can enjoy. Be prepared for wind and very cold conditions, and bring winter layers, snowshoes, lunch, and water. Preregistration requested; click the "Register" button above or contact Tina at or 603-224-9945 ext. 313.

Timber Harvest Tour

Saturday, February 18, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
(snow date: Sunday, February 19)

Donas J. & Margaret Reney Memorial Forest, Grantham

Learn about sustainable forestry with Forest Society staff and consulting forester Jeremy Turner from Meadowsend Timberlands Ltd. Find out which trees have been selected to be cut in a thinning to improve overall timber stand quality, and learn about wood markets and the diverse mix of wood products generated by a careful timber harvest. You'll also see logging equipment firsthand. Moderate hiking along skidder trails.

Cosponsored by Meadowsend Timberlands Ltd.

Mammal Tracking and Conservation Snowshoe Tour

Saturday, February 25, noon to 4 p.m.
(snow date: Sunday, February 26)

Monadnock State Park to Royce Tract, Jaffrey

Join Forest Society staff on a guided snowshoe hike from the Monadnock State Park headquarters along the Old Keene Road and adjacent cross-country ski trails. We'll look for tracks and signs of winter wildlife while learning about the effort to add 400 acres to the Monadnock Reservation land.

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Special Events

Wild Apple Tree Pruning Workshop

Saturday, April 7, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Harris Center for Conservation Education and the Forest Society's Welch Family Farm & Forest, Hancock

Releasing and pruning wild apple trees can keep them healthy and lead to greater fruit production for wildlife. Forest Society Director of The Rocks Estate Nigel Manly will lead this basic introduction.

This workshop is sponsored jointly by the Forest Society and the Harris Center for Conservation Education.

Saving Special Places 2012

Saturday, April 14

John Stark Regional High School, Weare

Saving Special Places is New Hampshire's largest annual conservation event. Whether you're new to conservation and want to learn from the people who do it every day or you're an old hand wanting to network with colleagues, Saving Special Places is not to be missed. Visit www.savingspecialplaces.org for more information.

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Cottrell-Baldwin Environmental Lecture Series

Conservation and Management – It's for the Birds!

The annual Cottrell-Baldwin Environmental Lecture Series celebrates the environmental and scholarly legacy of Bill and Annette Cottrell and State Research Forester Henry Baldwin.

All events will take place at the Henry Baldwin Classroom at Fox State Forest in Hillsborough. Click here for a map.

Pre-registration is not required; contact Tina at 224-9945 ext. 313 or for more information.

Co-sponsored by the The New Hampshire Division of Forests and Lands, Caroline A. Fox Research and Demonstration Forest.

A (Boat) Trip through Time with the Birds of Lake Umbagog

Tuesday, March 13, 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Lake Umbagog is one of the wildest, most bird-rich areas in all of northern New England. Bob Quinn from Merlin Enterprises Eco-Tours will share the dramatic scenery of this remote area and talk about some of the fascinating changes in Lake Umbagog's bird life over the last 130 years. The focus of the program will be on the Lake Umabgog National Wildlife Refuge and its efforts to protect this dazzling northern lake and the surrounding forests.

Habitat Management for Birds and Biodiversity

Tuesday, March 20, 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Research Wildlife Biologist David King from the USFS Northern Research Station, Amherst MA will discuss trends in early-successional habitats and the species that depend on them. Many bird species are declining and require habitat protection and management for their numbers to persist. Landowners and natural resource managers play crucial roles in managing farmlands, forests and wetland habitats to maximize avian diversity and to protect special features within these habitats.

The State of Birds: How You Can Help NH Bird Populations

Tuesday, March 27, 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

The recent State of New Hampshire's Birds: A Conservation Guide cites current population trends by habitat types, the challenges and specific actions you can take to sustain avian diversity in the Granite State. Audubon Society of New Hampshire Avian Conservation Biologist Pam Hunt will share some current trends and primary threats to long-distance migrant birds during their non-breeding seasons.

Fox Forest Birding: Early Migrants Arrive in Hillsborough

Saturday, April 28, 8 a.m. to 10 a.m.

Audubon Society of New Hampshire Senior Biologist Diane DeLuca will describe the habitat needs, breeding behavior, plumage and songs of early migrant birds as they return to our forests. Participants will explore a number of habitats, including wetlands and early succession forest.

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North Country Calendar

Visit www.therocks.org/calendar.php for a calendar of events happening at The Rocks and in the surrounding area.

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Exhibits at the Conservation Center

Exhibits are open for viewing weekdays 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. A percentage of sales will benefit the work of the Forest Society.

Please call 603-224-9945 before visiting as the exhibit room may be in use. It also serves as a meeting space.

Ross Bachelder: Ruin, Reclamation, and Renewal: For all Good Things, a Second Life

Tuesday, January 3 through Wednesday, February 29

Ross Bachelder has been active in northern New England for many years as a writer, musician, theatre professional, arts advocate, public speaker and multi-media visual artist. In his photography, he seeks to chronicle the inherent beauty of things, even items long abandoned and believed to be ugly and useless. "When we allow our eyes and our minds to be as open as thirsty flowers in a springtime meadow, we can see beauty everywhere we turn, in all its forms and complexities," he says.

A resident of Berwick, Maine, Bachelder is the manager of the Frame Shop and Franklin Gallery at Ben Franklin Crafts in Rochester, NH. He is also the founder of Artful Endeavors New England and the Founder and Coordinator of the Kittery Art Association Seacoast Moderns.

Brian Simm: New Hampshire's Woods and Mountains

Thursday, March 1 through Monday, April 30

Although he hailed from Melrose, Mass., Brian Simm lived in Hillsborough, NH for 50 years. A district forester for the State of New Hampshire for 35 years, his love for the New Hampshire landscape and the Maine coast shines through his work.

He began painting in oils at age 40 and took classes in watercolor painting at the Sharon Arts Center a few years later. He also attended art classes in Contoocook and Hopkinton for many years. He exhibited at the Sharon Arts Center, at the annual Hopkinton art show, and participated in the Hillsborough Area Artisans Tour. Brian passed away seven years ago.