Newsletter Long Meadow Brook Conservation Easement by Tom Henderson with Linda and Heinrich Wurm

Spring/Summer 2014 Newsletter Long Meadow Brook Conservation Easement By Tom Henderson with Linda and Heinrich Wurm inda and Heinrich Wurm recently the second meadow and seventy-nine acres oped area means the water falling on the donated a conservation easement on of surrounding upland forest. surrounding forestland is least likely to disrupt Lland at Long Meadow Brook in Stow. the functional integrity of the entire hydrologic In reflecting upon their action, they wrote: “It will forever remain a place system of the brook and the Lower Bay of “The Land, as our family and friends call the where folks can take a stroll on Kezar Lake. close to 100 acres of woods, meadows and an easy path and listen to the The Land is further described by the brook we bought fourteen years ago, is now ever present hermit thrush, be Wurms as “A network of stone walls, some the latest addition to our Land Trust’s necklace spooked by a grouse, ‘talk’ to gravel pits, evidence of timber harvesting and of preserved properties to the west of Lower the foundations and cellar hole of the former Bay.” a barred owl, observe a red- Seavy School, remains of 19th century Main- For several years, the GLLT has focused tailed hawk over a clearing, ers eking out a living in this somewhat remote its land protection efforts on properties that get a rare glimpse of a moose area that belongs to the town of Stow. Those can build connectivity to previously protected sifting through Long Meadow pastures had a commanding view across the lands. The goal is to preserve viable, native Brook, or cross paths with a brook toward the White Mountains from Ke- wildlife populations through the preservation family of porcupines.” arsarge North to Baldface, a view that is now of the habitats upon which they depend and almost completely obstructed but not lost on land bridges between these habitats to permit developers who owned the land before us. “ movement between them. The Long Meadow These meadow lands provide valuable “Shortly after we bought this land and Brook conservation easement property is lo- hydrologic benefits that help to keep our once we had a forest management plan, we cated in the Western Wildlife Corridor focus water clean. The deep organic soils capture embarked on a Wildlife Habitat Incentive area. Its diversity of healthy forest and wet- large volumes of storm water and filter it Program offered by the Natural Resources lands adds greatly to that effort. during a slow release back to the brook or Conservation Service, a branch of the US “It will forever remain a place where folks into the groundwater. This slow release also Department of Agriculture. The program al- can take a stroll on an easy path,” stated the provides consistent flow year round, thereby lowed returning some of the land to its 19th Wurms, “and listen to the ever present hermit aiding aquatic life and wildlife. The fact that century status by creating two large meadows thrush, be spooked by a grouse, ‘talk’ to a Long Meadow Brook is in a sparsely devel- —continued on page 10 barred owl, observe a red-tailed hawk over a clearing, get a rare glimpse of a moose sifting through Long Meadow Brook, or cross paths with a family of porcupines. All this beauty, however, is heavily guarded by an air flotilla of belligerent deer flies rising from the mud of our wet lands, defending this territory as their own from late June to August.” Long Meadow Brook is likely so named due to the lowland meadows that are char- acteristic along its short course from the base of Creeper Hill to the Lower Bay of Kezar Lake. The largest meadow, approximately 100 acres, begins about halfway along its journey and is similar in character to the well- known and nearby Stow Meadows associ- ated with Cold Brook. There are two smaller meadows that occur further downstream. The land preserved by the Long Meadow Brook conservation easement includes eight acres of President’s Message by Bob Winship Notes from the Desk by Tom Henderson, Executive Director ell, here comes summer again ell, it has happened again! and a chance to get out on the Another special moment pre- Wland and water in our beauti- Wsented itself and my son and ful little corner of Maine. Once we get past I were lucky to play a part. This has been a the black flies, I know it’s going to be great. rather traditional winter. Some will say it was a The next big decision is going to be, where longer winter, others a colder winter; I am call- are we hiking or paddling today? When I head down to the office and talk with Tom ing it a traditional but brutal winter. It began about the condition of the trails, I am always early and lingered, which has been brutal on astonished at the choices available. With the firewood needs of many (I burned a re- nearly five-thousand acres of forest and lakes cord 7 cords and ran out). And the cutting of now protected by the GLLT and almost three next year’s wood was all but impossible after thousand of those acres open for public use, the snow depth approached four feet. Area I am reminded of how successful we have roads have been brutalized, which in turn, been since Dr. Howard Corwin started this has been brutal on any vehicle that braved endeavor in 1985. the broken surfaces. Our baseball coaches’ Howard recognized from the beginning meeting on April 1st was peppered with jokes that education about the environment and about never being able to get onto the fields the practice of protecting land for future gen- ever again. And the poor maple syrup pro- erations would be important in realizing the success of the Greater Lovell Land Trust. As ducers—my yield was down to a mere 10% of you know, we conduct an annual “Education any average year. Meeting” every August, not merely an “An- Maple syrup—that was the special mo- nual Meeting.” The emphasis on education ment I started to tell you about. Bernie is our has grown over the years and we now have resident barred owl, so named because we available the services of an Education Direc- spawning habitat for land-locked salmon, and find Albany South for the latest details on don’t know its gender--Bernice or Bernard. He tor to manage the “Walks and Talks” pro- which are making a comeback under a resto- the project. Field work and planning will con- or she arrived in November and entertained gram, which each summer treats almost eight ration project described in the 2012 issue of tinue until the publication in early 2014 of the us by sitting on a maple tree branch outside hundred folks to stimulating adventure. For this Land, Lakes and Us. If the management proj- “30-Day Comment Report,” which will include the bay window, perfectly framed in the cen- summer, Bridie McGreavy has arranged for ect, which includes a significant timber har- an environmental assessment of the proposed ter. My son would say, “Whooo is watching an eye-popping series of Wednesday eve- all day, sometimes appearing to sleep and So, this is the real reason I am calling this vest, is not carried out in accordance with the action and alternatives to it. Comments from whooom?” The real theatre began when the ning talks at the Charlotte Hobbs Memorial sometimes perking up to listen to “Car Talk” or a brutal winter. While we can buy some strict, scientifically developed practices sup- the public, including our organizations, will Library and ten walks led by our docents, plus sun started to set and the pesky flying squir- “Prairie Home Companion” emitting from the heating fuel, take our vehicles to the shop or ported by the Forest Service, it could present be accepted by the Forest Service during this a bonus evening walk under the full moon, rels that live in the attic exited for an evening a potential threat to this important ecosystem. thirty-day period. We will continue to work transistor radio in the shack. adjust the date of opening day, the critters all as described on pages 6-8 in this newslet- of feeding. Bernie timed his flight to grab the The GLLT has been working with the with the Forest Service professionals to limit As the sun’s angle lowered, I became con- cannot go to the grocery store when food is ter. Don’t miss the talk on American Chestnut squirrels as they landed on the trees beside KLWA, under the direction of Ray Senecal, the impact on the watershed while they work cerned for Bernie’s well being. He hopped in short supply. The wildlife center has taken in trees, which once dominated our forests. It will the house. We watched the owl capture to communicate to the Forest Service our to accomplish their management goals of up on the shovel handle and later back down starving owls, foxes and bobcats--all species be followed the next day by a walk on one concerns of potential damage to the water- securing a healthy and diversified forest that many, even a few in flight. to the snow, clearly trying to remain in the full that rely heavily on rodents for winter survival. of our properties to see a number of chestnuts shed and to document the current conditions will support a wide variety of flora and fauna As winter wore on, the attic grew quieter sun for warmth.

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