Final Fall Newsletter for Website
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Volume XXI, Issue IV Autumn 2017 A Quarterly Publication for the Ossipee Watershed Published by the Green Mountain Conservation Group Heath Pond Bog is a national natural treasure By Celia Abrams sphagnum rubellum-small cranberry Bog visitors are asked to stay on the moss carpet. The outermost, and trails of the surrounding uplands and Heath Pond Bog, at the south end largest, ring is a leatherleaf-sheep not venture out onto the peat mat. of Ossipee Lake, is one of New laurel dwarf shrub community, with Other bogs in the state, such as Hampshire’s exemplary kettle hole scattered stunted black spruce and Philbrick-Cricenti Bog in New bog systems. Because of its great larch. Viewed in aerial mapping London, have boardwalks that cross diversity of peatland plants, the bog software, game trails can be seen the peat mat and allow visitors a was designated as a National Natural criss-crossing the shrubland. close-up view of the unusual plants Landmark in 1977. A trail leads Bogs present many challenges to of these peatland communities; go in southeast through the uplands from the plants that grow there. Sphagnum late June or July to see the orchids the parking lot on Route 25, and a moss underlies most of the vegetated and pitcher plants in bloom. short walk brings visitors to an portion and absorbs much of the overlook on the north end of the limited nutrients. This perpetuates pond then down to the edge of the the acidity of the water and Celia Abrams is a UNHCE Covert bog. incomplete decomposition of the Volunteer. The New Hampshire Kettle hole bogs were formed as peat. Peatland plants have developed Coverts Project volunteers promote glacial ice retreated from the wildlife habitat conservation and landscape and large chunks of ice forest stewardship. For more broke off and were buried in the information on NH Coverts Project glacial outwash. As these chunks of ice melted, they became ponds. With little or no water inlet or outlet, nutrient and oxygen levels were low, and the water was very acidic, slowing the rate of decomposition of any vegetation. Over thousands of years, layers of peat, partially decomposed vegetation, gradually several strategies that enable them to built up around the edges and filled live in these waterlogged conditions in much of these ponds. with low pH (< 4.0), low oxygen, Heath Pond Bog today is a 5 acre and low nutrient levels. The pond within a 40 acre heath bladderworts, pitcher plants and shrubland. The vegetation in some sundews are carnivorous, capturing portions of the bog is ungrounded insects and tiny aquatic animals to and floats on a peat mat. The pond is supply their nutrients. Some peatland contact Haley Andreozzi at surrounded by concentric rings of plants have formed symbiotic (603) 862-5327. three different peatland plant relationships with bacteria and fungi communities. The ring closest to the to obtain nutrients, while others use open water is a narrow black band, specialized tissue, aerenchyma, to the liverwort-horned bladderwort transport oxygen from their leaves to mud bottom community. The bright their root zone to support respiration. yellow flowers of the bladderwort The bog is a fragile habitat and the can be seen in midsummer. Next is a floating portions can also be somewhat broader red ring of dangerous to walk on, so Heath Pond The Watershed News The Watershed News As leaves fall, reflections grow The Watershed News is a quarterly publication of the Green Mountain By Blair Folts It is with a heavy heart that I write to let our Conservation Group, a non-profit, Fall is a poignant time for many of us. readers know that this is Corey Lane’s last 501(c ) 3, charitable organization We are reminded of the cycles of life season as the Water Quality Coordinator. established in 1997 and dedicated to the particularly with this season’s passing. Corey will be leaving GMCG in December. preservation of the natural resources in the Ossipee Watershed. The towns of Summer’s bounty is now withering and She has been such a strong and passionate Eaton, Effingham, Freedom, Madison, passing into a renewal in the soils. Birds are leader with the water monitoring program and Ossipee, Sandwich and Tamworth make moving on to new climes, bees are closing up has guided so many volunteers over the past up the boundaries of the Ossipee hives for a winter rest and with GMCG our five years that she will be greatly missed. We Watershed. This watershed includes one of the largest and deepest stratified drift summer water will be aquifers in New Hampshire. GMCG also quality season is celebrating partners across the Maine border into winding down a Corey’s time with Parsonsfield and beyond. Water does not have any political boundaries. few weeks early us at our annual due to funding Cookie Swap in GMCG’s purpose is twofold: constraints. December so Personally, I please join us as 1. To provide an organizational structure for a coalition of citizens have been we bid her a and local officials interested in challenged with hearty and warm identifying sensitive areas within my own farewell. the Watershed in need of protection; family’s With the arrival struggles as my of autumn, I sit by 2. To offer public educational events mother has been facing health issues. I am the vernal pool at Blue Heron House and am about conservation issues and grateful to the many volunteers, staff and mesmerized by the reflection of this new possible solutions regarding the preservation of unique natural board members who have supported me all home-to-be for the organization. Each month resources. summer though some difficult days. brings us one step closer to completion. The Philosophical ponderings have been doubly framing, insulation, electric, plumbing, Through research, education, advocacy expanded as I have also been reflecting all sheetrock and mudding are all completed. We and land conservation we strive to promote an awareness and appreciation summer on the past twenty years of my own have had some wonderful volunteer help over of our watershed’s natural resources and work with GMCG that many of you have the past summer but are needing to reach out encourage a commitment to protect been following on our Monday Memories again for more help as we enter this next them. posts. So many wonderful volunteers, phase. We need help with interior painting, Board of Directors interns, staff, board members and colleagues kitchen and bathroom installation and flooring have graced my life and I am humbled to installation. Please let us know if you have Blair Folts, President have had the opportunity to work and partner any extra time or expertise and can help Larry Wogman, Chairman Open, Vice Chairman with so many great folks across New volunteer weekends through the fall and early Nancy Wogman, Treasurer England. As the leaves fall, I am also winter. We would be happy to include you on Aysia Morency, Secretary reminded that all things come and go and our volunteer task force! Thanks. Town Representatives come again—-just not always in the same In sitting by the pond, one can listen to the way. force of the river, marvel at the water that fills Eaton, Kristine Foster-Carbone Summer visitors have also shared many the pond via underground springs, watch the Effingham, Susan Slack stories with me this season about their own pond overflow into the vernal pool and wind Freedom, Alice Custard Madison, Jay Buckley observations of changes across the watershed its way to the creek and to the river and Ossipee, Emilie Talpin from land use changes to water course ponder that this one spot is the exit of all the Sandwich, Mark Longley changes to re-birth changes in terms of things water from the entire Ossipee River Tamworth, Kit Morgan like eagles coming back and more loons. Maine, Peter Zack Watershed as it heads to Maine and the Saco Again, things come and go and come again. River and the sea…..we are all connected by Staff Conservation work is sometimes very water. Peaceful blessings to you all this fall. difficult because it is a constant reminder of Executive Director, Blair Folts Water Quality, Corey Lane the three “ps”: the need to be patient, Education Coordinator: Karen Deighan persistent and to pace yourself. Nature is much better at this than we are. Take a moment to observe a tree and note that fall brings with it a chance to watch this transition in action. 2 GREAT VOLUNTEERS help GMCG complete 15th year of water monitoring With help from over thirty dedicated Bays for deep water sampling from ice waters to cooler deep water) is high. volunteers every other week, May out through fall turnover. This anoxia usually develops slowly through October, thirty tributary sites All of this data is essential to the as summer progresses. Temperature have been monitored throughout the Ossipee Watershed Management Plan and oxygen profile data from Dr. Ossipee Watershed for the 15 th year. which is in the final stages of Phase 2 Doner show that Danforth Pond, from The collection of this data helps track with FB Environmental. May to Aug 2017, had oxygen levels the long term chemistry of the water and Recommendations with the report are at 10 feet that were as depleted as at provides information about changes to expected to be available at gmcg.org by the bottom, at 65 feet—basically the system. While volunteers are a December. Funding for the watershed “zero.” central part of collecting the water management plan is provided through a quality data, not to be forgotten are the Watershed Assistance Grant from the local businesses around the watershed NH Department of Environmental that assist with the exchange of the Services with Clean Water Act Section meters and monitoring equipment so that 319 funds from the U.S.