Faces of Conservation Across New Hampshire, unsung heroes are working to conserve land and keep it open for outdoor recreation.

n every corner of New Hampshire, people are at work protecting donate 375 acres of property along Jones Brook to Fish and Game as Iopen land, improving habitat, educating communities about part of the match for the Salmon Falls Headwater Project. This land conservation and keeping land open for is also part of the Siemon Access. The Siemon hunters and anglers. The N.H. Fish and Game Family Trust’s 3000-acre Branch Hill Farm Commission’s award of excellence program was by Jane Vachon includes miles of multi-use trails and borders created to recognize outstanding conservation Jones Brook and the Salmon Falls and Branch efforts in support of the N.H. Fish and Game rivers. Wyatt has hosted many outdoor educa- Department’s mission. It brings into focus a range of conservation tion events at her farm, including nature walks and other conserva- activity that bodes well for the future of wild New Hampshire. tion learning opportunities – such as the yearly Branch River Paddle Let’s meet this year’s winners: and the Woods, Water and Wildlife Festival. Wyatt’s activities build on her father’s years of conservation work. Conservation Legacy She established the Moose Mountain Regional Greenways, which Cynthia Wyatt of Milton Mills, N.H., is carrying on a legacy today is a strong advocacy group for protecting networks of public begun by her father, Carl Siemon. Carl would be proud. Wyatt has and private land in the region of Brookfield, Wakefield, Middleton, been instrumental in keeping thousands of acres of land open to Milton, Farmington and hunting, fishing and other forms of outdoor recreation through New Durham. She said, her contributions to Moose Mountain Regional Greenways, along “My father was certain that with the Carl Siemon Family Trust and the Branch Hill Farm. In the Greenways would help recognition of this work, Wyatt received the Ellis Hatch Award, the realize his vision of cor- Commission’s highest honor. ridors of protected lands “Ms. Wyatt exemplifies the legacy of Ellis Hatch, a long-term providing, in his words, advocate of the outdoor life,” said Fish and Game Commission Chair ‘an oasis of forests, fields, Robert Phillipson. Wyatt is a founding member of and presently wildlife, recreation, clean co-chairs the board of the Moose Mountain Regional Greenways water and air. Perhaps and has worked to conserve 2,200 acres on Moose Mountain, which these protected lands will coincidentally abuts the Ellis Hatch Wildlife Management Unit inspire others to find owned by Fish and Game. Another 3,000 conservation acres form ways to protect their lands the “Siemon Access,” of which Wyatt is the director and which is – to keep New Hampshire, open to the public for hunting, fishing and other recreation. New Hampshire.’”

In 2006, through the Moose Mountain Regional Greenways, In nominating Wyatt for oto ph

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Wyatt helped secure 197 acres of land along the Mad River in the award, Conservation o

Officer Mark Hensel vach Farmington, providing 2,700 feet of river frontage managed by Fish e jan

and Game. Wyatt also has been instrumental in securing 116 acres summed it up: “The State /

along the Union Meadows in Wakefield for conservation, allowing of New Hampshire, Fish nhfg © sportsmen and women a quality fishery. She has been involved in and Game and all sports- Cynthia Wyatt of Milton Mills has helped the Salmon Falls Headwater project to protect 300 acres in the upper men owe Wyatt a debt of keep thousands of acres of land open to reaches of the Salmon Falls River, a large portion of which Fish and gratitude for her work and hunting and fishing. Game will manage as a fishery. The Siemon Family Trust agreed to contributions.”

 November/December 2008 • Wildlife Journal Faces of Conservation oto ph

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The Forest Society’s 2,300-acre Moose Mountain Forest Reservation in Middleton adjoins the Ellis Hatch WMA. Moose Mountain Regional Greenways assisted in its conservation.

Photo © Jerry and Marcy Monkman courtesy the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests

Wildlife Journal • November/December 2008  Welcoming Many Users the center’s program- If you hike the miles of trails traversing the for- ming; youngsters can ests, meadows and wetlands owned by the Amherst rent fishing gear to Conservation Commission (ACC), you learn right try their luck in the away that you may be sharing the woods with other pond.

outdoor enthusiasts, including hunters. It says so right “The ACC stands oto ph on the bright orange trailhead signs: “ACC allows as an example of win r i

for many users of our public land enlightened and edu- er g

and trails. This includes hunters. cated community ©ro Below are the hunting seasons and members living in a dates for this year. As a precau- rapidly changing and complex community who sup- tion, please wear bright clothing port conservation and who have retained the values and recognize that there are many and beliefs of conservation, hunting and outdoor life people using this public land.” and education,” said former Amherst Conservation ACC treasurer Bill Wichman Commission member David Gagne. spends a lot of time maintaining the trails. “We used to get calls Feast for the Flocks from residents asking why in the Winter can be a tough time for wild turkeys in world would we permit hunting. N.H., especially when the snow piles high. “Pickings We simply always have permitted are slim in January and February,” said Charles it. But now we’ve put up the signs Williams, a retired UNH plant science professor and and it’s helped,” he said. president of the Durham chapter of the National Wild Leadership in promoting a Turkey Federation (NWTF). “One of the limiting fac- multi-use philosophy toward tors to expansion of developing turkey flocks in New its land earned the ACC the Hampshire is the amount of winter food and cover.” Conservation Organization Award. To address this problem, Williams created an inno- oto ph Unlike towns such as Bedford and vative program that distributes low-cost packages of Hollis, which have large tracts of trees and shrubs that retain fruits, nuts and seeds into wichman land that restrict or prohibit hunt- the winter months, providing critical food sources for bill / ing, Amherst welcomes it. wild turkeys and other wildlife. In recognition of this cc

©A Trail signs are just one successful project, the N.H. State Chapter of the ACC initiative. An active NWTF earned the Habitat Stewardship Award. land acquisition program, Williams, along with Fish and Game biologist invigorated by a 5-year, $5.5 Ted Walski, developed a list of suitable plants for the million town warrant, helps packages, selecting for hardiness, insect and disease protect vital open lands in tolerance and value to wildlife. Bare- accordance with the town’s root stock is provided, including shrubs

oto Master Plan. “We’re buying such as hawthorn, hazelnut and high- ph

n land that developers want, bush cranberry; as well as semi-dwarf o

vach not swamps,” said Wichman. crabapple trees. This is not ornamental e

jan The Commission has com- landscaping – landowners agree to plant / piled a Natural Resources in areas away from buildings and roads. nhfg © Inventory; created specific The size and quality of the plants means Scenic Joe English Brook management plans for forestland and meadows; and landowners see results fast. The trees in Amherst. Left to right, works closely with the Amherst Land Trust and the provided are 5-6 feet high; almost all have Amherst Conservation Souhegan Valley Watershed Association. flowers and fruits the first year. Commission members The ACC also sponsored the creation of the As the project grew, the NWTF chap- Richard Hart, Bill Peabody Mill Environmental Center, located on the ter partnered with the state Conservation Wichman and Jim Bowen. 558-acre Joe English Reservation. Now part of the Districts to reach a broader audience. Amherst Recreation Department, the center offers Bambi Miller is District Manager of the environmental, conservation and science programs Strafford County Conservation District,

for all ages. In June, a spacious, energy-efficient which coordinates the statewide distribu- oto ph

environmental education building replaced the former tion of the plant packages. “We’ve been sy ourte

one-room nature center. Fishing is an integral part of working together with the N.H. Chapter c

 November/December 2008 • Wildlifeildlife JJournal Dr. Charles Williams, right, the Connecticut River from Lancaster south almost and Bambi Miller accept the to Gilman – a mix of fields, pastures, miles of corn- Habitat Stewardship Award for fields, forests and wetlands. The property is home to the N.H. Chapter of the NWTF. countless turkey, deer, moose, ducks, geese and other wildlife, including coyote, fox and bear. The Forbes were honored with the Landowner Appreciation Award. They leave their land open to hunters, anglers, trappers and snowmobilers, provid- ing excellent opportunities for recreation of all types. “We’ve never posted our land,” said Judith Forbes.

oto “Once we sell our land and people from down below ph

Who’s Your n o buy, they’ll post it.” Conserva- vach e That’s why hunter and angler Brian Connors of tion Hero? jan / Nottingham calls the Forbes Farm a precious com- f you know an indi-

nhfg modity. “The Forbes’ achievements in woodland and © Ividual or organization field growth ensure plenty of game to harvest, as making an outstanding of the NWTF since 1997 to provide this affordable well as recreational activities to enjoy,” he said. “If contribution in the con- opportunity to landowners,” said Miller. this land were posted, we would lose 2,700 acres of servation field in support Over the past ten years, 40-50 landowners annually beautiful wild New Hampshire.” of N.H. Fish and Game’s have purchased packages. The NWTF chapter now Sometimes hunters could be more thoughtful, mission, submit them for offers a $75 rebate as an incentive for landowners to sure. Like remembering to close gates and not driv- a New Hampshire Fish participate. In all, more than 500 habitat plot packages ing their trucks over the fields. And a thank you now and Game Commission have been distributed, with every county represented. and then would be nice. That rarely happens, said Award of Excellence. Other states are now looking at the New Hampshire Connors, though it should. “The Forbes are a hard- Nominations must be program – the first of its kind in the country – as an working family who have always been hospitable to submitted by December effective way to improve habitat for wildlife. people who hunt and fish,” he said. 31. An application and “Today, more than ever, landowners like Allan and list of the seven award Vanishing Farmland Judy are key to maintaining our traditional outdoor categories are posted Judith and Allan Forbes of Lancaster, N.H., activities,” said Commissioner Phillipson. “They at www.WildNH.com represent a vanishing resource in the Granite State: represent many unsung landowners who are a part of or call (603) 271-3511. they own a large working farm that provides habitat what makes this state such a great place to live, work for wildlife and open land for hunters and anglers. and get outdoors.” The Forbes Farm has grown from 350 acres and 150 cattle in 1968 to 2,700 acres and 2,600 head of cattle today. Their beautiful land spans both sides of Jane Vachon is associate editor of the Journal. oto ph

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n Allan and Judith Forbes have kept their o 2,700-acre Lancaster dairy farm open for williams

n outdoor recreation. At left, haying time on ro their Connecticut River Valley farm. sha ©

Wildlifeildlife JJournal •• November/December 2008