SUMMER 2016 ISSUE 5 IN THIS ISSUE A Full Circle of Conservation 1 A Full Circle of By Linda McGivern, Board Member Conservation 2 Get Outside on y husband Ben and I were thirtysomethings Pretty much the very last thing we were National Trails Day! Mwith small children when Marion “Robin” thinking about on that summer day in 1998 was 2 Grand Openings– Aikman first materialized on our doorstep with a donating our property to the land trust, despite Celebrate New Trails! handful of papers delineating a plan to conserve Robin’s obvious passion for the cause. 3 Upcoming Events land in her beloved Rollinsford. Even at that time, Robin was not a stranger We had only just recently arrived in Rollinsford, to us. We had known her for many years 4 Volunteers Blaze New the lucky/stupid high bidders on an auction prop- through our friendship with the Hallett family Trails and More erty that everyone recognized from its rolling fields 5 Just $10,000 Left to and seven-acre pond, but that no one really wanted “ I am here to report that it feels Conserve Monahan Farm to buy. It was a “fixer-upper” (and please apply really good to offer up a signature 5 Picking up the Pace the most extreme definition of that term when vista for the enjoyment of not just of Conservation picturing the house and its environs). our family, but for all.” 5 Federal Employees When Robin showed up in her role as a —Linda McGivern Contribute through Strafford Rivers Conservancy co-founder and Combined Campaign board member to talk about land conservation, it and Strafford Rivers Conservancy’s co-founder 6 An Old Family Farm was kind of like a space creature had just landed Ashton Hallett. We regularly traveled the beau- Bestows Promise & in her saucer-like craft and asked us to donate our tiful roads of Rollinsford that snaked along the Security for the Future property to the martians. many hundreds of Robin’s donated conservation 7 Federal Easement We were young. We had just poured a relative acres. She is a Rollinsford institution. For that Incentives Made fortune, by young people’s standards, into moving reason, we did not send her away like so many Permanent a very ugly and unlivable black hole for money pamphlet-wielding door-to-door salesmen. We 8 Festival a Wild Success– 1,200 feet away from busy Roberts Road. After listened politely to her conservation pitch and A Sold-Out Show! this move, the whole house still required renova- tion that would take another 15 years! continued on page 7 PHOTO CREDIT: LINDA MCGIVERN 1 Get Outside on National Trails Day! ikers across the nation will be lacing up their boots on If you can’t make those trips, SELTies are welcome to visit the HSaturday, June 4, to celebrate National Trails Day. Here in trails on other SELT’s properties on your own. Trail guides are New Hampshire, SELT will lead two trips with access to scenic now available for four properties. rivers, wetlands, vernal pools, and outdoor adventure. (See Stop by SELT to pick up your trail guides, or download Powwow River Woodlands and Stonehouse Forest for details.) guides online at www.seltnh.org. Powwow River Charles E. Rand Tucker & French Family Piscassic Greenway: Woodlands: Enjoy a Memorial Forest: Visitors Forest: More than 5.1 miles With more than 440 protected leisurely paddle on the can choose from three short of trails are available for acres, the Piscassic Greenway Powwow River in South trails on relatively flat, easy hikers on 589 acres that cross is a one of SELT’s largest Hampton. Launch your boat terrain. The trail head is over from Kingston into properties. Bring the whole just a short walk (0.2 miles) located near the town line Danville and Brentwood. family to explore more through our seven acres of between North Hampton and than 3.5 miles of trails in woodland. Rye on South/North Road. Newfields. Grand Openings–Celebrate New Trails! National Trails Day Charles E. Rand Kimball Reserve Powwow River Memorial Forest Date & time TBD · Woodlands Date & time TBD · Trailhead: Pickpocket Trailhead: North Road, Road, Exeter Saturday, June 4 · 10am · North Hampton Trailhead: Jewell Street, After a ceremony thanking South Hampton Join the Rand family and Martha Pennell for her gift SELT to celebrate the official of this land, enjoy a walk on Our public Get out your kayak or canoe grand opening of 1.2 miles the new trails and connect to outreach events and enjoy a slow meandering of new trails on this SELT the historic Jolly Rand Trail to are generously journey on the scenic property in North Hampton expand your hike. sponsored Powwow River on June 4th. and Rye! Forester Charles by ReVision Float upstream to the 370-acre Moreno will do a guided tour Energy! Woodsom Farm in Amesbury, of the forest, discussing how Learn more about or downstream to Lake the Rand’s stewardship of your options for Gardner. Join us for a ribbon this land is being continued cutting and paddle on the solar at www. by SELT. Powwow. revisionenergy.com or call 603.679.1777. 2 PHOTO CREDIT: JOSH LENT CREDIT: PHOTO Upcoming Events For a complete calendar of events, please visit www.seltnh.org We request registration for all events so please let us know you’re coming by emailing [email protected]. Suggested donation to attend SELT’s outreach events is $5 per person or $10 per family. We hope you’ll join us! Conservation Celebration at cognitive and physical development and colored stones and a shoe box to serve as SELT’s Annual Meeting growth, along with tons of fun. a base for your house. Wednesday, June 1 · 6–8pm · Flatbread Benefit Margaritas Exeter Noche Flag Hill Winery Tuesday, June 14 · 5–9pm · Mexicana Come celebrate the more than 730 acres 138 Congress Street, Portsmouth Thursday, July 28 · 5pm of farms and forests, wetlands and habitat Join us for an evening of great food, and Dine out and support SELT! Margaritas conserved in 2015 at the beautiful Flag support our conservation work with your in Exeter will donate 20 percent of all Hill Winery, located on one of SELT’s own pizza order (take-out orders count too)! pre-tax, food and beverage purchases to conservation easements. Enjoy appetizers Flatbread Portsmouth will donate $3.50 SELT. Gracias! while taking in the incredible view. $10 of each large flatbread and $1.75 of each per adult, $5 per child ages 7–15 (children small flatbread to SELT. We hope to see Salmon Falls River History and 6 and under are free). Please reserve your you there! Conservation Paddle spot by Friday, May 27. www.flaghill.com Sunday, August 7 · 1–3pm · Back Channel Islands Paddle Bicentennial Park, Rollinsford National Trails Day Saturday, June 25 · 9:30am–Noon · Saturday, June 4 Join us for a unique tour of Rollinsford, Portsmouth Kayak Adventures, Berwick and Somersworth by canoe 185 Wentworth Road, Portsmouth Grand Opening: Powwow River or kayak. Learn about the historic Woodlands SELT and Portsmouth Kayak Adventures points of interest along the Salmon Falls. To register, email info@ 10am · South Hampton are teaming up to offer you a fun and informative kayak trip through New paulwentworthhouse.org, or call See page 2 for details and more grand Castle’s beautiful and unspoiled Back 603.742.4747. Bring your own watercraft opening events! Channel Islands. Bring your own kayak and flotation devices; however, limited Tour of Stonehouse Forest or contact Portsmouth Kayak Adventures boats available. (Please call ahead.) ahead of time at 603.559.1000 to arrange 9am · Barrington for a discounted rental. There is a $5 Explore old growth trees, like the Black put-in fee for all boats. Gum tree. Covers steep terrain. Wildflower Walk Hike at Harvey Forest Saturday, July 16 · 9am · Location TBD 9–11am · Epping Enjoy a summer walk to explore local Meet in Epping at the end of French wildflowers with Patty Laughlin from National Parks 100th Road to explore this beautiful property. Lorax Landscaping. Anniversary Celebration Get more details on our website Family-friendly Fairy & Gnome Thursday, August 25 · 1–3pm · and celebrate National Trails Day! House Building Workshop Saint-Gaudens National Historic Site Saturday, July 23 · 10am–Noon · Join Bev Shadley and other SELTies as Book Signing with Author of Burley Farm, Epping she completes her quest to visit 100 parks Balanced and Barefoot at Saint-Gaudens National Historic Thursday, June 9 · 5–7pm · SELT Join SELT staff member, Dani Christopher, and experienced fairy Site in celebration of the National Park Office, 6 Center Street, Exeter house builder, Sofie, in a Fairy and Service’s 100th anniversary on August In partnership with Water Street Books, Gnome house building workshop. Fairy 25th. Saint-Gaudens is located on the SELT welcomes author Angela Hanscom houses are made out of mostly natural NH/Vermont border and is a two-hour to discuss her new book about how materials like sticks, rocks, bark, acorns drive from seacoast NH. www.nps.gov. outdoor play and the unrestricted freedom and pinecones. Bring extra materials to For more details on the events, visit us at of movement are vital for children’s decorate your house like fake flowers or www.seltnh.org. 3 Volunteers Blaze New Trails and More Timberland Employees Help Build Academy Volunteers Help Bridges and Trails, and Construct Remove Invasive Plants Wheelchair Accessible Entrance ighteen volunteers from Phillips Exeter Academy spent a at Mast Road Natural Area Esunny morning restoring wildlife habitat at the confluence of the Pawtuckaway and Lamprey Rivers.