Chainsaw Safety 101

Many people in NH own chainsaws and use them to cut their own firewood, manage a small woodlot, or clear trails on and downed wood on their properties. But how many of those people actually know how to operate their chainsaws in the safest manner possible? The Forest Society's Land Management Department offers an annual workshop on Chainsaw Safety and Maintenance to educate both chainsaw novices as well as those who have been using a saw for years without any formal training. This workshop was recently held at the Conservation Center and was well attended with 15 eager participants. Jake Bronnenberg, a certified chainsaw instructor from Bronnenberg Logging & Trucking (Strafford, NH), ran the workshop and guided participants in demonstrating and discussing basic saw maintenance, appropriate safety gear, saw handling, and safe and efficient felling and bucking techniques. Participants got the chance to take their own saws apart, as well as to practice making different types of cuts in the forest. Demand was very high for this workshop, which was limited to 15 attendees for practical reasons, so the Forest Society plans to offer another workshop this fall for those who missed out! Please contact Carrie Deegan at cdeegan@forestsociety.org if you would like to be put on a waiting list!

geocacher group cleans up londonderry property

Many thanks to the Town of Londonderry and the Geocacher CITO (Cache In – Trash Out) group that cleaned up the the Forest Society’s 230-acre Ingersoll-Bockes Reservation in south Londonderry. Geocacher CITO volunteered to conduct a clean up on the property, and the town assisted by delivering and retrieving a dumpster to hold the significant amount of trash collected.

More than 20 people helped pull more than a few pick-up trucks worth of junk out of the forest. Highlights included a rusted car body and insane amounts of carpet, tarp, plastic, and inflatable rafts (?) out of the “paintball obstacle course” area. Thanks to the town of Londonderry for providing the dumpster & waste disposal! http://www.londonderrynh.net/?p=9109

invasive species management

Wondering what to do with the Japanese knotweed that you find in your travels? Check out the recipes at http://www.gardenbytes.com/search/label/recipe

Invasive non-native plants like Japanese knotweed disrupt the natural diversity within a given area by displacing native plants. They often possess characteristics that give them an advantage over native species, such as early and rapid development, aggressive reproduction, and the ability to adapt to many environmental conditions. If not held in check, invasives can quickly take over an area, compromising wildlife habitat and challenging endangered and threatened species.

I say we eat them.

Conservation Projects Help Protect Great Bay Water Quality

The Forest Society accepted three additions totaling 174 acres, adding to its growing collection of reservations near New Hampshire’s Great Bay estuary. Although modest in size, the three parcels expand existing Forest Society reservations and provide critical linkages to other protected properties.

Photo by Dea Brickner-Wood, Great Bay Partnership.

Help the Forest Society Conserve 230 Acres along the Pemigewasset River

Comprising 230 acres of forests and wetlands, this scenic property includes more than 2,500 feet of undeveloped river frontage. Part of the property overlays a stratified drift acquifer that has the potential to provide drinking water in the future.

Courtesy photo provided by the Forest Society.

Jennifer Platt Hopkins Photographs on Display at Conservation Center

The Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests will showcase photographs by Jennifer Platt Hopkins in the exhibit “Color, Power, and Light” from May 11 to June 11, 2009. The show appears at the Forest Society’s Conservation Center, 54 Portsmouth Street, Concord, NH. An opening reception with the artist will be held on Friday, May 15, from 4 to 6 pm.

Photo "Redwoods" by Jennifer Platt Hopkins.

Key Conservation Projects to Receive Federal Funding

The federal fiscal year 2009 omnibus appropriations bill was recently passed by Congress. The bill included funding for several Forest Society conservation priorities.