Since the late 1980s, The Nature Conservancy has protected almost 2,000 acres at the Ossipee Pine Barrens, about half of which includes the classic pitch pine-scrub oak habitat. TNC's goal is to protect 1,500 to 2,000 acres of the habitat ... before it is permanently altered by developement. But lands are quickly changing hands and new developments are springing up at a steady clip.               Eric Aldrich photo.

"The Clock is Ticking"
An Ecosystem at Risk in the
On Ossipee Pine Barrens

After long avoiding the kind of growth that has dramatically altered many other parts of New Hampshire, Ossipee's pine barrens is now a major draw for development and land speculation.

The Ossipee Pine Barrens are the best and only intact northern variant barrens on Earth. TNC must protect them now or they will be gone forever. Future generations will never have the opportunity to experience this extraordinary landscape once it's gone. TNC is the only conservation organization focused on saving this globally rare ecosystem.

"The pace of development in the Ossipee area is increasing rapidly," said Duane Hyde, TNC's director of protection for New Hampshire. "Subdivisions both large and small have been nipping at the edges of the pine barrens, and now we face the potential of significant development within the heart of the pine barrens as people who've owned properties here for a long time are selling and are subdividing. The clock is ticking quickly in this area."

Ecologists have long recognized the Ossipee Pine Barrens as one of the country's best examples of northern pitch pine-scrub oak ecosystems, and the Conservancy has made protection and careful restoration of fire here a top priority.

Since the late 1980s, the Conservancy has protected 2,050 acres here, about half of which are classic pitch pine-scrub oak habitat. To meet the goal of protecting 1,500 to 2,000 acres of pitch pine-scrub oak, TNC has identified several properties and is talking with landowners.

The Conservancy in has recently protected an 84-tract in Ossipee, a parcel that was under immediate threat of subdivision and development. The property includes about 24 acres of floodplain river frontage along the West Branch River, with the remainder being pitch pine-scrub oak.

The Conservancy is working on other possible land-protection deals in the Ossipee Pine Barrens and is actively seeking funds for these important projects.

Meanwhile, other parcels in the pine barrens are getting developed and still others are going on the market ... at a pace and cost unheard of just a few years back.

"For us to be succesful in protecting and restoring this globally rare habitat, we financial resources so we can proactively work with landowners, and when necessary respond quickly when properties com on the market," Hyde said. "This is ecosystem is facing a major threat."

If you'd like to help or learn more about the Conservancy's work to protect the Ossipee Pine Barrens, contact Tiffany McKenna, 603-224-5853, ext. 15.

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An archaelogical dig along the Connecticut River reveals evidence that native peoples were eating timber rattlesnakes, chestnuts and shad. The dig was led by Franklin Pierce College and the N.H. Division of Historical Resources. Eric Aldrich photo.

The Human Connection:
Archaeological Dig Unearths Clues to Human's Links to Connecticut River

A recent archaeological dig along the Connecticut River has revealed an array of evidence about plants and wildlife and humans' long-term relationship with this major watercourse.

Organized jointly by Franklin Pierce College and the N.H. Division of Historical Resources, the dig was wrapped up last month after producing several remarkable finds.

Near the site of an ancient firepit, for example, were remains
of timber rattlesnakes, possibly more than 1,000 years old.
Students and volunteers also found fish vertebrae, possibly migratory fish that were blocked of habitat upstream of Turners
Falls, Mass., in 1798. They've also found evidence of what the
riverside forest once looked like, in the form of chestnut and
hickory nuts.

The excavation site is on the edge of what once was an extensive
terrace of land leading into the Connecticut River, according to
Robert Goodby, a professor of anthropology at Franklin Pierce.
The site was probably occupied by humans during two periods: 700
to 1,500 years ago and 3,000 to 4,000 years ago.

Digs like this are "important in that they help today's people better understand the depth of human heritage in the Connecticut River valley," Goodby said.

From The Nature Conservancy's perspective, archaeological projects like this also serve as a reminder that people have long been a part of this landscape, using fish, snakes, nuts and other flora and fauna as essential resources for life. They also help us better understand the long-term nature of the valley, providing important evidence about wildlife, forests and migratory fish.

"The geologic and human history of the Connecticut River watershed is profoundly important," said Kim Lutz, director of the Conservancy's Connecticut River Program. "People have been using the river as a resource for over 8,000 years, and we use it intensively in modern times. This context makes us realize how important it is to understand and protect this ecosystem. Archaeology like this gives us a deeper appreciation of this system."

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August 18, Richmond:
Strategic Planning for Open Space Conservation

Two new state-of-the-art conservation studies have identified important natural resources in the southwestern New Hampshire towns of Fitzwilliam, Richmond, Swanzey, Troy and Winchester.

A special forum on these two new studies will be held Thursday, Aug. 18, in Richmond for town officials and residents. The chief authors of both studies will present the findings of the Quabbin-to-Cardigan Conservation Collaborative and A Land Conservation Plan for the Ashuelot River Watershed.

Taken together, the two studies offer remarkable opportunities to plan strategically for both local land conservation and land use planning.

This is a great opportunity to:

• Find out what experts in land use conservation have learned about these towns' natural resources and what threats they may face in the future;

• View extraordinary new maps of the forests, waters and wildlife habitat in these towns;

• Find out how to use this information to inform conservation and development planning;

• Share ideas about local land conservation priorities; and

• Meet other involved citizens from neighboring towns.

Sponsored by the Monadnock Conservancy, The Nature conservancy, the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests and the Southwest Region Planning Commission.

Specifics: Thursday, August 18, 7 p.m., Veterans Hall, Route 32, Richmond.

For more information, contact Jeff Porter at Southwest Region Planning Commission: 357-0557; Kristen Grubbs at the Monadnock Conservancy, 357-0600; Chris Wells at the Forest Society: 224-9945; or Mark Zankel at TNC: 224-5853.

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Calling All Video Heads:
A Contest that's Flush with Potential

Okay, you've heard about photo contests and essay contests and seminars and other "awareness-raising" ideas. Well here's one that's so positively on the edge it's sure to produce some memorable results.

The New Hampshire Estuaries Project (NHEP) is conducting a video contest to find the best original 2-5 minute videos that inform people about septic systems and the importance of maintaining them properly.

The winning videos and several honorable mentions will be edited together in a 30-minute septic system “variety show” that will air on community access TV in the 42 communities of New Hampshire’s coastal watershed. The contest began on August 1 and will conclude on October 28, 2005.

Anyone can submit a video, including environmental groups, videographers, youth groups, septic service companies, schools, or simply creative individuals with a video camera. Videos must convey an aspect of proper septic system maintenance. They shoud also be informative, creative, and entertaining.

Failing and overloaded septic systems are major sources of pollution in the state's lakes, streams, estuaries and groundwater. Pollutants, like bacteria and excess nutrients, can harm aquatic life, cause unsightly algae blooms, close shellfish beds, and pose a threat to human health. Most of the pollution problems can be avoided by pumping out a system every three years and being careful not to overload or damage a septic system.

For more information, visit the N.H. Estuaries Project, or call Dave Kellam, 603-862-3403.

With your support ...

Working together, we can ensure the diversity of life on Earth and enrich the quality of life in New Hampshire now and for future generations.

You can make a significant impact by helping us preserve and steward land now, which will improve the quality of life for you, your children, your grandchildren and for the future of life on Earth. Please consider:

•  
A life-income gift (charitable gift annuity)
•  
Including us in your will
•  
A gift of stock or mutual funds
•  
A gift of land
•  
Becoming a volunteer
•  
Introducing us to others
•  
A gift of cash

For more information, contact Tiffany McKenna, director of philanthropy, at 603-224-5853, ext. 15.
Click here to find out how you can help The Nature Conservancy's conservation efforts in New Hampshire and beyond.

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About The Nature Conservancy
The Nature Conservancy's mission is to preserve the plants, animals and natural communities that represent the diversity of life on Earth by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive. The Conservancy has protected more than 98 million acres of valuable lands and waters worldwide. The organization accomplishes its mission through the efforts of state and country chapters, which are responsible for protecting and managing conservation land, and for raising operating and capital funds to support their programs.

Since establishing its first preserve here in 1964, The Nature Conservancy of New Hampshire has helped protect more than 121,000 acres of ecologically significant land and currently owns and manages 30 preserves across the state.

The Nature Conservancy in New Hampshire:

•  
22 Bridge St., Fourth Floor, Concord, N.H., 03301. 603-224-5853.
•  
Great Bay Project Office: 167 Exeter Road, Unit 1A, Newfields, N.H. 03856. 603-772-2203.
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Northern New Hampshire Project Office: P.O. Box 310, 2760 White Mt. Hwy, North Conway, NH 03860. 603-356-8833

About this e-newsletter
Granite State Glances is the electronic newsletter of The Nature Conservancy's New Hampshire Chapter. It is distributed via email on or around the 15th of every month.

All subscribers (email addresses) on this list are kept confidential and are not shared by The Nature Conservancy.

For questions about this e-newsletter, contact Eric Aldrich, The Nature Conservancy, NH Chapter, 603-224-5853, ext. 26.

To subscribe: click here