Old Friends and New Trustees Celebrate Success:
18th Annual Meeting & Field Day

State Director Daryl Burtnett addresses the membership.  © Joel Harrington/TNC

It may have been one of the only rainy days of the month, but that didn’t stop over 100 dedicated members from hiking, exploring and even kayaking during the New Hampshire Chapter’s 18th Annual Meeting and Field Day on September 12th at Great Bay.

Members and friends arrived in the afternoon and gathered out of the rain under the tent before embarking on one of eight field trips offered by Conservancy staff and volunteers.  A group of young children got up close and personal with salamanders and frogs while exploring vernal pools on the Lubberland Creek Preserve with Gail Coffey, while another group uncovered the wonders of the salt marshes of Great Bay with Dr. Ray Konisky.  A hearty group of hikers braved the elements to hike the entirety of the Sweet Trail with Duane Hyde and Mark Zankel, while yet another scoped out the homes of grassland nesting birds at the Lamprey River Preserve with TNC volunteer and bird enthusiast Bruce Goodwin.  However, the gold star goes to Doug Bechtel and his band of merry (and soggy!) kayakers.  The boaters paddled two miles down the Lamprey River in the pouring rain and still returned with all smiles!  All returned to a delicious spread of hors d’oeuvres, burgers, hot dogs, salads and snacks prepared by chapter staff using locally grown produce.

The New Hampshire chapter elected Karen Ebel of New London to Chair of the board and welcomed five new trustees to the board during the meeting portion of the evening.  Heidi Copeland of Peterborough is the vice president of Millyard Communications, Inc., publisher of NH Business Magazine.  Tom Hanna of Keene is an attorney with over 30 years of experience, concentrating his practice in the area of land use.  Sara Jayne Steen of Plymouth is the president of Plymouth State University as well as a faculty member, specializing in early modern English literature.  Robert W. Varney of Bow is senior vice president of Normandeau Associates and former EPA New England Regional Administrator.  Bob Wells of Contoocook is director of McLane Law Firm and currently serves as the chair of the Trust and Estate Department.

The Conservancy also said goodbye to four outstanding trustees that have shaped conservation and success at the chapter.  Patience Chamberlin of Exeter served 9 years, Pamela Hall served 17 years, Dick Mallion served 10 years and Barbara Putnam served 16 years.  Although no longer on the board, they will continue to be engaged with the chapter in a variety of ways.

To recognize significant contributions in conserving New Hampshire’s remarkable ecosystems, The Nature Conservancy presented awards to honor conservation leaders, partners and volunteers.  This is the third year of awards for the New Hampshire Chapter.

The Conservancy honored Ausbon Sargent Land Preservation Trust with the chapter’s Conservation Partner Award.  For the past five years, The Nature Conservancy and Ausbon Sargent have worked in partnership to advance protection of the Schoodac Brook watershed in central New Hampshire.  Cumulatively, the groups’ collaboration with the Courser family has now resulted in the protection of more than 895 acres of important habitat at Schoodac Brook. Debbie Stanley, executive director of Ausbon Sargent, accepted the award on behalf of the trust.  "Thank you for recognizing Ausbon Sargent with the Conservancy's conservation partner award!” said Debbie.  “If we had such an award it would certainly go to TNC!!"

The Conservancy gave its Conservation Leadership Award to Peter Wellenberger, manager of the Great Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR) in Greenland.  Peter has been instrumental in the success of conservation efforts in and around Great Bay for over 30 years.  As an undergraduate at the University of New Hampshire in the 1970’s, Peter developed his interest in conservation while working with other concerned local citizens to stop Aristotle Onassis’ plans to establish the world’s largest oil refinery on Great Bay.  His newfound passion led Peter to change his major and dedicate his life to the protection of estuarine systems.  He went on to help establish the Great Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve in 1989 and became its first manager in 1990.  Peter currently represents New Hampshire Fish & Game in the Great Bay Resource Protection Partnership.  To date, the partnership has protected over 5,200 acres of significant habitat in the Great Bay watershed.

"The Great Bay Resource Protection Partnership has been the most exciting group I have ever worked with,” says Peter. “Everything fell into the place at the right time and the success of the group is due to the combined efforts of all the participants.., there will still be more projects down the line and I look forward to working with all the TNC folks."

Finally, Conservancy volunteer and Outgoing Board of Trustees Chair, Dick Mallion, presented the Volunteer Excellence Award to the “Sweet Ladies” – Phyllis Bennett, Joan Graf and Kay Lohnes. The three women, assisted along the way by Jennifer Lee, Heidi Ely, Donna Blumenthal, Ree Katrak, Luis Rodenhaus and Frank Graf, played instrumental roles in the signage along the Sweet Trail.  Always eager and ready for action, Phyllis, Joan and Kay provided valuable stewardship assistance to Conservancy staff in preparing the trail system for use. 

"Kay and her team had so much fun on this project and managed to accomplish great work in the process!” says Joanne Glode, the Conservancy’s Southern NH Stewardship Ecologist. “They worked throughout the cold winter and never stopped smiling!  They were a wonderful, spirited, and enthusiastic group that were a real treat to work with.  Thanks to them, no one should get lost on the Sweet Trail.”

Congratulations to all! 

Photos (top to bottom): State Director Daryl Burtnett addresses the membership; Karen Ebel (left) and Daryl Burtnett present an award to Debbie Stanley; Daryl presents an award to Peter Wellenberger (right); Ree Katrak (left) and Phyllis Bennett accept Volunteer Excellence Awards for the "Sweet Ladies."  All photos © Joel Harrington/TNC.