05/14/13 by admin | Uncategorized, UVLT Events | No Comments »
May 14, 2013
Jeanie McIntyre
What does conservation leadership look like on the ground? Farrell Farm is an appropriate and inspiring place to convene for UVLT’s annual meeting and conservation celebration. Conserved in 1989, the farm has historically played a vital part of the region’s economy – and continues to do so. Today the red barns and scenic fields support beef, hay and corn production as well as growing fruit and vegetables for the CSA and farmstand at Killdeer Farm.
Farrell Farm is one of the few places in New England where the conservation of working farmland and the development of single-family affordable housing has occurred on the same property. UVLT’s conservation project, 25 years ago was unprecedented. Community leaders and staff from the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board, which provided funding for the project, will be on hand to talk about current partnerships and synergy in conservation.
We’ve got a variety of activities planned: bike and walking tours; a roundtable discussion about farmland conservation; a dinner featuring seasonal, local produce and organic beef from the conserved Winsome Farm in Piermont; music and social time; awards, election of UVLT Trustees, and a summary of UVLT’s work in 2013 and plans for the future. Check out the Annual Meeting page for more information.
Please join us at Farrell Farm in Norwich on Wednesday, June 5th to celebrate land conservation in the Upper Valley.
05/10/13 by admin | Conservation Advocacy | No Comments »
New round of public input meetings begins Monday, May 13, 2013
Federal re-licensing is underway for two of the major hydropower facilities in the Upper Valley Region. Water quality, river flow levels, recreational activity, shoreline stability, and aquatic life are affected by the presence of the dams on our major rivers. Now is the time to examine the positive and negative impacts of hydropower generation and carefully plan for future operations.
Next week begins a series of public meetings to provide opportunities for comment on the studies proposed by dam-owner TransCanada Hydro Northeast as part of the re-licensing process.
UVLT conserved farmland on both sides of the Connecticut River in Newbury and Haverhill (photo credit: John Rush). Operation of the Wilder dam – which lies nearly 45 miles south of these properties – has influence on the river ecology, farm practices, water quality, soil erosion, and recreational opportunities even this far north.
TransCanada owns the Wilder, Bellows Falls, and Vernon Dams in Vermont. Your input will help to determine what studies TransCanada will conduct to examine the impacts of dam operations on the river. The results of these studies will provide information to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) which determines the regulations for the next 30-50 years of dam operations.
TransCanada will host an initial overview meeting 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Monday, May 13 at the Kilton Library in West Lebanon, NH to review its Proposed Study Plan – this meeting will be the most useful if you are interested in learning about the general approach and breadth of scope of the many proposed studies. Follow-up meetings will cover specific studies on topics like recreation, shoreline erosion, water quality, fish habitat, and river flows.
Don’t miss this chance to learn about the studies that will begin soon after the series of public meetings concludes, and share your thoughts and concerns. Comments are due by July 15. To register for a meeting visit the TransCanada re licensing website. For specific information on the projects in our region, go directly to the pages for the Wilder Dam and Bellows Falls Dam where you can find documents and search for upcoming meetings. Additionally, the Proposed Study Plan, as well as comments from stakeholders and responses from TransCanada are available online via the FERC website.
The Upper Valley Land Trust has been a participant in public meetings held earlier this year and has submitted endorsements for studies of the impacts of dam operations to natural resources in our region. UVLT will continue to track the process through re-licensing – please contact us if you would like to learn more about being involved.
Upcoming meetings to review TransCanada’s Proposed Study Plan:
Study Plan Meeting #1 – Overview of Proposed Study Plan, Identification of Interested Stakeholder Working Groups and Immediate Data Collection Initiatives
Date & Time: Monday, May 13, 2013 at 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Location: Kilton Public Library Conference Room
80 Main Street, West Lebanon, NH 03784 603-298-8544
NOTE: The primary goal of this meeting is to review all study plans, set up and identify resource groups that would participate in the subsequent meetings. Time for questions will be limited.
Study Plan Meeting #2 – Water Resources and Modeling (morning); Erosion (afternoon)
Date & Time: Thursday, May 16, 2013 at 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Location: Vermont Room at the Fairfield Inn, 104 Ballardville Drive, White River Junction, VT 05001. 802-291-9911
Study Plan Meeting #3 – Aquatics
Date & Time: Monday, May 20, 2013 at 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Location: Vermont Room at the Fairfield Inn, 104 Ballardville Drive, White River Junction, VT 05001. 802-291-9911
Study Plan Meeting #4 – Aquatics
Date & Time: Thursday, May 23, 2013 at 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Location: Vermont Room at the Fairfield Inn, 104 Ballardville Drive, White River Junction, VT 05001. 802-291-9911
Study Plan Meeting #5 – Terrestrial (morning, 9am); Aquatics (afternoon, 1pm)
Date & Time: Thursday, June 6, 2013 at 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Location: Vermont Room at the Fairfield Inn, 104 Ballardville Drive, White River Junction, VT 05001. 802-291-9911
Study Plan Meeting #6 – Recreation (morning, 9am), Aesthetics, and Cultural and Historic Resources (afternoon, 1pm)
Date & Time: Friday, June 7, 2013 at 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Location: Vermont Room at the Fairfield Inn, 104 Ballardville Drive, White River Junction, VT 05001. 802-291-9911
05/09/13 by admin | Other UVLT News | No Comments »
Some days are easier than others, but I find it is pretty important to make time and turn away from the books (or screen), or step out of the office, and breathe deeply, and get away a bit – certainly a good way to recharge for the rest of the day’s work.
Every so often, the only time to take the much-needed walk or ride is during lunchtime. That hour (~ish) in the middle of the day can be enough of a break for me to ride this loop on my bike and return refreshed and ready for more conservation work all afternoon. What if I don’t have my bike? Well, here in Hanover, we’re fortunate that the Wheelock Trail is just a few steps away for a great walk along Mink Brook…
If you like to ride and you work or study in Hanover or Lebanon, this bike loop might just be the ticket for you too. Check out this lunch hour ride from Buck Road – it’s easy to modify from your own doorstep!
~ Sara Cavin, UVLT Project Manager
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Ride Name: “Dogford Loop Lunch Hour”
Description: 15+/- mile paved road ride from UVLT offices (Buck Rd, Hanover, NH) out and around Dogford Road and returning to Buck Rd – often in a 60 minute window!
Route, directions and elevation profile found here: http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/fullscreen/188946926/
UVLT-conserved lands along this route:
Download detailed cue sheet noting conserved lands:
UV-Ride-02_Cue-sheet.PDF
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Do you have your own favorite lunchtime outdoor activity? Let me know, or maybe I’ll see you out on the road some day…
05/01/13 by admin | Other UVLT News | No Comments »
Riding the roads of the Upper Valley is pretty special. Every pedal stroke moves me along at a pace that is just about perfect for enjoying the views that abound. Sometimes the pace is slower (plenty of hills to climb, after all!) other times fast (fortunately each hill climb has its own downhill descent!), sometimes the rides are social, other times personal, but each is time and energy well spent enjoying this place.
One amazing thing about where we live (and play) is the care that people put into the land – it is striking (just like the vistas that reward us at the summit of each climb!) and makes riding here all the better. Through work with UVLT, I know that so many of the beautiful places that I pass by are going to be beautiful forever. Why? Because they are properties that UVLT and the landowners have conserved through permanent agreements to ensure the landscape remains undeveloped, productive (so farmers can still farm, and trees can be harvested) and scenic for the benefit of us all!
Do you like to ride on roads and trails in the Upper Valley? Does cycling get you to work? Is it one of the ways you exercise and enjoy the outdoors? If your answers are “Yes!” you might also enjoy knowing more about some of the places that you pass while out on the roads in our region. This post begins a series called “UV Rides” that will highlight many of the conserved lands all around us. I hope to include a good mix of routes – some short, some long, something for everyone! Perhaps one will become your next favorite bike loop (or scenic drive)!
I hope you’ll come along for the ride…
~ Sara Cavin, UVLT Project Manager
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Ride Name: “Cure for Mud Season”
Description: This is a great all-paved 30 mile loop ride with a couple nice hills to keep you warm in the spring temps! Start/end in Hanover and ride through parts of Hanover, Lyme, Thetford, and Norwich.
Route, directions and elevation profile found here: http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/fullscreen/188655480/
UVLT-conserved lands along this route:
Download detailed cue sheet noting conserved lands:
UV-Ride-01_Cue-sheet.PDF
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Now, dust off that saddle, get out, get those pedals moving, and let us know if YOU have a favorite route that you want to learn about from the viewpoint of land conservation!
04/26/13 by admin | Stewardship News, Uncategorized, UVLT Events | No Comments »
The wide, fertile floodplain that is at the heart of the northern end of the Upper Valley is some of the most productive agricultural land on the planet. Just ask the farmers who work and care for it. On an annual visit to one of these UVLT-conserved farms last year, the farmer told me that he would put his bottom land up against the most fertile land along the Nile, or any other place else on earth, for that matter. And it is as beautiful as it is productive. Our “working lands” as they have become known, are a vital part of the economic vitality and identity of this region.
One of the best ways to experience this region is to get out in a canoe or kayak, and paddle down the river. Paddling provides an up close opportunity to experience the natural diversity of this place. From silver maple-ostrich fern floodplain forests which are essential to the health of the river and the wildlife that make it their home, to the rich agricultural soils that provide good local food for people and farm animals alike, it is an experience that can remind one of all the ways the Connecticut River connects and nourishes us. And these lands will continue to sustain us in large part due to the hard work and vision of the landowners and community leaders who have put their land “in trust” with the Upper Valley Land Trust. In fact, along this section of the CT River, there is a continuous stretch of 13 miles of protected lands along both sides of the river. And we aren’t finished, either. In fact UVLT just worked with the Cook family to conserve their farm, which abuts the southern end of this 13-mile stretch of conserved land.
Come celebrate the river that unites the communities of the Upper Valley at the 10th annual spring Paddle the Border Sunday May 19th rain or shine! This event is sponsored by The Newbury Conservation Commission, Haverhill Recreation Commission, and Lower Cohase Chamber of Commerce, with support from Woodsville/Wells River Rotary Club. The Spring Paddle goes from Woodsville Community Field in Woodsville, NH, to the Bedell Bridge State Park Boat Launch off Route 10, Haverhill Corner, NH ( a 3-4 hour paddle), and UVLT is looking for a few volunteers to assist with put ins at the Woodsville fields (we’ll paddle afterwards, too!). We’ll also be staffing Harkdale campsite as a rest stop along the way. Just follow the music, which will be provided by UVLT’s VP of Stewardship Pete Helm and friends! Let UVLT Stewardship Coordinator Jason Berard know if you’d like to get involved at jason.berard@uvlt.org or 603-643-6626! Check out our calendar for more details.
Jason Berard, Stewardship Coordinator
04/25/13 by admin | Hikes & Walks, UVLT Events | No Comments »
Frost Forest just might be the closest thing to James Hilton’s mythical valley of Shangri-La that I have come across in my travels throughout the Upper Valley. The property boundaries just so happen to encompass (almost) the entire watershed that feeds the wetland complex which lies at the heart of the property.
Lawrence Hibbard and Ehrhard Frost on Ehrhard’s UVLT-conserved Frost Forest in Thetford.
Actually, that convergence of the wetland boundary with the property boundary did not happen accidentally. Ehrhard Frost had a vision for this place, and it included the whole watershed. You see, Ehrhard is a certified ecoforester by trade, and this place is sort of his “experimental forest”, if you will. When he works out his plans for managing the forest, which in some instances has taken over a decade, he works very hard to make sure that his timber harvest has the least amount of impact possible on the watershed. He lays out his woods roads so that they cross a drainage only once, and not at all if possible. In many cases the work that he puts into his woods roads improves the water quality, by enlarging undersized culverts, or freeing up water flow which has been blocked by previous timber harvests in ages past.
I was lucky enough to walk in the woods with Ehrhard and members of the Thetford Conservation Commission over this last winter. We went out to learn about how he and Lawrence Hibbard, his logger, work together to lay out the roads and plan a harvest in advance of some scheduled work at the UVLT-conserved, Town of Thetford-owned Hughes Forest. They’ve been working together for 25 years, so they must be doing something right!
So, think of all that as the backdrop for our walk on May 18th when Ehrhard will guide us around his very own 287 acre Shangri-La. We’ll learn a bit about forestry practices along the way, and see what harvested areas look like after 1 year, 5 years, and more. We’ll also look for spring wildflowers, birds, and any other clues we can find about what other plants and animals might live at Frost Forest. In the years Ehrhard has owned this place, his “life list” of birds encountered on the property includes over 100 species which is a testament to the diversity of this wonderful working forest! We hope you’ll join us.
Jason Berard, Stewardship Coordinator
For more details, see our calendar. Registration is requested, please contact Jason Berard at UVLT’s office 603-643-6626 or jason.berard@uvlt.org to sign up.
The wetland nestled at the center of Frost Forest.
04/24/13 by admin | Uncategorized | No Comments »
Upper Valley residents of all ages, incomes and backgrounds feel strongly that land should be conserved. A poll conducted for UVLT by the UNH Survey Center found that 95% of Upper Valley residents believe open space is important to their quality of life. Interestingly, people who rent rather than own their home, and those with lower annual incomes are more likely to feel that land conservation is vital and urgent. These survey findings fly in the face of the notion that land conservation benefits only those people who own land.
Click on the link for the full survey results to see a breakdown of all of the words used by respondents.
The survey results offer strong support for UVLT’s work and the efforts of local conservation commissions. Particularly in tough economic times, policymakers tend to argue for “balance” that weighs open space and environmental investments against other public needs. Yet, Upper Valley respondents overwhelmingly expressed how the land around them is fundamental to their well-being.
When asked open ended questions about what they like best about living in the Upper Valley, most respondents used words like “rural,” “peaceful,” and “community” to describe their values. The majority of those polled felt that protecting land, water and wildlife habitat is critical to our economy and helps local businesses. Nearly three-quarters of respondents said they would be likely to vote in favor of an article to conserve open space in their town, and a majority said they would likely make a personal financial contribution to support a conservation project. UVLT has posted a summary of the survey findings here. The UNH Survey Center is an independent academic research organization and a division of the UNH Carsey Institute. The survey was conducted by phone interview with 434 randomly-selected Upper Valley residents. The margin of error is 4%. For more information about the survey, please contact Jeanie McIntyre.
04/22/13 by admin | Uncategorized | No Comments »
April 22,2013
Today is officially Earth Day, and I am travelling. This year, my actual celebration of this day came a couple days ago, in an unexpected place. I was in Florida’s Panhandle for family reasons, cleaning and repairing a place that my father-in-law loved. Nestled on the coastline in between two state parks, the area is both burgeoning with development and rife with bike paths, dune restoration projects, and hiking trails. In between sad but necessary tasks, there were opportunities to reflect on how I have seen this area change over the past thirty plus years.
I remember a time before the bike paths, before “America’s Birding Trail” came here, before the condo projects lined County Highway 30-A. I also remember when the first bike path was built, and I could ride for miles without meeting a soul. On this visit, even though it’s the “off season,” I had to wake early to get a quiet ride before the day brought out its bustle of walkers, runners, families on “beach cruisers,” and folks strolling slowly with binoculars. It is marvelous to see so many people enjoying time outside.
I decided that it was time for me to say “thank you” to this place, so Saturday morning, I joined a group of volunteers for a beach clean-up at Topsail Hill Preserve State Park. The ranger handed us trash bags and vinyl gloves. He told us to bring the trash we collected to him because a group of students would use it in an art project later that day as part of an Earth Day Festival at the Park. The festival included educational programs, family activities, music and local food and culminated with a sunset 5K run/walk to benefit Friends of Topsail Hill Preserve State Park.
The beach was actually quite “clean” and I had to work diligently to find enough trash to contribute to the art project. I mostly found plastic bottle tops and remnants of plastic bags. My “best” finds were a toothbrush and a German watch battery still in its packaging. I also found a Portuguese Man-of-War which, of course, wasn’t “trash,” but looked so strange on the beach instead of in its watery world that it could fool a person.
At the end of the day my husband and I joined over 180 runners and walkers for the benefit 5K. The group was a mix of lithe adolescents in track club jackets, parents running with their pre-teen children, couples with baby joggers, and walkers with heart monitors and extra water bottles. There were people from the RV park, the 4-H club, and the Air Force base. We were all there because the Park is there - and the Park is there because of all of us. It was a fitting way to celebrate Earth Day, for me, in South Walton County – joining people to benefit a place they loved. Giving something back to the Friends of Topsail Hill Preserve State Park was but small thanks for all that this place has meant to friends and family over the years.
Tonight, when I’m back in the Upper Valley, I’ll still be warmed by the fun and fellowship of caring for land, and I will be happily at home in the place I love.
Jeanie McIntyre, President
Upper Valley view from Wright’s Mountain, Bradford, VT
04/20/13 by admin | New Conservation Projects | No Comments »
The Upper Valley Land Trust (UVLT) has acquired a conservation easement on a 29 acre property with valuable wetland and wildlife corridor features in the heart of the busy Route 120-Mount Support Road area of Lebanon. The protection of this property comes out of a successful partnership effort among entities including UVLT, the City of Lebanon, the New Hampshire Fish & Game Department, and the landowner Ivy Commons at Mount Support Road, LP.
A stream corridor on the protected property provides additional aquatic habitat connection to the larger wetlands on the Timberwood Commons parcel. Photo by Amber Boland, Upper Valley Land Trust.
The Lebanon Planning Board issued a permit to the landowner to develop “Timberwood Commons,” a residential housing complex, contingent upon the permanent protection of 29.1 acres of the property that surrounds the 13.5 acre development area on Mount Support Road. In addition to the grant of a conservation easement to UVLT, the permit required the landowner to complete a Wildlife Management Plan (WMP) approved by state wildlife officials. The Lebanon Conservation Commission voiced strong support for special wildlife habitat and corridor protections because of the rapid development within the larger Route 120 corridor area. Development between large forest blocks has constricted movement of wildlife to very narrow pathways through these developed areas, and a City Natural Resources Inventory indicated one of the key paths for such movement exists on the Timberwood Commons property.
According to NH Wildlife Biologist, Karen Bordeau, “the ability of this area to provide future habitat for local wildlife will depend on sound land use decision-making and this Conservation Easement and Wildlife Management Plan are important steps to accomplish that goal.”
In addition to important cover for wildlife moving from place to place, the Timberwood Commons property itself includes some unique habitat types. According to James Kennedy, a wetland scientist who developed the WMP for the project, an old meadow in the northern portion of the property is one of the few remaining natural grasslands in this part of Lebanon and may be large enough to serve as a singing ground and roosting area for woodcock. New Hampshire Fish & Game biologists also identified a hemlock-dominated “pocket deer yard” that serves as important wintering habitat for whitetail deer.
As the holder of this conservation easement, the Upper Valley Land Trust assumes responsibility for ensuring the long term protection of this property for its wildlife habitat benefits and other natural resource values.
View across portions of the conserved grassland and wetlands beyond, visible from Mount Support Road frontage of the Timberwood Commons property in Lebanon, NH. Photo by Amber Boland, Upper Valley Land Trust.
04/16/13 by admin | Hikes & Walks, UVLT Events | No Comments »
April 16, 2013
As I was cycling home from work Monday night, I noted that the ice on the Connecticut River is now nearly gone. The only place I still noted remnants clinging to the banks of the river was at the confluence of Grant Brook and the CT River in Lyme, NH. Just a week ago, as hard as it is to believe, this place was still mostly frozen, with only the swift water in the middle of the brook running freely.
Pictured: Canada geese (bottom left) and common mergansers (top right). Click on image for larger view!
With all the rivers now free of ice, the migrating spring birds are making their way back to the Upper Valley in larger and larger numbers. The Connecticut River is a major flyway for these migrating birds; think of it as the equivalent of an interstate highway for our avian friends. They “drive” along the river, and “pull off” at the “rest areas” along the way to refuel and get some rest before they continue their long journey. So if you want to get a glimpse of which of our feathered friends have made their way back to the Upper Valley, the CT River is a great place to go!
If you have noticed all of these migrating waterfowl floating on the river lately, but like me, you can’t tell a ring-necked duck from a lesser scaup, consider coming along with us on April 20th. UVLT will co-host a spring migrant watch with Hanover Conservancy and the Mascoma chapter of NH Audubon. George Clark and Art Mudge of Mascoma Audubon will lead the trip, and assist us with identifying what we see. We’ll follow the CT River northward from Dartmouth Printing in Hanover to Grant Brook in Lyme, and we’ll look to see which of our seasonal feathered neighbors have returned. For folks who are interested, we may also take a walk up to Lyme Hill from Grant Brook and see if any of our woodland bird neighbors have returned. To find out more about this birding event check our calendar. We look forward to seeing you there!
Jason Berard, Stewardship Coordinator
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Farrell Farm is one of the few places in New England where the conservation of working farmland and the development of single-family affordable housing has occurred on the same property. UVLT’s conservation project, 25 years ago was unprecedented. Community leaders and staff from the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board, which provided funding for the project, will be on hand to talk about current partnerships and synergy in conservation.
