02/03/12 by admin | Uncategorized | No Comments »
On a recent cold morning my wife, Ann, and I waited for the temperature to rise from minus 12 as we contemplated a winter hike. At 10 above we added a few layers and put a canteen of warm water, a snack and our upgraded pull-on crampons in a small backpack – enough for a couple of hours of hiking. We started on a well worn path and with a few turns were the first footprints in the snow which always adds to the fun. We knew many trails were icy but the last snow, which had seen warmer days, covered the ice with a crusty layer and was not slippery. I went bare boot and Ann tried out her new ‘micro-spikes’. Neither of us had a problem that day but Ann was confident and I was careful.
Taken on a different hike but illustrative of the conditions described here.
A week earlier on the trail, without the pack full of supplies, we were surprised at the amount of trail ice we saw. Lots of black ice located where a slip could send you down a rocky slope or splashing into the Ompompanoosuc River! That day we kept going but went off trail to get around the ice – in one spot bushwhacking for about a quarter of a mile. It is important to note that when the ground is frozen going off trail causes no damage (as it would after the spring thaw) and is a lot safer. Even with her ‘micro-spikes’ Ann does not cross any sloping sheet of ice or hike up the middle of an icy uphill trail. She doesn’t want to fall in those spots since much of today’s outerwear is made of pretty slippery stuff.
The combination of good gear and common sense will keep you safe on any trail and reduce the risk of falls and other dangers to near zero. The effort required for a hike on those wintry days is well repaid by the beauty of the snowy winter woods and ice framed streams and rivers. On our last hike, we had the bonus of seeing the tracks and slides in the snow where an otter had circumvented rough spots in the river. Another bonus, of course, is that it’s good for body and soul.
J. Roger Hanlon, Trustee & Sunday Stroll Leader
01/27/12 by admin | Uncategorized | 3 Comments »
Lesson Three – If You’re not Sure, Don’t Make It Up
Background Reading
Sometimes the easiest thing to do is agree with someone. Many people do not like confrontation, whether it harkens back to the bully from elementary school, roommates who use your stuff, or that shopper at the grocery store who just can’t understand why parking at a 45 degree angle across three spaces is, in fact, the opposite of sharing.
What I look like when I concentrate very hard. (Photo not taken in Vt or recently for that matter!)
For me, stepping in to straighten out situations like these doesn’t do much to perturb me. Instead, my confrontation anxiety shows itself most under the focused attention that comes when someone puts me on the spot. This is, I am told, a common side effect to having a shy nature.
The confrontation usually goes down something like this:
The formula: “Hey Anna, you (insert known fact about Anna here)! You must know all about x, y, & z!”
Internal Response: Oh geez
External Response: “Oh, sure, yep.”
Example:
Expectantly-hopeful-acquaintance – “Hey Anna, you grew up in Vermont! You must know my in-laws, they vacation in this little town, you know it’s up there near Canada, maybe it was Woodstock!?”
Oh geez
On-the-spot Anna – “Oh, um, maybe. I grew up near Montpelier….uh, you know Woodstock isn’t really near Canada. At all.”
This type of thing can go on all day! Including lengthy explanations that while Vermont is small we residents may not have visited every town and probably do not know every single other person in the state.
In my experience it is easy for your brain to turn on you in these situations. Your brain knows that you do not have a clue what this person is talking about, however, in a desperate attempt to shift the focus elsewhere you just agree with the person. You find yourself smiling and nodding, “Yes, I know who/what you’re talking about! “ The entire time you are also squashing down the alarm that you may end up having to prove it.
Facing difficult questions can be a lot like hiking up bare & windy hills - excruciating at the time but worth putting in the effort.
Now needless to say this type of anxiety isn’t great in the professional world. I am happy to report that in a good 99% of paralyzing social situations of this nature I can handle with no trouble. A far cry from the years I hid my face while my family sang ‘Happy Birthday’ to me in the privacy of our home because I didn’t like the attention. In fact, when I moved back to Vermont after years of living elsewhere I was even more comfortable saying, “Nope! I don’t know how to get there, know that person, or recognize anything you are saying because I’ve just moved back and I’m actually new (to this part of the State)!”
Field Application & Case Study
So now that we have pinpointed that gut wrenching feeling behind this lesson we can ask the essential question: what about out in the field? Landowners, land caretakers, and even just folks you may meet along your trek as a volunteer monitor may have questions for you about UVLT and what you’re doing. It happens all the time, volunteers and co-workers trade stories about such things.
This weighed on my mind as I did my first solo monitoring visit at the beginning of December. The folks take good care of the property; they actively manage for several things including livestock pasture and a productive sugarbush. One of the land managers was my company for the day, and as a person who is in tune with the property he had plenty of questions and comments for me as we toured around. What did I think about this? Listen to these plans, how do they sound? And so on.
I began to realize that I was the ‘expert’ in this situation. I worked at UVLT and as the monitor for this year I was the nearest available authority on all things conservation related. So, this guy was focused on me to get all the answers!
Oh geez.
Thankfully, I did not panic! My strategy was to engage and listen, but not to advise. My response was often: “I can’t speak to that specifically, everything depends on your easement but I’d be happy speak to so-and-so back at the office about this. Then we’ll be in touch with you with answers.”
At first he seemed a bit surprised that I wasn’t willing to elaborate, after all I worked for the Land Trust didn’t I? But, I stuck to my refrain and as the visit progressed he was able to discern that I wasn’t covering up a mental deficiency by not answering his questions but rather trying to ensure he’d get the correct answer and level of detail he was looking for. Ultimately, this was satisfactory to him without placing myself out on a limb by advising upon what I did not know – and we did get him answers to all of his questions soon after my visit.
Sometimes the arrows on a monitoring map remind me of the path your brain takes to solve a problem...
Overall, my experience underscored the fact that our role as volunteer monitors is twofold; that of an observer and gatherer of data as well as being the face of an organization and ourselves. As monitors we must keep in mind that the property we are visiting has legal restrictions upon it and because of this we strive to provide clear and accurate answers to questions. You do have the powerful tool we learned about in Lesson One – the monitoring folder – with you on the visit but, though it contains information that may provide answers you should always verify with UVLT’s staff and let them give the final word.
In addition to these practical acts we must also remember that we not only represent ourselves as individuals but we also represent UVLT as an organization and even Land Conservation as a larger movement. When I made that first property visit, I had been a member of the Upper Valley community for a mere 6 months. Already I felt like I was surrounded by friends. I was meeting people and building relationships as an individual and a professional and of course I wanted to make a good impression but I didn’t risk providing wrong information just to do so. I had to be confident enough to say I didn’t know the answers.
We are, on a basic level, the eyes and ears of UVLT but in reality, we are much more than that. And I, for one, am glad to spend my time outside in such an endeavor even if I do fall under a scrutinizing gaze every now and again.
This is the second post of a series I am writing about my experience becoming a fully trained monitor for UVLT. If you missed the first one you can read it here. I came to the Land Trust with some field experience but I knew it was unlikely that the methods I had been taught would be an exact fit for UVLT’s stewardship needs – and boy was I right! I hope you will enjoy learning, laughing, and pondering with me as I collect and nurture the knowledge, skills, and abilities gained from spending time outside.
Anna Slack, UVLT Programs Coordinator, Monitor-in-Training
** If you’re interested in becoming a monitor yourself contact us! **
01/19/12 by admin | Uncategorized | No Comments »
We have public hearing updates for the proposed New Hampshire legislation. See below to learn more about the bills that have been filed (summary and links below), and contact committee members to share your thoughts on the proposed changes.
If you would like to stay informed, please contact Anna Slack at anna.slack@uvlt.org
Check www.NHACC.org for legislative updates.
Proposed Legislation from New Hampshire House of Representatives (click on the bill number for a link to the text with the changes):
HB1515
This bill removes the town’s ability to send any land use change tax dollars to the conservation fund, and makes sweeping changes to Current Use Law.
Public hearing: 1/17/12 10:00 AM Legislative Office Building Room 301
The hearing went well, there seems to be a lot of opposition to this bill. The Municipal and County Government Committee deliberated in Executive Session on this and other bills on 1/25/12. The bill came out of committee with a recommendation of “Inexpedient to Legislate” the vote was 17 – 0. This means the bill will still need to go to the full House for a vote, but if the House supports this recommendation it will be considered killed.
HB1545
This bill specifies that conservation commissions will no longer have the ability to convey interests in real property that they receive or acquire. This bill also limits conservation commission contracts to manage interests in real property to a term of 5 years.
Public Hearing: 2/2/12 9:30 AM Legislative Office Building Room 301. This bill will be heard by the Municipal and County Government Committee.
HB1586
This bill adds complexity and the potential for significant delays to the process that towns must follow once they have chosen to acquire land or an interest in land for conservation.
Public Hearing: 2/2/12 10:30 AM Legislative Office Building Room 301. This bill will be heard by the Municipal and County Government Committee.
HB1342
This bill appears to restrict a town’s ability to be a member, or allow its Conservation Commission to be a member, of organizations such as the NH Association of Conservation Commissions.
Public Hearing: 01/24/2012 at 11:30 AM Legislative Office Building Room 301
The above bills will all be considered by the House Municipal and County Government Committee.
To contact the committee by mail:
House Municipal and County Government Committee
Legislative Office Building Room 301
Concord, NH 03301
HB1540
This bill creates law that says “no town shall sell or grant to any nonprofit organization a conservation easement on land owned by the town” thereby removing an option that currently exists for towns and conservation commissions with respect to municipal property.
Public Hearing: 01/24/12 2:15 PM Legislative Office Building Room 305
This bill will be heard by the Resources, Recreation and Development Committee.
To contact the committee by mail:
House Municipal and County Government Committee
Legislative Office Building Room 305
Concord, NH 03301
You may follow this link to check on the status of any one of these bills.
For more information please contact the NHACC at info@nhacc.org or Anna Slack at anna.slack@uvlt.org
01/10/12 by admin | Conservation Advocacy | 1 Comment »
Several bills that have been filed in the NH House of Representatives could have profound impacts on local land conservation and the work of Town Conservation Commissioners. If passed, they would limit the ability of Conservation Commissions to manage town-owned conservation property, accept conservation gifts, or support any organization that conducts lobbying (this would prevent town Conservation Commissions from supporting the NH Association of Conservation Commissions and the Society for the Protection of NH Forests among others). Town voters could no longer choose to place any portion of current use penalties in their Town Conservation Funds, and Towns would be barred from selling or granting conservation easements on Town-owned land.
Lebanon Town Officials, Conservation Commission Members, UVLT staff, and landowners stand together after partnering to protect land within the city for public enjoyment
Under existing NH laws, many Town Conservation Commissions have been very effective at initiating, promoting, and supporting land conservation projects to serve their Town’s goals.
Lebanon and Hanover have purchased property for Town ownership as natural areas.
Cornish and
Plainfield have used their Conservation Funds to provide the matching dollars required for major state and federal grants that purchased conservation easements on key properties including working farms. The small town of
Bath also provided vital matching funds in an effort that conserved a mile of Connecticut River frontage at the “Narrows.” Hanover,
Lyme, Plainfield,
Unity, and
Orford have used their Conservation Funds to cover transaction costs for landowners who donate conservation easements that protect resources the Towns have prioritized. Orford,
Grantham, and Lebanon have conserved Town-owned land to protect important natural resources and to help educate citizens about the process and tools of land conservation. Grantham and Lyme have used conservation transactions to satisfy state mitigation requirements for other Town improvements.
NH Conservation Commission members are volunteers appointed by the Town Select Board, or other governing body. Commissioners are charged with overseeing inventories and making recommendations for the protection of their town’s important natural resources. Towns, and their Conservation Commissions, are vital partners in UVLT’s mission to help people conserve the places that make the Upper Valley special. We believe the proposed legislation will limit local access to conservation opportunities and prevent Town leadership in conservation.
We encourage you to learn more about the bills that have been filed (summary and links below), and contact committee members to share your thoughts on the proposed changes. UVLT and friends may coordinate carpools once hearing schedules have been posted for the proposed legislation. If you would like to stay informed about opportunities to join us, please contact Anna Slack at anna.slack@uvlt.org
Check www.NHACC.org for legislative updates.
Proposed Legislation from New Hampshire House of Representatives (click on the bill number for a link to the text with the changes):
HB1515
This bill removes the town’s ability to send any land use change tax dollars to the conservation fund, and makes sweeping changes to Current Use Law.
Public hearing: 1/17/12 10:00 AM Legislative Office Building Room 301
HB1545
This bill specifies that conservation commissions will no longer have the ability to convey interests in real property that they receive or acquire. This bill also limits conservation commission contracts to manage interests in real property to a term of 5 years.
Public Hearing: not scheduled yet
HB1586
This bill adds complexity and the potential for significant delays to the process that towns must follow once they have chosen to acquire land or an interest in land for conservation.
Public Hearing: not scheduled yet
HB1342
This bill appears to restrict a town’s ability to be a member, or allow its Conservation Commission to be a member, of organizations such as the NH Association of Conservation Commissions.
Public Hearing: not scheduled yet
The above bills will all be considered by the House Municipal and County Government Committee.
To contact the committee by mail:
House Municipal and County Government Committee
Legislative Office Building Room 301
Concord, NH 03301
HB1540
This bill creates law that says “no town shall sell or grant to any nonprofit organization a conservation easement on land owned by the town” thereby removing an option that currently exists for towns and conservation commissions with respect to municipal property.
Public Hearing: not scheduled yet
This bill will be heard by the Resources, Recreation and Development Committee.
To contact the committee by mail:
House Municipal and County Government Committee
Legislative Office Building Room 305
Concord, NH 03301
You may follow this link to check on the status of any one of these bills.
For more information please contact the NHACC at info@nhacc.org or Anna Slack at anna.slack@uvlt.org
12/27/11 by admin | Uncategorized | No Comments »
Art in the Wild is a unique art camp experience brought to you by the partnership of the Upper Valley Land Trust, the AVA Gallery, and the Vermont Institute of Natural Science. This program gives children a chance to explore art and nature in a distinct and special way. To read about some of last year’s adventures click here.
Art in the Wild Campers explore the Jackson Conservation Area
This year we are pleased to join in partnership with AVA and VINS to offer this camp again; and as a special thank you we are able to offer our members a discounted rate! Please see details of the camp below – we hope to see you this summer!
Art in the Wild – Ages 6–9
July 30 – August 3; Monday–Thursday, 9:00am–4:00pm; Friday, 9:00am–3:30pm; Five all-day classes
To register, please call (802) 359-5000 x221, email camps@vinsweb.org, or click here to enroll online via the VINS website.
Full-Day Tuition: $279 /members of either AVA, UVLT or VINS; $310 /non-members
Chock full of hands-on projects, games, and outdoor experiences, Art in the Wild will teach children to observe and respond to the patterns, forms, and colors of nature. With faculty members from both AVA and VINS sharing art and environmental expertise, kids will explore woods, meadows and wetlands, while learning about plants and animals in their native habitats. This outdoor session will take place within walking distance of AVA, on the Jackson Conservation Area in Lebanon, acquired and conserved by the City of Lebanon and the Upper Valley Land Trust, and in AVA’s Children’s Studio.
Art in the Wild – Ages 10–13
July 30 – August 3; Monday–Thursday, 9:00am–4:00pm; Friday, 9:00am–3:30pm; Five all-day classes
To register, please call (802) 359-5000 x221, email camps@vinsweb.org, or click here to enroll online via the VINS website.
Full-Day Tuition: $279 /members of either AVA, UVLT or VINS; $310 /non-members
Chock full of hands-on projects, games, and outdoor experiences, Art in the Wild will teach children to observe and respond to the patterns, forms, and colors of nature. With faculty members from both AVA and VINS sharing art and environmental expertise, kids will explore woods, meadows and wetlands, while learning about plants and animals in their native habitats. This outdoor session will take place within walking distance of AVA, on the Jackson Conservation Area in Lebanon, acquired and conserved by the City of Lebanon and the Upper Valley Land Trust, and in AVA’s South Studio.
12/19/11 by admin | Uncategorized | No Comments »
On December 16, the Upper Valley Land Trust and landowners Graham Colditz & Patti Cox conserved over 250 acres of scenic and productive land on South Road in Canaan, NH. Like many properties UVLT has protected, this land has deep roots in history. Every property has a story but the story of this land is particularly special. Its journey from early settlement in 1766 to its conservation in 2011 is traceable with an unusual amount of detail and continuity.
A large tract within this now-conserved property was granted to a gentleman named Thomas Miner in 1761 as one of the original 62 grantees named in the Town Charter from King George III to Governor Benning Wentworth; ultimately, Thomas Miner became one of the first people to permanently settle in that part of New Hampshire. Tired of life in the city, Miner gathered up his family in 1766 and left Norwich, Connecticut to head north to his land in Canaan. He described his thoughts of the new lands and the opportunities that stretched out before them in these quotes borrowed from the book History of Canaan, NH by William Allen Wallace, published in 1910:
“I’m going to get out er this, and try the bears and wolves for neighbors, and live on fish and venison…. this new road we are traveling is dotted all along with fragrant flowers, and the great trees, always stretching their long arms out before us, are calling us to our new destiny. We are started upon the long road. We are young, and life which a few months ago, seemed like an old wornout coat, now rises up all before us.” ~ Credited to Thomas Miner in History of Canaan, NH
Thomas Miner and his wife had seven more children in Canaan and lived to see the town grow around them. They are buried in the historic Cobble Cemetery which exists within the conserved property. Thomas Miner’s grave is marked with a modern headstone commemorating his military service in the Revolution; the town places a flag at his grave every Memorial Day to honor that service.
The historical farmstead has been restored by the current landowners and cattle still graze the fields. The forests are managed as a certified New Hampshire Tree Farm and streams that enter Gulf Brook and the Indian River add to the diversity and richness of the natural resources on the property. With proximity to other conserved and public lands, including Mount Cardigan State Park, this special place contributes to the traditional rural character of Canaan. Graham Colditz & Patti Cox are proud to conserve their property and ensure this land and its history remains intact as a place of inspiration and wonder for future generations.
12/08/11 by admin | Uncategorized | 3 Comments »
Lesson One – Do Your ‘Homework’
You may have thought your days of assigned reading followed by a quiz were over, but if you are a volunteer monitor for the Upper Valley Land Trust you are wrong – in the best way possible.
Every good monitoring visit begins when you, as the volunteer, pick up your marbled blue monitoring folder. It feels, and looks, very official with laminated pockets housing reports, background documentation, and a map collection worthy of an explorer.
Tools of the trade: Monitoring folder, GPS, and compass.
The homework element comes in the form of one of the documents enclosed in this folder. The Baseline Document Report, or BDR, is part of the official legal paperwork that goes into a completed conservation easement. The purpose of the BDR is to provide a picture of that specific property at the time it is protected – including physical features, current land use, and conservation resources present. As a volunteer monitor it is your guidebook, painting a picture of what you should expect to see on your visit. If there are specific features of the land that could be a challenge to maintaining its protected status, the BDR will have those too and that is something you, as the monitor, should pay very close attention to. It is helpful to be aware of such things before you arrive on site in the chance that a violation could exist. Knowing what you’re looking at and potentially what you’re looking for is a good idea before you begin. Now, hopefully, the ‘homework’ is not looking all that bad. In fact, it is a chance to really ‘get to know’ the land.
Dangers of trekking with out proper navigation - vague pointing and guessing doesn't work when you are a monitor! (Me, on Left, and my SCA crew in Arizona. This is where I got my first taste of large scale property management/monitoring.)
Armed with this information, you are nearly ready to set out for your property visit – this would be the ‘quiz’ part. First, make sure someone knows where you are going and how long you expect to be there. This is a policy that UVLT staff members follow and recommend strongly to volunteers. Directions to the site are included in the monitoring folder but you will also need to know where you’re going once you arrive.
A handheld GPS unit can be acquired from the UVLT office that includes the boundaries of conserved properties, but be aware! All maps are imperfect representations of the real thing so it is best to bring along a compass in addition to your GPS and your paper maps to ensure that you are indeed tromping on conserved property and not the next door neighbor’s!
When you arrive be sure to park in a safe area and note where your vehicle is located (this can be done with the GPS). UVLT can provide you with a “UVLT Monitoring Visit” sign to display in your window, another recommended practice. Double check that you have all the gear you need and, if you haven’t already, plan your monitoring route through the property.
Each route will be different depending on the challenges that may/may not exist as well as what was done the year before. The idea isn’t to replicate the same visit from year to year, though you should take that visit under advisement. Rather, your trip is to make sure the property is thoroughly inspected with the overarching goal of your observations being to add to a complete picture of the property over time. Sometimes the land owner or caretaker will come with you and it is great if they do. These visits are an opportunity to keep in touch and maintain a good relationship with them.
Lesson Three – Have Fun!
Then, the adventure begins! And while every visit you do may not be action packed it will most certainly be a memorable experience. Since monitoring visits only happen once a year they are critical to UVLT’s ability to properly care for the land we have protected. Out there you, the volunteer, are our eyes and ears, and sometimes we hear some very neat stories. But even if we don’t, and the visit is quiet, it is still your excuse to take a walk in the woods, fields, and farms of the Upper Valley; with your mind and eyes open you might just come away with something better than a story.
Perks!
This is the first post of a series I am writing about my experience becoming a fully trained monitor for UVLT. I came to the Land Trust with some field experience but I knew it was unlikely that the methods I had been taught would be an exact fit for UVLT’s stewardship needs – and boy was I right! I hope you will enjoy learning, laughing, and pondering with me as I collect and nurture the knowledge, skills, and abilities gained from spending time outside.
Anna Slack, UVLT Programs Coordinator, Monitor-in-Training
** If you’re interested in becoming a monitor yourself contact us! **
12/01/11 by admin | Uncategorized | No Comments »
The Monday before Thanksgiving, folks gathered for refreshments and camaraderie to enjoy UVLT’s photo exhibit at the Norwich Public Library. The hi-light of the evening was a special reading by Vermont’s 2011 Poet Laureate Sydney Lea.
He read a lyrical essay, ‘Snowdust’, from his yet-to-be-published work entitled Now Look. His words brought a poignant presence to the photos and added something special to the evening. If you missed it you may click on the notation below to listen to the reading – introductions by UVLT Board Chair, Bob Wetzel. We hope you enjoy it and have a chance to come visit our exhibit ’25 Years of Land Conservation’ through photos at the Norwich Public Library in November and December.
“Without the efforts of the Upper Valley Land Trust and its staff and supporters…of which I have been one…we have fewer and fewer experiences of the sort I mean to render here.”
Syd Lea, ‘Snowdust’ – A Reading on November 21, 2011
A Note: Since this is an amateur recording you may need to increase your volume for the best clarity, but be aware that sounds in the foreground will be quite loud…watch your ears particularly if you listen with headphones! Thank you & enjoy!
11/08/11 by admin | Uncategorized | 2 Comments »
The UVLT Stewardship Staff has seen a lot of oddities over the years while monitoring conservation easements, but nothing could have prepared us for the unusual challenge that lay in store for us after Irene made its mark in our region.
Did you know that in addition to the 412 conservation easements held by UVLT in the Upper Valley, UVLT owns thirteen properties? One of those owned properties is a 23 acre island near the New Hampshire side of the Connecticut River in Claremont. Routine monitoring of the island shortly after the storm gave new meaning to the phrase “expect the unexpected”. We might have expected the 15 foot pile of logs, trees, boards, shrubs, fence posts, and other delectable floatables piled up on the upstream end of the island. We might also have expected the upper edges of the island to be torn away by a river gone wild. What we didn’t expect to see – on the very top of that pile of logs and debris – was a 10 yard dumpster! Crazy you think? There’s more! Nestled in beside the dumpster was a 188 gallon fuel tank that came from a farm somewhere up stream! Leaving one to ponder, “Huh? How did that happen?”
Well, we did a little bit of research on both the dumpster and the tank. The dumpster had a phone number on it so we tracked down the rightful owner. Upon hearing about the dumpster location, we heard a groan on the other end of the line but received acknowledgement that it was their responsibility to remove it from the island. The dumpster came from the West Lebanon shopping area, floating 23 miles downstream through Sumner Falls and ending up on UVLT’s island. It is amazing to think of a dumpster floating one mile, never mind 23!
The dumpster’s companion was more problematic. No owner name, no identifying plates, and no one to take responsibility for the tank and the remaining fuel oil inside. After a conversation with the NH Department of Environmental Services, it appeared that since UVLT owned the property, we also “owned” the tank, like it or not. We had to figure out what to do with Irene’s donation to UVLT so we put our minds to work.
Financially, UVLT is a very lean organization, particularly in this economy. We don’t have the luxury of contingency funds or loose cash. But, we do have friends that care deeply about the river and the surrounding working landscape. And thanks to those friends, the tank was successfully removed from the island without spilling one drop of fuel.
How did we do it?
Planning
• UVLT staff contacted Claremont Fire Department which conducted on-river training and determined that the tank had about 15 gallons of fuel in it.
• UVLT staff made a reconnaissance run to the island and found: a log and debris pile that was slippery and inconsistent, but stable; a tank with two open vent pipes but appeared to be intact; and the closest shore consisting of a very mucky bottom with a steep slope up to the forested floodplain.
• Aerial photo review showed the closest river access point was ¾ of a mile upstream.
• UVLT confirmed that the NH Dept of Environmental Services agreed to remove the oil from the tank if we got it to shore.
• UVLT contacted the Student Conservation Association (SCA) to recruit a couple of volunteers.
• UVLT called a trustee who owns a pontoon boat (!) and who had been known to say “In life one must always do that which one has never done before when the opportunity arises!”
• UVLT called a local farmer (and abutting UVLT landowner) to inquire about use of his tractor.
Day of Action -October 24, 2011
• On a grey October morning , at 28 degrees and warming, UVLT brought a boat, armed with pry bars, ropes, straps, rubber vent caps, come-a-longs, waders, hammers, wrenches, and some nervous laughter to the island.
• The vents were capped, the tank was freed, and it was slowly lowered to water where it was strapped to the side of the boat for slow trip upstream.
• At the boat ramp, the tank was plucked from the water by our local farmer’s front end loader.
Resolution
• Two days later, NH DES removed 15 gallons of kerosene and cut open the tank to remove sludge from the bottom.
• The tank was sent to the salvage yard and scrapped!
Just another day in the life of UVLT stewardship……
Huge thanks go to Lew Shelley and Josiah Downey from SCA; Gary LeClair, farmer and good guy extraordinaire; Ray Reimold, NHDES; Claremont Fire Dept; Rick Roesch, Captain and man of wise words; and all the UVLT staff who have to watch the UVLT stewardship staff have all of the fun…
Pete Helm
Vice President, Stewardship
10/13/11 by admin | Uncategorized | No Comments »
While rushing home from Hanover to get ready for the October 2nd Sunday Stroll (we had planned to hike up the Kodak trail on Mt. Cube) Ann, my wife and hiking buddy, said, essentially, that the days ingredients of rain, cold, and fog with ample dashes of trail mud, slippery rocks, and leaves was a perfect recipe for something you’d rather see in the movies. And, with her mind made up, that’s where she went, to the movies.
I, thinking of myself as being sterner stuff, donned rain gear and drove to the gate at the end of Quintown Road. As I suspected Ann was right; no one else joined me to braved the weather. Since I was there and the rain little more than a heavy mist I decided to walk up the road past the AT crossing to see where it went. As I reached the start of the trail I paused and couldn’t resist; quickly I hiked up to the Eastman ledges and found a muted landscape below which soon faded into the low clouds. That was far enough.
As I started down I was happy that I’d gone; there is something special about such days on a mountain – intense quiet, a peaceful alone-ness and a rare feeling of having left the world behind, however briefly. That short hike, in Robert Frost’s words, had “given my heart a change of mood and saved some part of a day I had rued”.
Come hike with us some Sunday; it’s good for body and soul.
Roger Hanlon, UVLT Trustee & Sunday Stroll leader
Roger leads friends of UVLT on hikes in and around the Upper Valley to share his appreciation for the beauty and goodness of our lands. If you’d care to join him keep an eye on our calendar or contact him at: jrhanlon@daypitney.com.
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