M E M B E R T O W N S C A N D I A D E E R F I E L D E P S O M N O R T H W O O D N O T T I N G H A M R A Y M O N D S T R A F F O R D

Strafford

Northwood

Deerfield

Epsom

Candia

Raymond

Nottingham

Route 27

PAWTUCKAWAYSTATE PARK

BEAR BROOKSTATE PARK

Route 107

Route 43

Rout

e 202

A

NORTHWOODMEADOWSSTATE PARK

The Ghosts Amongst Us…New Hampshire’s Elusive BobcatsBy Eric Orff

Mysterious, elusive,shy, are all wordsthat have been commonly used to describe NewHampshire’s bobcats.While bobcats areseemingly rare in thestate, in fact they arereally not. Bobcats choose to not be seenby humans. They prefer large blocks of unfragmented habitat, mixed forests of conifers and hardwoods, as well asswamps, hill top ledges and edges of agricultural lands.

Bobcats are actually not very big andgenerally weigh about 15 pounds, lessthan the average plump domestic tabby.Yet their thick coat of fur makes their sizethe subject of myths. They appear huge as they skulk wooded edges, only occa-sionally witnessed by humans. For nearlytwo hundred years, fear of bobcat led totheir persecution by humans across thestate. Indeed bobcats became “the bigbad wolf” when other predators, likewolves, mountain lions, and evenfisher, had been eliminated, or nearly so, from the state.Beginning in 1809, and lastinguntil 1973, a bounty of $20was awarded by the state forkilling a bobcat. In some years over 200bobcats were killed for the payment.

Fortunately attitudes have changed. By the late 1980’s the bobcat had com-plete protection. Today, there are likely

several hundred bobcats scattered acrossthe state, with most sightings reported in western New Hampshire. Bobcats canoccur as far north as the Canadian border,but New Hampshire is about the northernextreme of their range.

The southeastern section of NewHampshire has historically had low numbers of bobcat based on sightingreports and car kills. However, in the past few years there has been an increasein reported sightings in the towns in theBear-Paw region, specifically aroundPawtuckaway State Park. The mountains

OurMISSION

Bear-Paw Regional Greenways is a landtrust established by resident volunteerswho are concerned about the loss ofopen space lands. Bear-Paw envisions aseries of greenways comprised of privateand public lands that connect large con-servation areas. Protection of this landnetwork will safeguard important wildlifehabitat and travel routes; surface waters,groundwater, and wetlands; scenicresources and recreational opportunities.

Bear-Paw is committed to ensuringthat the region’s most important natu-ral features continue to be available forfuture generations and is working toaccomplish this goal through landowneroutreach, education, land protection,community assistance and partnerships.

VOLUME II, ISSUE 1 • SPRING 2002

The Ghosts Amongst Us.......1

A Note From the Chair ........2

Bear-Paw Annual Meeting ...2

Conservationist Award...........2

Easement Adds to Great Brook/Back Creek ..3

Meet the New Chair and Vice-Chair ..........3

Calendar of Events ................4

Thank You! ................................4

InsideTHIS ISSUE

Continued on page 4

Town Boundaries

Lakes, Ponds & Major Wetlands

Conservation Lands

Proposed Greenways

Major Roads

Bear-Paw Conservation Successes

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On February 23rd, more than 80 Bear-Paw friends and members attended our3rd annual meeting at the NottinghamElementary School. The meeting beganwith the first showing of the Bear-Pawslide show, followed by elections, andawards. The Conservationist Award 2002was presented to the Menard family ofDeerfield for their dedication to landconservation and their generosity toBear-Paw. Outgoing Bear-Paw Officers,Frank Mitchell and Phil Auger, were recognized for their outstand-ing work and leadership. Ben Kilham, our keynotespeaker, gave an informativeand entertaining talk abouthis extraordinary experience raising orphan bear cubs on his property in Lyme. He shared insights he has gained into theirhabits, personalities, and biology. Prior to the afternoon hikesDavid Wunsch, the New Hampshire State Geologist,gave an overview of the geology

of New Hampshire and provided back-ground on the geological history ofPawtuckaway. Then he and Darell Covel,of UNH Cooperative Extension, led agroup of 35 participants to the Pawtuck-away Boulder Field. Another 12 joinedwildlife biologist Eric Orff and foresterCharlie Moreno on a walk through theNottingham School Forest, a registeredtree farm. It was a stimulating day, filledwith good company and good cheer.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SUPPORT BEAR-PAW REGIONAL GREENWAYS , OR TO RECEIVE MORE INFORM

Due to the efforts of outgoing Chairman PhilAuger and the dedicationof the Bear-Paw Board andmembers, the past yearbrought many successes.

Member towns’ conser-vation commissions havebeen granted all or a per-centage of the land usechange tax to be used forland conservation.This is

an exciting affirmation of the growingcommitment to open space protectionin the Bear-Paw region.

Bear-Paw sponsored a workshopseries this Fall focused on educatinginterested volunteers about methods of land protection and outreach tolandowners and communities.

The structure of our organization hasevolved to a committee format.Thecommittees focus on education, outreach,land protection, stewardship, and fund-raising. Bear-Paw currently has Boardrepresentation from all seven membertowns. If you are interested in volunteer-ing on our board, please give us a call.

Our membership continues to growand we thank you for generously sup-porting Bear-Paw.As a non-profit landtrust dependent on volunteers, we relyon contributions from our members.We welcome new members and inviteanyone who is not a member to fill outa membership form.We welcome yourparticipation on a committee as wehave many opportunities for involvementand leadership.

Lastly, we are always interested tolearn about special places we can helpprotect. If we can be of assistance in sucha project, please call or drop us a note.Thank you!

A Note Bear-Paw Annual Meeting – A Memorable DayBy Betsy Kruse

FROM THE CHAIR

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Bear expert, Ben Kilham, shares amazing stories abouthis experience with bears in New Hampshire.

Conservationist Award 2002Deerfield’s Menard Family HonoredThe Menard family of Deerfield are the recipients of the Bear-Paw Conservationist Award 2002. Longtime residents of the region, the family has demon-strated their commitment to land conservation byprotecting their family forest with a conservation easement. They have supported Bear-Paw’s missionthrough their active membership, as well as by generously donating office space to Bear-Paw at Parade Properties.

The office donation has been critical to the landprotection, education, and outreach efforts of theland trust and provides an essential location withinthe region for Bear-Paw staff, members and volunteers to work together. Bear-Paw expresses its gratitude to the Menards for their leadership in the community and support and dedication to Bear-Paw’s greenway goals.

Led by the StateGeologist, David Wunsch,Bear-Paw members hikethrough a boulder field atPawtuckaway State Park.

PHO

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Peter Menard of Deerfield accepts theConservationist 2002 Award from Bear-PawExecutive Director, Susan Zankel.

Cody Cramer, Board Chair

MATION, PLEASE C ALL SUSAN ZANKEL AT 603.463 .9400, OR E-MAIL US AT BEAR-PAW.DELLEPRO.COM

Meet the newCHAIR AND VICE CHAIR

We would like to hear from you!■■ Yes, I want to become a member of Bear-Paw.

Enclosed is my check in the amount of: ■■ $25 ■■ $50 ■■ $100 ■■ $250 ■■ Other $ _____________________

■■ Yes, I want to become a Bear-Paw volunteer.

■■ Please send me information about Bear-Paw.

NAME

MAILING ADDRESS

Please make your check payable to Bear-Paw Regional Greenways, and send to PO Box 19, Deerfield, NH 03037.

Thank you for your generous support!

Cody Cramer, Chairman, Raymond

Cody grew up inMaryland and hasworked in the com-puter technology field for 20 years.In search of moreopen space, less traffic congestion and development,he moved to New Hampshire in 1995.Cody lives in a pre-revolutionary colonialand granted a conservation easementon his land which contains productiveforestland, farmland and wetland.Theproperty includes undeveloped frontagealong the Pawtuckaway River and DryAppalachian Oak and Hickory Forest,considered a rare natural community.

Wini Scovill Young Vice-Chair, Northwood

Wini Scovill Young wasborn in Gilmanton IronsWorks, New Hampshire.Her love of nature stemsfrom growing up withhorses, sheep, dogs, cats,rabbits, a pet raccoon

and thousands of chickens on a farmoverlooking Crystal Lake.Exploring the woods andfields was and is a favoritepastime.

She has taught biologyand environmental science at Coe-Brown Academy forthe past 16 years andserved on Northwood’s conservation commission for 12 years. She sings andplays guitar in the DeerfieldCoffeehouse Band, which has volunteered its servicesto raise money for manylocal organizations.

3

Cody with “Beamer”

Since our last newsletter, Jack and Susie Sherburne ofDeerfield donated a conservation easement on a portion of their land tothe New Hampshire Chapter of theNature Conservancy. The land consists of 60 acres of forest land and wetland.The wetlands are significant ecologically.One is the extensive marsh throughwhich Back Creek flows as it headstoward Pawtuckaway Lake, a dramatic

sight and valuable forit’s wildlife habitats,it’s ability to cleanthe water flowingthrough it and to

store water in times of flood. There arealso a series of black gum “basin swamps”on the land, a wetland type consideredrelatively rare in New Hampshire. Theconservation easement will protect theintegrity of these natural areas.

The easement is a key piece to com-pleting one of Bear-Paw’s proposedgreenways. Just to the west of theSherburne land is over 900 acres of landprotected through the New HampshireLand Conservation Investment Programin the early 1990s, thanks to theDeerfield Conservation Commission,

and two Town Forest tracts. There are a total of nine abutting parcels.

The Sherburnes worked with The Nature Conservancy,Bear-Paw Regional Greenways,the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests, and theDeerfield Conservation Commission for some time to reach their conservationgoals for this part of their land. The conservation easement will allow the wetlands and forest lands to be sustainedwithout a threat of subdivision anddevelopment. They completed the easement late in 2001.

Bear-Paw applauds the Sherburnes,The Nature Conservancy and the otherparties that cooperated to help protectthis important parcel. We look forwardto working with other conservation-minded landowners and our partnerorganizations to protect more land andmake the regional greenways a reality –one piece at a time.

Easement Adds to Great Brook/Back Creek Conservation AreaBy Frank Mitchell

Burbank Marsh Great Brook

The easement is a keypiece to completingone of Bear-Paw’s

proposed greenways.

Wini Scovill Young

Post Office Box 19Deerfield, NH 03037

NONPROFITORG.USPOSTAGE

PAIDPERMIT#8

DEERFIELD, NH

Cody Cramer, Chair, RaymondWini Young, Vice-Chair, NorthwoodErick Berglund, Treasurer, DeerfieldBetsy Kruse, Secretary, Candia

Phil Auger, StraffordChristopher Closs, CandiaSam Demeritt, NottinghamFrank Mitchell, DeerfieldEric Orff, EpsomAl Pratt, StraffordMark West, Nottingham

EXECUTIVE DIRECTORSusan Zankel

ILLUSTRATIONS Al Jaeger

BoardOF DIRECTORS

Local Lyrics and Lore for Land!Deerfield Town Hall

Saturday,May 11,2002Beginning at 7:30 pmDetails Inside!

Contact Bear-Paw Regional Greenways at PO Box 19, Deerfield, NH 03037. Call us at 603.463.9400, e-mail us at Bear-Paw@dellepro.com, or visit www.bear-paw.org

Calendar of EventsLand Conservation and EstatePlanning Workshops

April 18, 2002 Candia Land Conservation and Estate Planning Workshop* 7-9 pm, Candia Town offices.

May 7, 2002 Deerfield Land Conservation and Estate Planning Workshop* 7-9 pm, Deerfield Town Hall.

Registration Fee: $10/family. To registerfor either location, please call Phil/Kay at UNH Cooperative Extension at603.679.5616 or 1.800.248.6672.*Workshops Co-sponsored by UNH Cooperative Exten-sion, Bear-Paw Regional Greenways, Candia ConservationCommissions, and Deerfield Open Space Committee.

Local Lyrics and Lore for Land! May 11, 2002Join us for an evening ofmusic and storytelling to benefit Bear-Paw’s Land ProtectionProgram. Featuring storyteller, BeckyRule, and music by the Crown Point(bluegrass), and Big Chicken (folk rock)bands. 7:30 pm at the Deerfield Town Hall. $10 adult, $5 children under 12.

Bear-Paw members who prepay for tickets by May 6 receive a $1 discount. To reserve ticketscall 942.8393 or e-mail winiyoung@aol.com.

within Pawtuckaway contain rocky ledges,a type of habitat that bobcat favor.

Professor Dr. John Litvaitis from theUniversity of New Hampshire, who hasstudied bobcats in Maine and NewHampshire, noted in a 1994 article,“Bobcats will continue to exist in NewHampshire. But may decline or disappearfrom some areas where development hasreduced and fragmented habitat. In suchlandscapes, bobcats are forced to rangeover large areas to fulfill their needs. As aresult, they frequently cross roads and arevulnerable to speeding cars and trucks.”Several are killed in New Hampshireeach year. Large unfragmented blocks ofhabitat allow bobcats the greatest chanceof survival because it reduces their needto cross roads.

One of Bear-Paw Regional Greenways’goals is to help minimize fragmentation

of habitat and protect travel corridorsbetween large blocks of habitat

so that bobcats and other wideranging animals can continueto exist in the southeastern

portion of New Hampshire.

The Ghosts Amongst Us, continued from page 1

Thank You!Bear-Paw would like to express its sincere thanks to:

Elliot Sampson for his dedicationto Bear-Paw during his tenure as a Board Member from Epsom.

Margaret Watkins for her expertisegenerously offered through the NPSRivers and Trails Assistance Program.

Cynthia Belowski for her greatwork as an Antioch practicum student funded by the NE Grassroots Environmental Fund.