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News

  • New Faces at the Forest Society

    Anna Berry
    January 17, 2023

    We've welcomed a few new faces to the Forest Society over the past few months and we're excited to introduce them to you.

  • Sophie Suggests: What to Read & Watch This Winter

    Sophie Oehler
    January 11, 2023

    Stuck on what to read this year? Check out these titles recommended by our communications coordinator!

  • Coming Soon to Creek Farm: A Better Visitor Experience

    Jack Savage
    January 7, 2023

    With support from the Portsmouth Rotary Club and other generous donors, Creek Farm will soon have new public restrooms.

A Major Effort to Leave No Trace

Hot Spot Activation Week at Mount Major
Carrie Deegan
July 3, 2019
Stewardship
Volunteers
Recreation
Volunteers and partner organizations at a service day to help the trails on Mount Major during a Leave No Trace Hot Spot Week
Volunteers and partner organizations gather at the Mount Major trail head during a service project day for the Hot Spot Activation Week. Photo: Emily Lord/Forest Society.

When the Forest Society protected 200 acres on Mount Major in 2015, our fundraising slogan was “Everybody Hikes Mount Major.”  There has never been a more accurate campaign slogan, even in New Hampshire, home of the nation’s first primary. 

With an estimated 80,000 people climbing Mount Major annually, the number of human dramas that occur on the mountain’s slopes is staggering.  I’ve personally witnessed marriage proposals, birthday celebrations, school outings, serious injuries, and fitness goals triumphantly accomplished.  As these dramas play out, thousands of small decisions get made on Mount Major by thousands of individuals every week, but how many of them are good for the environment?

Forest Society and partner staff assess summit and trail conditions at Mount Major Reservation
Leave No Trace Hot Spots Program helps the Forest Society and partners assess summit, parking lot and trail conditions at Mount Major Reservation. Photos: Nick Whites/Leave No Trace and Emily Lord/Forest Society.

This summer, the Forest Society is excited to partner with the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics (LNT) to celebrate the designation of Mt. Major as a 2019 Leave No Trace Hot Spot.  This honor is bestowed on places that are experiencing extreme recreational pressure leading to environmental degradation, and the goal is to educate land managers and the public about the principles of Leave No Trace and how they can help protect this special hiking destination. 

Two LNT Traveling Trainers, Cameron Larnerd and Nick Whites, recently joined Forest Society staff, volunteers, and individuals from partner organizations like Belknap Range Conservation Coalition (BRCC), Lakes Region Conservation Trust (LRCT) and Belknap Range Trail Tenders (BRATTS) for a “Hot Spot Activation Week” of hands on learning and outreach about LNT principles. This Activation Week included workshops for youth educators and outreach staff from the Forest Society and partner organizations, a public outreach event at the trailhead on a bright and busy Saturday, a volunteer service day of cleaning trash and restoring trails, and a fun “Hit the Trail” Trivia Night at a local bar.

Nick Whites and Cameron Larnerd at the Leave No Trace booth at Mount Major
Nick Whites and Cameron Larnerd welcome visitors at the Leave No Trace booth at Mount Major. Photos: Cameron Larnerd/Leave No Trace and Emily Lord/Forest Society.

“By all accounts, the week was a great success” said Managing Forester Wendy Weisiger, who is responsible for overseeing management of the Forest Society’s 186 Forest Reservations, including Mount Major Reservation.  “And this is just the beginning, a launching point for a much broader effort to communicate Leave No Trace principles to hikers at Mount Major.” 

Concord area trail and trivia enthusiasts competed for prizes and enjoyed cold beverages and great eats at Area 23 in Concord
Trail and trivia enthusiasts competed for prizes and enjoyed cold beverages and great eats at "Hit the Trail Trivia Night" Area 23 in Concord. Photos: Emily Lord/Forest Society.

The 7 Leave No Trace principles (see box below) are not hard and fast rules that MUST be followed at all costs; rather, they are a set of guidelines that provide a framework for people to make better decisions in the outdoors.  LNT Traveling Trainier Nick Winters acknowledged that some of the principles are more difficult for people to follow than others in certain situations. 

“We’d much rather have a whole bunch of people following the LNT principles imperfectly than only one or two doing everything perfectly” noted Nick.

Staff and volunteers attend workshops on how to communicate Leave No Trace principles to the public
LNT Trainers lead workshops on how to communicate Leave No Trace principles to the public and youth in particular. Photos: Leave No Trace.

On Mount Major, Leave No Trace means hikers might think twice before tossing their ice cream container (or even their orange peel!) on the ground at the trailhead before starting up the mountain, or scoop up their dog’s waste even if Fido was polite enough to go “off trail.”  It might mean that people stay on the designated trail corridors even when they are muddy or rocky, and skip carving their initials into the trees to commemorate their visit.

Litter clean up crew on the Mount Major Service Day during Hot Spot Activation Week
Litter clean up crew on the Mount Major Service Day. Photos: Emily Lord/Forest Society and Leave No Trace.

The LNT Hot Spot Activation Week at Mount Major was about learning how to communicate these ideas to the 80,000 people who climb the mountain each year, people from many different backgrounds with many different reasons for hiking the mountain. 

“We are excited to carry this forward and hope it will make a big difference,” said Weisiger, “one small decision at a time.” 

Lakes Region Conservation Trust Americorps trail crew joined volunteers from all over the state for the Mount Major Service Day last month.
Lakes Region Conservation Trust Americorps trail crew joined volunteers from all over the state for the Mount Major Service Day last month. Photos: Emily Lord and Wendy Weisiger/Forest Society.

Leave No Trace Hot Spot Mount Major

7 Principles of Leave No Trace

There are seven Leave No Trace principles that we use for guidelines at Forest Society Reservations:

  • Plan ahead and prepare.
  • Hike on durable surfaces.
  • Dispose of waste properly.
  • Leave what you find.
  • Be careful with fire.
  • Respect wildlife.
  • Be considerate of other visitors.

Leave No Trace can help us protect our much-loved hiking destinations- while still making time for that summit selfie.

The 7 Principles

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Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests54 Portsmouth St.Concord, NH 03301
Phone: 603.224.9945Fax: 603.228.0423info@forestsociety.org
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