I recently shared my plan to retire in October 2019 with the Forest Society board, staff, and supporters. After 22 years, I’m ready to spend more time exploring the land the Forest Society has protected during my tenure here. I’m looking forward to taking my canine sidekick, Minnie, on hikes of Black Mountain, Deaf Dog Reservation, and Grandpa Watson’s Woodlot. I want to hike the length of the Hedgehog Ridge Trail in Deering and return to the Washburn Family Forest in Clarksville. And I’m always game to hike Gap Mountain, where I spent my early years as a Forest Society summer intern.

I am grateful to our members, staff, and Board of Trustees who have contributed to all that’s been accomplished over the last two decades. Together, we’ve protected nearly 300,000 acres of New Hampshire’s most important forests, fields, wetlands, and vistas. We’ve protected public drinking water supplies, wildlife habitats, and amazing recreational resources. The lands we own as reservations have doubled in acreage. As a friend of mine used to say, “Not too shabby!”

From an organizational standpoint, this is a good time to transition to new leadership. The Forest Society is on stable footing with a great board and experienced staff. Our trustees are already convening a committee of the board to begin a search for a suitable person to lead the organization forward.

In the meantime, there’s our 118th anniversary to celebrate and a lot of work to be done: Northern Pass will (perhaps) be at the Supreme Court this year; we want to engage more people on our lands; and there are land protection projects to complete along with myriad other important challenges to keeping New Hampshire, New Hampshire. I’ll have three or so more columns to write between now and October, but right now, I’ve got to get back to work! I hope to see you in the forest!

Jane Difley is the president/forester of the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests.

This blog post originally appeared in Forest Notes: New Hampshire's Conservation Magazine. Join today to start receiving our quarterly, award-winning magazine for land conservation news and special stories of people and place in New Hampshire.