Forest Society Blog - News & Features

Conservation success stories offer powerful proof that declining bird populations can recover when given the chance. Author and researcher Scott Weidensaul shares what’s working for birds around the world — and a few simple ways each of us can help closer to home.

A devastating 1923 fire at the Profile House ultimately sparked a landmark conservation campaign that preserved Franconia Notch as a public park and memorial. A century later, its protected landscapes reflect the enduring power of community fundraising, public-private partnership and conservation advocacy.

From fledgling birds and evening veeries to fireflies, tree frogs and ripening berries, this poetic episode celebrates the familiar sights and sounds that make summer in New Hampshire wonderfully wild—while acknowledging that fall is never far behind.

Extreme birder and photographer Gino Ellison shares practical tips for spotting and photographing birds, from mastering binoculars and spotting scopes to using back-button focus and a monopod. His most important advice is simple: start with the birds in your own backyard, learn your equipment, and practice patience.

For nearly a century, the U.S. Forest Service's experimental forests—including Bartlett Experimental Forest and Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest—have provided the scientific research that guides sustainable forest management, wildlife habitat, climate resilience, and water quality across New Hampshire. Proposed changes that could weaken or close these research centers threaten the long-term knowledge landowners, foresters, and conservation organizations rely on to steward healthy forests.

American beech trees are a distinctive and vital part of New Hampshire’s northern hardwood forests, providing food and habitat for wildlife while adding year-round beauty to the landscape. But the spread of beech leaf disease could dramatically reshape these forests, making it more important than ever to appreciate—and protect—this remarkable tree.

Join the Forest Society on August 8 for this special anniversary event offering rare access to privately protected conservation easement properties across New Hampshire through guided and self-guided tours, landowner conversations, and opportunities to explore the landscapes conservation helps preserve.