Visitors to the Rocks Estate this winter will see a hive of activity in the woods. Local operator Matt Cadreact is putting the next part of the long-term Forest Management Plan for the Rocks into action.

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The Rocks is one of more than 150 forest reservations owned and managed by the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests, the state’s oldest and largest non-profit land conservation and forestry organization.

“This harvest will generate firewood for the Forest Society’s buildings on the property as well as improve the sugar maple stand next to the historic Sawmill/Pigpen building,” Manley said.  A year round maple educational trail will be positioned in the newly improved sugar bush recounting the history of mapleing in the North East.

For safety reasons, some of the trails and harvest area will be closed to the public during operations, through the end of February 2009. Signs will be posted at entrances making visitors aware of the harvesting activities. Trail closures will not effect programs scheduled at the Rocks, such as the weekend Maple Sugaring events in March.

The Forest Society has partnered with the New Hampshire Maple Producers to bring a year round maple experience to the area in the near future.

The harvest is deigned to enhance the sugar bush next to the new <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /??>Maple Education Center situated in what will be the completely renovated building from 1906.  “We are very excited about this harvest, as it is the next step to having the Maple Education Center plan come to fruition,” said Clare Brown, from the local historic society

The Forest Society promotes the benefits of sustainable, responsible forestry. Not only does forestry support the local economy, but forestry done well allows for management of wildlife, recreation, and clean water resources. Revenues from the harvest help support the Forest Society’s conservation efforts and operational budget.

For more information about ongoing programs and events at The Rocks, please visit www.therocks.org . For questions regarding the timber sale, contact Nigel Manley via email at info@therocks.org  or call 603-444-6228.

The Rocks is the North Country Conservation and Education Center of the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests (www.forestsociety.org). The Forest Society is non-profit membership organization founded in 1901 to protect the state’s most important landscapes and promote wise use of its natural resources.