New Class of Land Stewards Receive Training
A new class of land stewards recently completed the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests Land Steward Core Training Program and will embark on their own adventures stewarding Forest Society reservations. The 27 new stewards come from all corners of the state, including Cornish, Effingham, Milan, Mont Vernon, and Portsmouth. Most will be stewarding properties within 15 miles of their homes.
The Core Training Program, which is offered annually, was held this year at Geneva Point Center in Moultonborough. Prospective stewards increased their knowledge of recreation management, map and compass navigation, boundary monitoring, trail maintenance, and forest/timber management while sharing meals and lodging for the duration of the training.
The Forest Society owns and manages over 48,000 acres of conservation land in more than 95 New Hampshire communities. These lands were conserved to create opportunities for New Hampshire residents and visitors to appreciate their natural beauty and tranquility, provide habitat for wildlife, protect water quality, and promote sustainable forestry.
The Land Steward Program now has roughly 105 active stewards monitoring half of the Forest Society’s 170 reservations.
For more information about the Land Steward program, visit http://www.forestsociety.org/land-steward-program.
If you are interested in becoming a Land Steward and attending next year’s core training, contact Carrie Deegan at 603-224-9945 or cdeegan@forestsociety.org.
Founded in 1901, the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests is the state’s oldest and largest non-profit land conservation organization. Supported by 10,000 families and businesses, the Forest Society’s mission is to perpetuate the state’s forests by promoting land conservation and sustainable forestry. For more information, visit www.forestsociety.org.