Forest Society Blog - News & Features

Fall may be approaching, but New Hampshire’s best hiking season is just beginning. Discover simple tips for fueling and hydrating on the trail — and find inspiration to get outside with the Forest Society’s 2026 Five Hikes Challenge.

New Hampshire’s two species of flying squirrels are tiny, nocturnal gliders — and important indicators of forest health. Learn how these elusive animals navigate the treetops, what they eat, and how you can even help researchers track them.

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.

The New Hampshire Division of Forests and Lands and Forest Society have announced the 2026 Cottrell-Baldwin Environmental Lecture Series, a free four-part program on New Hampshire’s forest history, health, and future. The series runs March 17–April 7 at the Henry I. Baldwin Environmental Center in Hillsborough.

Dave reflects on how a childhood discovery—a bird’s nest hidden in a Christmas tree—sparked a lasting connection to nature, memory, and place. From suburban New Jersey to New Hampshire forests, it celebrates the quiet power of early encounters with the natural world.

This reflection weaves together the rhythms of ecological change with a transition behind the microphone at Something Wild. As forests, wildlife communities, and seasons evolve, so too does the show—marking Chris Martin’s retirement as co-host and welcoming Grace McCulloch to carry the conversation forward, reminding us that change is not an ending, but a continuation.

Northern saw-whet owls are among New Hampshire’s tiniest — and most elusive — forest residents, but a recent visit to the Black Mountain Banding Station offered a rare chance to see these pint-sized nocturnal raptors up close. Through Project Owlnet, banders are helping uncover the mysteries of saw-whet migration, biology, and behavior, one adorable owl at a time.