The Forest Society's mission includes conserving land that supports New Hampshire's native animals and plants, so that wildlife remains a part of our everyday world. Visit this page to explore stories, projects and stewardship related to wildlife and habitat.
Right now the northern hemisphere is tilted away from the sun. Light enters our atmosphere at a much shallower angle and for fewer hours each day. To put it simply, it's cold in New England.
"I think of them as great little wildlife managers," said Dave Anderson, a naturalist and director of education at the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests. Beaver is a "keystone species," Anderson said. "If we were to eliminate their activity, we'd lose wetlands that are critical habitats."
Happy Shortest Day of the Year! That sounds a lot better than moping about the longest winter night, doesn’t it? Yet that’s what December's Winter Solstice brings: the longest hours of darkness and the shortest hours of daylight in the entire year.
People take the plentiful availability of year-round food calories for granted. For wildlife, brief weeks of summer signal that insect protein and plant carbohydrates are at their maximum. Northern wildlife must quickly bulk-up to build feathers, antlers, muscle, and bone – long before the first …
On bitter-cold January nights, water trapped beneath tree bark expands and freezes with an audible “pop!” Sub-zero temperatures rupture tiny tubes comprising the “xylem” layer which is arranged like bundles of microscopic drinking straws, the innermost ring of tubes in the sapwood. That audible …
By September, forests are bone dry. Brushy unmowed fields and woodland edges are cloaked in goldenrod, Queen Anne’s lace and woodland asters. When dusty leaves of poison ivy and wild grape vines display the first crimson or gold tinges of autumn, underground “yellow-jacket” hornet nests reach …
"How come we never seem to see many animals when we’re hiking?”
It’s a familiar lament from those who wish to get more out of precious free time enjoying the peace of the forest and freedom of the hills. I’ve got a few time-tested and simple tips to help maximize your chances to …
