Wildlife

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.

A moose stands belly-deep in water of pickerel pond while eating water lillies on Thom Thomson's Orford NH Tree Farm

Moose favor aquatic plants in summer

Dave Anderson
August 25, 2020

It's been a HOT summer in New Hampshire. Statewde meteorologists track an average of 12 days of daytime high temperatures exceeding 90F degrees at the Concord, NH, weather reporting station.

Wildlife
Colorful complex black and orange pattern of Virgin Tiger Moth suggests a stained glass window pattern

Forest Journal: "Mothing" For Beginners

Carrie Deegan
July 26, 2020

The moths we have here in New Hampshire range in size from the 5-7” Cecropia Moth (Hyalophora cecropia), fully as large as an adult hand, to “micromoths” so tiny that you’ll need a hand lens just to see that they are actually moths.

Wildlife
Hammock suspended between two apple trees in late summer sunlight

The Wheel

Dave Anderson
July 22, 2020

Naturalist Dave Anderson cites many mid-summer milestones including reduced bird songs, common ditch-weed flowers, and shooting stars which reveal the summer season passing faster than expected.

Wildlife
Green apples glisten with morning dew.

Apples, Acorns Aplenty!

Dave Anderson
July 12, 2020

Foresters, wildlife biologists and homeowners are watching a strong year for the development of the forest foods that will ripen into autumn apples, acorns and even a good pine seed crop in New Hampshire forests. Fruit trees and oak forests with acorns are THE supermarkets of the forest.

Stewardship
Wildlife

Bank Swallows nest along Merrimack River

Wendy Weisiger, Dave Anderson
June 3, 2020

A reminder about protecting nesting wildlife habitat at the Merrimack River Outdoor Education and Conservation Area.

Birdwatching
Wildlife
Merrimack Valley
An eastern wild turkey captured on a wildlife camera.

Web Extra: Talking Turkey Hunting with Steven Junkin

Anna Berry
May 22, 2020

The Forest Society's Steven Junkin talks about turkey hunting from his home in New Hampshire in this extra episode of Lunchtime Live.

Wildlife
Education

Wildflowers in Our Backyards

Stacie Hernandez
May 26, 2020

Spring ephemeral is the term used for many of New Hampshire's wildflowers that show off in the spring and then move on to a different life cycle where they wither away back underground after going through a reproductive phase. The short definition is growing over a short amount of time.

Conservation Easements
Land Conservation
Wildlife
An oriole feeds a chick in a nest.

A Miraculous Month of May for Bird Watching

Dave Anderson
May 21, 2020

Birds are always spectacular in May. Now, more of us are actually watching and listening carefully. To quote Hall of Fame Baseball legend Yogi Berra: “You can observe a lot by watching."

Birdwatching
Wildlife
A black-legged tick on a green leaf.

Forest Journal: N.H. Tick Data Informs Local Risk

Carrie Deegan
April 27, 2020

Since mid-March, my family and I have been doing a lot of walking in the woods. Daily hikes on quiet, local trails have become our sanity in this constricted and complicated reality that we are living in.

Recreation
Wildlife
Education