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Natural Resources

Conservation of natural resources is important to us.  For that reason, we host natural history programs, guided hikes, lectures, and community discussions throughout the year to connect people to the natural world and each other.   We provide workshops, consultations and technical assistance for landowners focusing on best practices for conservation in New Hampshire.  And we support and are involved with county, regional, and statewide conservation projects. 

Check out our projects and programs below and get out and enjoy Sullivan Counties natural resources.  

cherry trees in full bloom

Conservation
Topics & Projects

Naturalist Series

Programs & Workshops

catching monarchs, kids, citizen science, monarch watch
Conservation

Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not.

               

~Lorax (Dr. Seuss)

Conservation

Water Health

Pond in winter

Soil Health

students exploring soil

Wildlife

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Cultural Resources

students in cemetery, marshall pond
Water Health

Water is essential for the health of people and the environment.  We help protect and improve water quality through education programs and projects.  If you would like to learn more or get involved with an of the following projects, let us know. 

Our Projects

  • Water Quality Monitoring - Volunteers help us monitor the 5 ponds on County Lands in Unity by testing water chemistry and surveying aquatic life.

  • Riparian Restoration - We help to procure shrubs at a low cost for organizations and land owners to plant on the banks of local rivers to prevent erosion and reduce flooding. Let us know if you would like help with plantings.

stream study, kids with nets in creek
student in boat on pond
Water
Soil Health
Hands in the Soil

Healthy soil is the foundation for healthy people and ecosystems. We provide workshops and resources for landowners, farmers, and schools to improve soil quality and build healthy soils. 

Our Projects

Soil

Clean water and healthy soil lead to healthy plants and people. Learn how Plants use Solar Power!

Wildlife
Wildlife

Healthy habitats are important in supporting a diversity of wildlife. We support land owners and organizations to create, improve, and sustain habitats - meadows and edge habitat for pollinators and song birds, stream habitat for fish passage, and forest health for the home it provides a diversity of wildlife. 

Our Projects

  • Grassland Bird Conservation - Groundnesting grassland birds such as bobolinks and savannah sparrows often need protection from agricultural activities.  We are actively partnering with farmers to find compromises between the birds habitat needs and working farms. 

  • Pollinator Promotion 

    • Pollinator Garden - We continue to add native plants to our pollinator garden at the Eco Ag Center​.  We planted common milkweed this year to become a Monarch Waystation and we have a bee house for native bees to overwinter at the garden.

    • Monarch Monitoring and Tagging - We participate in two citizen science programs, Mission Monarch & Monarch Watch, in which we collect data on the breeding and migratory monarch populations respectively. We also set up monarch observation stations where we raise monarchs at nursing homes, schools, and on our own.

    • Seed Saving - We save the seeds of the native plants that benefit pollinators, package and sell them at the Spring Plant Sale and give them to local schools & education organizations.

  • Invasive Plant Control -  Japanese knotweed,​​multi-flora rose and autumn olive are actively being removed from the Eco Ag Center area.  We also host workshops to teach others about managing these and other invasive species. 

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Japanese Knotweed invasive species
Wildlife
dawn searching for monarchs.jpg
Street Tree Program
Street Tree Program
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The Sullivan County Conservation District is partnering with local residents through a Street Tree Program in Claremont aimed at increasing shade trees in urban areas.

 

Street trees:

  • provide shade

  • reduce storm water runoff 

  • improve air quality 

  • provide screening and privacy 

  • reduce wind and noise 

  • shelter birds and other wildlife 

  • enhance wildlife habitat, and 

  • increase property values 

In 2022, the Street Tree Program, co-led by Claremont resident, Jonathan Nelson, planted 9 native shade trees on Myrtle Street between Pleasant and Pearl Streets. Site suitability was determined in consultation with the Claremont Planning & Development and Public Works Departments. 

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In 2023, the program focused on Pleasant Street between South Street and Bible Hill Road. Jonathan Nelson and Dakin Burdick co-led the program this year. 22 native trees were planted by homeowners, volunteers, and a local girl scout troop.

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The program assists landowners by purchasing and planting street trees at no cost. Trees are planted in front yards facing the street (no side or backyard plantings). Each location is reviewed on a case by case basis. Site suitability is determined by consultation with the Claremont Planning & Development and Public Works Departments. We anticipate the focus for the next few years will be on Broad Street in Claremont. 

 

For more information, please contact Lionel Chute (lchute@sullivancountynh.gov, 603-542-4891) or Jonathan Nelson (jnelsonathan@gmail.com, 802-881-6185)

Learn More
Cultural
County Farm cemetery, graveyard

Take it a Step Further

If you are interested in getting involved with any of these conservation projects or know of some we could help out with, please contact us

 

The members of your local Conservation Commission are another great resource if you are interested in what is going on with conservation in your town.  You might even consider becoming a member!

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We also facilitate Community Conversations related to these topics.  If you would like to host one of these discussions, let us know.  

 

Cultural Resources

It is important to understand the history of a place including land-use and cultural history to best manage the land today and for future generations. We strive to maintain the cultural resources on the County Lands and to share the story of these special places with others. 

Our Projects

  • Historic Graveyard Restoration - We partnered with the Sullivan County Natural Resources Dept. and NH Old Graveyard Association (NHOGA) to learn more about restoring the stones in the cemeteries on County Lands. We also inventoried the cemetery. Information from each gravestone is stored on the Find a Grave database. 

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  • Valley Quest - We work with schools and Vital Communities to create scavenger hunts that highlight historic, cultural, and natural resources in Sullivan County. Check out the Marshall Pond Quest.

students in snow valley quest
Programs
Botany
ferns
Programs & Workshops

NATURALIST SERIES

Become a better naturalist and land steward by learning about the ecology and natural history of the Upper Valley. Workshops and field courses are added throughout the year as funding and staffing allows.  All programs meet at the Ahern Building at the Sullivan County Complex on County Farm Rd. in Unity, NH unless otherwise stated. 

What topics do you want to learn about?  

Let us know!

Watercolor Butterfly 8

MONARCH MONITORING

We partner with Upper Valley Land Trust each year to monitor the breeding and migrating generations of monarchs at Up on the Hill Conservation Area in Charlestown. These are the dates for this year: 

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Mission Monarch (breeding)

July 23, 2022; 10am -12pm

raindate: July 24, 2022; 1-3pm

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Monarch Tagging (migrating)

Sept. 10, 2022; 10am -12pm

raindate: Sept. 11, 2022; 1-3pm

Paisley Monarch Tagging UVLT cropped.jpg
Raising Monarchs
Presentation Topics

Learn all about the life cycles, migration, and habitat of Monarch Butterflies. We will also talk about conservation and land management for supporting monarchs on their migration as well as discuss the newest monarch science. Information about two monarch monitoring programs – Mission Monarch and Monarch tagging – will be shared.

MAGNIFICENT MONARCHS

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GARDENING FOR NATIVE BEES

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There are over 100 native bees in NH.  Learn about the different kinds, their ecology, and how you can promote them through gardening.  Then, share your knowledge with others.

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PEOPLE AND THE PLANET

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The collective actions of people have begun to change major planetary systems in profound and undesirable ways. Crossing tipping points will lead to truly existential challenges for many species, including us. But incorporating ecological principles into our decision-making would reverse this trend and help to maintain the planetary balances we rely on.  Join Lionel for a talk about the world's natural systems and the importance of ecological thinking.   

Earth and Space
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OTHER TOPICS FOR PRESENTATIONS

  • Be Here Now

  • Our Changing Climate

  • What's the Deal with Microplastics

  • Manmade Chemicals: PFOAs and PFOs

  • Agri-Forestry: Wild Edibles, Medicinal plants, Mushrooms, and how to grow food without cutting down a forest.

  • Responsible Use of Road Salts

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Contact Dawn if you would like to schedule any of these talks.

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