Tour of Pierce Camp Birchmont Waterfront Stormwater Mitigation Project
Saturday, October 15th 10am-Noon

Interpretive Trail Grand Opening
 Smashing Success
 

Thanks to the 30 watershed friends who came out to celebrate the grand opening of the Brewster Heath Interpretive Trail. Did you catch the WWA on the front page of the Granite State News in the 9/15/22 issue? Check out the article clipping on our facebook page.

This project has taken a dedicated team to bring it from an idea to installation. These interpretive signs, which highlight and compliment the beauty of the Preserve, are now a valuable educational resource that will serve the community for years to come.

The Association would like to thank staff, contractors, the Trustee of Funds from the Town, and the many volunteers that made this incredible gift to the town possible. Please be sure to personally thank the following contributors when you see them.

Jennifer Woodard- research, writing, project manager & everything interpretive signs!
Keith Woodard- sign mounting, installation and patience with Jennifer's yearlong project
Peter Goodwin - land knowledge, trail maintenance
Tom Foster- tree ID, wood work, consulting
Steve Towne- project overview, editing, sign posts
Gregg Bretton - GIS mapping
Craig Garland - wayfinding, chainsaw skills
Maggie Stier - editing, writing and land history knowledge
Bob Cole - editing
Cheryl Kimball- editing
Dan Coons - wetland knowledge
Keith Woodard - sign posts, platforms, panel mounting
Sandra Estabrook - sign posts
Donna Towne - sign posts
Julie Brown- idea maker, supporter, editing, content editor, fundraising, check signer....
Yvonne Lauziere, Stark Creative- design

We would also like to thank the Wolfeboro Conservation Commission, who holds the Conservation Easement on the Preserve for being open to our vision for expanded access and education on the property. None of this would be possible without the support of the community who donated generously help us purchase this land to protect water quality through land conservation and community education.

Thank you!

 

1. Leave most perennials uncut through the winter. Native bee species like small carpenter, mason, and leaf-cutter bees nest in hollow stems. Many butterflies pupate and spend the winter on these plants as well. By leaving this plant material in the landscape, we can preserve these pollinating insects for next year. There’s no need to cut back until early spring, when new growth begins to push through.

2. Leave your leaves, don’t just bag up all your leaves to be taken away. If you can, leave a few out-of-the-way leaf piles, perhaps in the corner of your yard or under shrubs. Leaves in your lawn can be mowed over and mulched into the turf. This will help return nutrients to the soil and build organic matter. Don’t let the leaves build up too much, or they may not work their way down through the turf.  Add some shredded or whole leaves to your garden beds or other areas of your property where they can serve as a mulch. Don't mulch leaves if you don't have to. Many of our native pollinator species use them for their eggs or to protect themselves overwinter. 

3. Leaving grass to grow a little longer over the winter is environmentally beneficial. Soil-enriching caterpillars and other bugs bury right down into the thatch; a close-cropped lawn doesn’t do them any favors. Set your mower blades fairly high for the final cut of the season. This will help to protect the soil and make your turf healthier, too. 

4. Plant native species for your fall plantings. This will help to promote local biodiversity and create habitat for native wildlife to thrive. Consider rewilding parts of your lawn that you don't use to help support wildlife.

5. Watch where your water and snow will go this winter. Clean out gutters and ensure that there won't be places that water or snow will build up and damage your house or yard. Infiltrate stormwater where ever you can and be thoughtful about where you store snow piles so they can melt into the ground in the spring. Avoid using ice salts as much as possible to protect your landscaping and water quality.