Stewardship & Preserve Management
Friends of The Oswegatchie Hills Nature Preserve (FOHNP) is part of a partnership agreement with the Town of East Lyme. FOHNP is involved not only in efforts to acquire new land, but also in stewardship of the Preserve. Maintaining a nature preserve is never-ending work: Cutting, marking and grooming, hiking trails, installing and repairing bridges and walk-ways, scouting for and controlling invasive species, stopping or preventing soil erosion and unfortunately, picking up trash left by people who don’t follow one of the golden rules of hiking: “Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints.”
They support and participate in ongoing multi-year research projects including capturing data for the National Frog Watch Project and the Southern Pine Beetle study. In addition, they promote conservation and education, with ongoing work on the Pitch Pine Nursery to help repopulate the endangered Pitch Pines. They work tirelessly to ensure hikers, and resident wildlife, are safe and protected. Even serving as ambassadors of the Hills (think natures’ docents) leading hikes and sharing environmental and geological stories.
This stewardship, by agreement with the Town, includes:
They support and participate in ongoing multi-year research projects including capturing data for the National Frog Watch Project and the Southern Pine Beetle study. In addition, they promote conservation and education, with ongoing work on the Pitch Pine Nursery to help repopulate the endangered Pitch Pines. They work tirelessly to ensure hikers, and resident wildlife, are safe and protected. Even serving as ambassadors of the Hills (think natures’ docents) leading hikes and sharing environmental and geological stories.
This stewardship, by agreement with the Town, includes:
- providing, installing and maintaining signage, fencing, boundary and trail markers, and trail guides,
- coordinating regular trail maintenance, including trail upkeep, debris removal, trail modifications/expansion,
- patrolling the Preserve as necessary to resolve any conflicts or safety concerns,
- coordinating annual walks of the Preserve to monitor for encroachments and identify potential management issues.
We are Busy! Conservation Projects presently underway:
- Pitch Pine/Scrub Oak Conservation Nursery Project
- Creation of a blue bird trail with local scouts
- Participants in the National Frog Watch Program
- Mitigation of trail erosion by abandoning and realigning trails on wide old logging/fire roads