Fresh air, good company, and a chance to pitch in, all with a view of a beautiful mountain! The Chocorua Lake Conservancy is hosting a spring-cleaning at the Island & Grove public access areas along Chocorua Lake.
Join CLC Stewardship Director Debra Marnich on Tuesday, April 11 from 9-11:00AM to help care for a place beloved by so many. The land all along the Route 16 side of the lake to the southern tip has been conserved by the CLC, and through the support of donors and volunteers the CLC is able to make this conservation land accessible to the public free of charge for swimming, canoeing and kayaking, and enjoying the trees, plants, and wildlife that live in and around the lake. Public areas that receive heavy use need regular stewardship to stay stable and healthy. In the spring, after winter storms dump branches and trees, and the snowmelt exposes litter, the Chocorua Lake shoreline areas can look a little worse for wear. Before the leaves come out, it’s a good time to clear up fallen branches and inventory what additional work may be needed later in the spring to reduce and prevent erosion, fix anything “broken,” and identify where invasive plants may have found a foothold. Later in the spring we’ll spread wood chips to help stabilize the shore during the busy seasons of lots of visitors and lots of foot traffic. Many hands and many eyes make light work. If you’re brave (and if the ice is gone by then), you could take a polar-ish plunge after!
Meet at 9AM at the Island public parking area on Route 16 beside Chocorua Lake and we’ll go from there. Bring work gloves, a rake, and/or a shovel, and a trash bag; if you don't have these we’ll have a few extras available. Wear sturdy close-toed shoes or boots and bring water and a snack, if you like. Please register in advance below to let us know you’ll join us—we want to be able to reach you if plans change or the weather changes plans!
Debra Marnich. Photo courtesy of Debra Marnich
CLC Stewardship Director Debra Marnich holds a BS in Zoology and an MS in Forestry. Her major interests and professional focus areas include combining wildlife and forestry practices to manage for both sound silvicultural and optimum wildlife habitat, creating early successional and bird nesting habitat, pollinator habitat creation, promoting small diverse farms local food production/agriculture, promoting land conservation and protection, environmental education, and integrating all resources concerns to create a balanced conservation system.
Banner image: Island stewardship in 2022. Photo: Alex Moot