Lynne Flaccus, Stewardship Director
The ice on Lake Chocorua went out near sunset April 18th and though the loons are not back as of this writing, spring is definitely here. It’s nice to see the forest floor and fields around the Basin again!
Photo: Lynne Flaccus
The snows of winter make it challenging to conduct property visits and gather information for maps and reports I have been working on. The snowshoeing is wonderful of course, but it’s hard to find stone monuments and boundaries and so this winter has been less about field work and more about finishing up properties from the fall. I did get out on some of the CLC properties for stewardship visits to walk boundaries; finding tracks of squirrels, hare, deer, moose and even a bobcat on the Chamberlin Browne property. Nice to see who in the world of wildlife uses our properties in the depths of winter!
This spring I am looking forward to seeing familiar faces and meeting landowners I didn’t have a chance to meet last summer or fall. The Current Conditions Reports I have been working on now total 46, some covering multiple abutting covenants owned by the same family, with 65+ parcels walked. The reports include maps, written descriptions and photos that provide a living document for landowners and CLC to use as a baseline into the future. These documents are especially useful when a property goes on the market (as several have this year) and changes hands. Landowners are encouraged to provide the information to their realtor and any potential buyer as a resource for what the land includes.
Other adventures this winter included an owl talk at Cook Memorial Library and an Owl Prowl in Tamworth. A good turn out and a fun walk in the dark! No owls heard but a beautiful moon rise none the less. The Property Management Committee has been hard at work planning for spring and summer work on bird houses, Grove and Island mulching and trail and road work on Clark Preserve.
The usual “office work” of scanning, copying and filing documents, and researching deeds has also kept me busy. I’m looking forward to settling into the office and doing that indoor work from one space, as well as looking forward to having a space for members to stop in and say hello!
If I haven’t met with you yet to learn about your property and walk your boundaries, please reach out by phone or email and let me know when you might be around. I’m starting to schedule spring and summer visits and would love your help in finding a good time to meet! Even if you don’t have time for a visit, I’d love to talk with you by phone to learn about your connections to the land.
Hope to see you around the Basin or at the office soon! Happy spring!