August 2007 NEW! Lake Conservation Corps Raingarden Project
The Lake Conservation Corps is a summer stewardship learning program for 7th thru 12th grade students. Paid interns perform shoreline restoration and watershed protection projects with guidance from local science teachers in partnership with agencies, local towns, conservation commissions, schools, and lake associations. The program is coordinated by the NH Lakes Association. Projects will be aligned with the newly revised state education standards in science as well as national literacy standards. Professional development and technical training in watershed management and restoration issues for local coordinators including teachers will be provided.
The program's pilot year in 2007 was facilitated by the Newfound Lake Region Association, in partnership with NHLA and Plymouth State University. The funding comes from NH DES, PSU Center for the Environment, NHLA, and NLRA.
In addition to the local goal of protecting the natural resources of NH, the overarching long-term objective is to foster an awareness among adolescents of environmental issues and a lifelong interest in stewardship and the NH quality of life. After the pilot program in 2007-08, the program will become statewide, seeking local coordinators and natural resource specialists to recruit and oversee teams of school interns to do service projects around area watersheds.
This is a Rain Garden
Rain gardens are attractive and functional landscaped areas that are designed to capture and filter stormwater from roofs, driveways, and other hard surfaces. They collect water in bowl-shaped, vegetated areas, and allow it to slowly soak into the ground. This reduces the potential for erosion, and helps protect the water quality in our lakes, streams, and rivers by reducing the amount of polluted runoff reaching these resources.
The Newfound Lake Region Association’s Lake Conservation Corps members Brie Gickas, Christy Maloney, Kevin Arnold, Ashley Kuplin, and Billy Trethaway built this rain garden by hand as a community service project in August 2007. Funding was provided by the New Hampshire Lakes Association.
Materials, expertise, and tools were generously donated by the following:
Kuplin Land Services, Alexandria, NH Belknap Landscaping, Guilford, NH Simple by Nature, New Hampton, NH University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH Acton-Wakefield Watershed Alliance Youth Conservation Corps Newfound Lake Region Association
Funding provided by the: New Hampshire Lakes Association
August 2007 BBQ, Blues and Ice Cream Social & Silent Auction Fundraiser
Over 100 fans of Newfound good times had a blast at the August 11 BBQ and Blues Event that included fine music by The Uncle Steve Band, southern-style BBQ, and local ice-cream from The Mill in Bristol, and a silent auction of unique and definitely cool experiences. An energetic and diverse group got together in a classic Newfound setting and had a great time. We plan on doing this again next year, around the same time.
August 2007 Watershed Master Plan Kickoff Meeting a Success
During a late August evening in the Alexandria Old Town Hall, about 30 members of the public braved one heck of a thunder storm to attend the first public meeting of Every Acre Counts: The Newfound Watershed Master Plan. The people heard Steve Whitman present the results of his demographic analysis, which uncovered some important trends that will affect the area for years to come:
Five communities cover 93% of the watershed and have 99% of the population.
The watershed population increased 132% from 1970 to 2005 (faster than the state).
Population is expected to increase an additional 19% by 2030.
Watershed population roughly doubles during the summer.
What these and other demographic data make clear is that continued growth will occur, creating needs that must be met by balancing a variety of natural and human resources. The draft Demographic and Growth Assessment chapter is available here.
Most exciting and rewarding were the audience questions and ensuing conversations. The theme of the Hill and Lake Clans was raised repeatedly, illustrating that many people in the watershed do not focus solely on the lake. The local Boy Scout Troop leader and his son attended to learn more about how the boys could become involved. People exhibited a desire to get to work – the initial visioning time horizon was moved from 2050 to 2020.
SPRING 2007
Lake Ecology Floating Classroom
PSNH grants $800 to Newfound Lake Region Association for “Floating Classroom”
Bristol – Newfound Lake Region Association Program Director, Martha Twombly, accepts an $800 check from Susan Blothenburg, Community Relations Manager, of Public Service Company of New Hampshire. PSNH’s Environmental Community Grant Program actively fosters environmental awareness, education and habitat improvement projects through the support of its parent company, Northeast Utilities. The ECGP grants are small grants in the range of $ 250 to $1,000.
“The NLRA proposal for Lake Ecology Boat Tours is exactly the kind of program we like to fund,” noted Ms. Blothenburg, “The small needs sometimes get overlooked by other funders, so we look for these projects that can be so beneficial for small organizations to bring to the public.”
The Newfound Lake Region Association owns a small pontoon boat, and has offered limited lake ecology tours for several organizations, summer camps, The Circle Progam, local classrooms, and Audubon’s Paradise Point Nature Center in the past. Program Director, Martha Twombly says, “the grant money will be dedicated to the hiring of a captain and naturalist to make more time available on the water for more “hands on” lake ecology education, and water quality testing.” She notes how much more can be learned when one takes a slow trip on the lake, viewing the surrounding landscape from the water, and taking actual measurements that indicate water quality. The meaning of the concept of “watershed” becomes much more clear from this vantage point – town boundaries are not visible, but the topography shows how all water falling within the hills surrounding the lake, eventually makes its way to the lake. Thus land uses within those hills, not just around the shoreline, also affects the water quality in the lake.