Me...how I got here...and joining the Society for the Protection of NH Forest's



Mt. Prospect in Alton 1987ish

 I have been supporting the SPNHF for a couple years now and have been getting the itch to get involved more. I have really come to love the forest and mountains of NH since I was 5 years old. My parents made sure we were always outside. We would take trips up the "Kanc" and spend the weekends on the Swift river, hiking Mt. Major (Alton), Mt. Prospect (Alton) and Chocorua. There was a good size forest behind our house where my brother and I would climb the trees, build little forts and enjoy nature. We would allow our younger sister to play with us occasionally "snicker" but usually it was just me and my bro'. There was a lake and beach down the road where we spent a lot of time swimming and exploring the river and marsh a half mile upstream. My parents owned a 100 acre forest up the road for a couple years where we continued our forest explorations.



Mt. Washington 1997

 Next came hiking the Presidential's. When I was 10 my Uncle brought me up Mt. Adams and we stayed at Craig Camp. The awe and beauty of these mountains had me "hooked" and I would soon talk my parents (church youth group leaders at the time) into these high peaks and we had 3 Youth Group hikes the following years up Garfield, Adams and Washington. Those were some of my fondest memories!



Mt. Washington 2004

 Fast forward from the 1990's to 2007 when my Mom and I began to explore the other 48. Wow! What a surprise those were. Just as exciting as the Presidential's and in many cases just as difficult if not more! So many different things to find on each trail, on each mountain, in each forest. Mushrooms, trees, rocks, water features, bugs and birds, animal tracks and the occasional run-in with the animals that left those tracks! So many wonderful things the forest has to offer for those that can slow down and appreciate the stillness, the grandeur and the minuteness all in a complete piece of beauty!



William H. Champlin JR Forest Preserve
(SPNHF)

 This brings me back to the present time. My new found hobby has progressed into more. I began to study books pertaining to the NH forests and mountains, what formed them and the many other aspects that make up a forest including mushrooms and lichen which I have taken a strong interest in. Photography is something that has also began to evolve from these experiences. View my Flickr Page for all my hiking pictures. I also began a blog (obviously...your reading it!) and began searching and exploring the forests and mountains in my more immediate area that I didn't even know existed! Something I sped by every day in my daily routines. I began to realize how many forests we still have and wanted to somehow give back and help preserve, protect and enlarge these wonderful areas.




Castle Ravine 2010



So, to bring this chapter to a close, I signed up with the SPNHF as a land steward. Training is May 20 and 21 and I am very excited to try something new and get involved! Here is the link if your interested in joining yourself! I look forward to continuing my knowledge and interest in this field and can't wait to see what the future holds for NH's forests and my little part in this vast, beautiful state I call home! So that's 25 years in a nut-shell! Who know's what the next 25 holds! After hiking/walking in Maine, Presque Isle State Park and Pymatuning Lake PA and Kennesaw GA / Stone Mt. GA I know I will be visiting many other states and THEIR forests and mountains. And of course, there is always somewhere in the New England to still explore and re-explore!