DEERING CONSERVATION COMMISSION UPDATE MAY 2020

Following is a summary of some activities of members of Deering’s Conservation Commission

Lake Hosts.  The NH Lakes Invasive organism monitoring/prevention program kicked off on Memorial Day weekend with three Lake Hosts. Although access to the Lake is blocked, and the Lake is officially closed, kayakers are out and our Lake Hosts are inspecting the boats.  Tim Finn and former Con Comm member Jon Stuart organized this important program.

Lake Water testing.  NH DES will only make two inspections of lakes this year. However, Deering resident Robert Compton and Lake resident Glenn Clark will undertake to do at least two testing of the quality of the water in Deering Reservoir. To do this one of them will havec to reserve, pick up and return testing gear from DES in Concord. The 2019 Annual Town meeting approved the Conservation Commission request for funds to purchase our own testing equipment, which has now been ordered.

Chestnuts. Three years ago, the SPNHF planted 600 seed gathered from 4 genetic lines of hybrid chestnut trees in the Tom Rush Forest. This as a trial for the disease resistance and hardiness of the progeny. Several were replanted last summer and almost all survived, so there are still about 600 chestnut seedlings. For the past three years members of Deering Conservation Commission have taken responsibility for watering, weeding and generally maintaining the orchard. Deering residents Phil and Margie Bryce lent us two large maple syrup tanks to use in transporting water to the seedlings.  On Saturday, May 30 Members of Con Comm undertook a tally of the trees that survived the winter, weed whacked between rows, watered and weeded the seedlings for the first time this season.

Adopt a highway. Due to the Corona virus lock-down conservation commission decided to forego the annual town-wide roadside cleanup. However, Con Comm has responsibility for cleaning Deering Rd, from Hillsborough town line to Wolf Hill Rd while the DLIA cleans from His Mansion to Pleasant Pond Rd. On Saturday 16 May the two teams fulfilled the first of 3 required cleanings of their respective highway segments.

Land Conservation. The 2020 Annual Meeting approved Con Comm’s request to donate conservation easements on 4 -owned parcels, including the ‘Gregg Hill,’ (aka ‘Library’ Lots). On May 27 Conservation Commission members joined the land protection specialist of the Piscataquog Land Conservancy in touring the parcels. The con comm members (Gary Samuels, Mike Thomas and Dennis Sawyer) are also members of the PLC Land Protection Committee. This is the first step on PLC’s process of determining whether it is willing to accept the donation of a conservation easement.