Wildlife managers for the state noticed a need for better habitat for the wildlife that lives in and around the park. Bryan Comeau, a state forester with the NH Div of Forests & Lands, in conjunction with NH Fish and Game and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (www.nrcs.usda.gov/) designed a long term plan to ensure a healthy habitat. The long term goals of the plan are to diversify habitat and the number of species able to utilize the property. This fall marks the first wildlife habitat improvement project to occur on the property since state's ownership. The first treatment area is a smaller parcel of less than two acres enlarging an area of early successional forest. The second area is a larger parcel of eight acres restoring some old field habitat. It will be maintained with prescribed burns that will establish an area of native soft mast producing shrubs for use by migrating songbirds, black bear and a variety of other wildlife species.

Logging contractors were asked to submit bids for the improvement project. The successful bidder of the project is Fort Mountain Companies located in Allenstown, NH. Jeff Eames, owner, has been in the logging business for over 25 years. Jeff and his crew bring years of experience working with the state on this type of wildlife habitat improvement project.

Several years ago this type of project would have resulted in a significant cost to the landowner. The wood that is harvested is segregated into grades, the higher value wood is sent as saw logs to be used for lumber, and the lower value wood and tops used to be left to rot. With the new co-regeneration plant located in Newington, all of the lower value wood will be chipped and shipped to PSNH's Schiller Power Plant. The site was visited last week by Rich Roy, who is in charge of purchasing all the fuel chips for the plant. Rich stated "This is the perfect example of New Hampshire wood being used to produce electricity, eliminating air pollution and reducing our dependency on foreign fuel by using a renewable resource." In the photo to the right we see Jeff Eames, owner of Fort Mountain Companies, Rob Severius, Timbco Operator, Bryan Comeau, State Forester and Rich Roy, PSNH.