Join us on one of these FREE field trips to experience the scenic landscapes that convey the tenor of land conservation and forest stewardship in the White Mountains.
Field trip details and directions will be mailed or emailed with annual meeting registration confirmation.
1. Weeks Act Legacy Trail, White Mountain National Forest
10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Join White Mountains Historian Dave Govatski and Forest Society Naturalist Dave Anderson on an automobile tour of selected sites along the new Weeks Act Legacy Trail. Govatski and Anderson will describe the conditions in New Hampshire and the southern Appalachians that led to the passage of the Weeks Act exactly one century ago. Learn about the extensive over-logging in the White Mountain region and the forest fires and floods that followed, sparking a conservation movement that led to the creation of the White Mountain National Forest.
Difficulty: Easy
2. Weeks State Park, Lancaster
10 a.m. to 2:45 p.m.
Visitors will have an opportunity to tour the house, climb the stone lookout tower for 360 degree views of the region, and walk in the forest surrounding John Wingate Weeks' mountain top retreat with Forest Society staff, Friends of Weeks State Park, and NH Parks staff. This 420-acre estate originally built by Weeks was given to the State of New Hampshire in 1941 by his children, Katherine Weeks Davidge and Sinclair Weeks.
Difficulty: Easy
Co-sponsor: Friends of Weeks State Park and NH Division of Parks & Recreation
3. The Rocks Estate, Bethlehem
1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Dr. Rebecca Weeks Sherrill More, great-granddaughter of John Wingate Weeks, will focus on how John Weeks' New Hampshire roots influenced his commitment to public service and his ability to facilitate the successful passage of the Weeks Act for the benefit of all forest regions of the United States. Forest Society North Country Educator Nigel Manley will lead visitors to a spectacular view of the White Mountains and describe the history of The Rocks Estate over tea in the gardens.
Difficulty: Easy
4. Sunset Hill House, Sugar Hill
10:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Located in Franconia Notch, the Sunset Hill House traces its history to the grand resort hotels of the New Hampshire White Mountains. The conservation easement on the land surrounding the Sunset Hill House is held by Ammonoosuc Conservation Trust and widely acknowledged for its fine views. Staff from the Forest Society and the Ammonoosuc Conservation Trust will detail the threats and opportunities facing the North Country's oft-cited tourism economy, which is reliant on spectacular White Mountain scenery.
A dutch treat lunch will be served at the Sunset Hill House at noon. It is $14.95 per participant if paid in advance by September 7th and $20.00 if paid on the date of the program. This amount will be added to your registration fee if you're registering online.
Difficulty: Easy
Co-sponsor: Ammonoosuc Conservation Trust and the Sunset Hill House
5. Martin Meadow Pond, Lancaster
10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Explore conservation lands overlooking Martin Meadow Pond that are owned by the Weeks Lancaster Trust and the descendents of John Wingate Weeks. Forest Society Vice President of Land Conservation Paul Doscher and a member of the Weeks family will describe the tapestry of conserved lands in the Lancaster area that have added to the conserved landscape in the shadow of White Mountain National Forest since its creation almost 100 years ago.
Difficulty: Easy