Forest Society Blog - News & Features

Fall may be approaching, but New Hampshire’s best hiking season is just beginning. Discover simple tips for fueling and hydrating on the trail — and find inspiration to get outside with the Forest Society’s 2026 Five Hikes Challenge.

New Hampshire’s two species of flying squirrels are tiny, nocturnal gliders — and important indicators of forest health. Learn how these elusive animals navigate the treetops, what they eat, and how you can even help researchers track them.

Conservation success stories offer powerful proof that declining bird populations can recover when given the chance. Author and researcher Scott Weidensaul shares what’s working for birds around the world — and a few simple ways each of us can help closer to home.

A devastating 1923 fire at the Profile House ultimately sparked a landmark conservation campaign that preserved Franconia Notch as a public park and memorial. A century later, its protected landscapes reflect the enduring power of community fundraising, public-private partnership and conservation advocacy.

From fledgling birds and evening veeries to fireflies, tree frogs and ripening berries, this poetic episode celebrates the familiar sights and sounds that make summer in New Hampshire wonderfully wild—while acknowledging that fall is never far behind.

Extreme birder and photographer Gino Ellison shares practical tips for spotting and photographing birds, from mastering binoculars and spotting scopes to using back-button focus and a monopod. His most important advice is simple: start with the birds in your own backyard, learn your equipment, and practice patience.

For nearly a century, the U.S. Forest Service's experimental forests—including Bartlett Experimental Forest and Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest—have provided the scientific research that guides sustainable forest management, wildlife habitat, climate resilience, and water quality across New Hampshire. Proposed changes that could weaken or close these research centers threaten the long-term knowledge landowners, foresters, and conservation organizations rely on to steward healthy forests.