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.

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.

Conservation doesn’t stop at the edge of the woods. The Forest Society works alongside policymakers, researchers, landowners, and partners to help shape the policies and public investments that protect New Hampshire’s forests, clean water, wildlife habitat, and communities for generations to come.

March in New Hampshire is a study in extremes—where thawing sunshine and lingering winter collide, sometimes within the same week. From record temperature swings to dripping icicles and flowing maple sap, it’s a month defined by change, inviting us to slow down, soak up the sun, and savor the small rituals that signal spring’s return.

As winter settles in, New Hampshire’s wildlife relies on time-tested strategies—from hibernation to snow-savvy movement—to survive the cold. But while this season feels especially harsh, long-term data from NOAA show winters are warming overall, with real consequences for forest ecosystems and the animals that depend on them.

Winter in New Hampshire’s North Country invites quiet reflection — on snowy trails, forested ridgelines, and the sense of place shaped by generations of foresight and care. The landscapes we enjoy today exist because people came together to protect forests and open spaces, a legacy that continues to support wellbeing, recreation, and connection year-round.

Dave reflects on how a childhood discovery—a bird’s nest hidden in a Christmas tree—sparked a lasting connection to nature, memory, and place. From suburban New Jersey to New Hampshire forests, it celebrates the quiet power of early encounters with the natural world.

Northern saw-whet owls are among New Hampshire’s tiniest — and most elusive — forest residents, but a recent visit to the Black Mountain Banding Station offered a rare chance to see these pint-sized nocturnal raptors up close. Through Project Owlnet, banders are helping uncover the mysteries of saw-whet migration, biology, and behavior, one adorable owl at a time.