Recent FLT events

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  40 YEARS STRONG!

Seventy members of the Francestown Land Trust came together at the Town Hall to celebrate the milestone of 40 years of conservation. 

The joy of the evening was palpable. Amidst an atmosphere of congeniality, friends and neighbors enjoyed delicious foods, including a celebratory cake, while catching up with each other. Many shared stories of the beauty of our town and the importance of conserving key parcels of land. 

FLT Chair Larry Ames welcomed and thanked all the past and present donors, volunteers, and boards for making and keeping the FLT a strong and viable organization across four decades. He also moderated a conversation with Greg Neilley and Scot Heath, both of whom were early board members during the 80s and 90s and have remained continuously involved. The two touched on some of the highlights of the organization’s history, which Ted Graham, FLT historian, has recently documented. (See page 3 for “Part 2” of this history).

Today, the FLT protects 3,288 acres that are stewarded by members in perpetuity. The desire among members to retain our rural surroundings, protect our beautiful waterways, preserve wildlife corridors, and provide opportunities for hiking, biking, snowshoeing, skiing, hunting, and fishing—right outside our own backdoors—remains strong. 

EXPLORING OUR TRAILS

A SPUR TRAIL IN SHATTUCK POND TOWN FOREST

On Sept 19, 11 hikers enjoyed a morning hike in the Shattuck Pond Town Forest, as part of FCC and FLT’s “Exploring our Trails” program. The group explored a spur trail which peeled away from the main trail and headed toward the east end of the pond, under a canopy of hemlocks and pines. They walked past vernal pools now dried but green with moss, glacial erratics and pluckings, and black gum trees just starting to show their seasonal reds. The destination was a rock outcropping with spectacular views of the pond. This year marks the 20thanniversary of the completion of Shattuck Pond Town Forest and the hikers raised their water bottles in recognition of the occasion. 

EXPLORING OUR TRAILS

 On August 13, 8 hikers enjoyed an evening of two short hikes in Francestown and neighboring Deering. The first hike was on a short woods road that led to a bench overlooking a beaver pond at Francestown Land Trust’s Collins Brook Headwaters, a 100-acre property of critical habitat in Francestown. This is a perfect hike for those looking for a 15-minute easy walk to a destination where you can sit and enjoy the quiet of a beaver pond and all its wonder. About a mile up the road, in Deering, the group went on to the High Five Reservation, a 54-acre property owned by the Society for the Protection of NH Forests. At the end of this short, uphill walk there was a stunning view of the Monadnock region. High Five is the perfect destination for those with children or visiting friends; the daytime and sunset views are amazing! This photo was taken of the group as the sun set at High Fi

LESSONS IN THE FOREST

On July 18, 22 hikers gathered to learn more about beavers and wetlands from Matt Tarr, a wildlife specialist with the University of NH Cooperative Extension. The group spent a mesmerizing three hours on a 160-acre conserved property, owned by George Sanderson, that includes extensive wetlands and much evidence of beaver activity. Matt pointed out and explained the rich habitat created by the beavers and how it benefits both wildlife and people. This was the second hike of the season for the “Lessons in the Forest” program, organized by representatives of the Francestown Land Trust and the Francestown Conservation Commission

EXPLORING OUR TRAILS: 

On June 27, 13 hikers gathered on a perfect hiking day to partake in the Francestown Green Corridor Thru-Hike. Skies were clear, temps were pleasant and there were no bugs…no bugs! This hike is a 6.5-mile network of forest trails designed for both walking and some for biking, several class 6 roads, stream bridges and stunning views; all connecting a corridor of protected forests. A description of the hike, from start to finish, is featured in FLT’s 2025 Fall Newsletter, located on this website. 

This was the third hike of the season for the “Exploring our Trails” program, organized by representatives of the Francestown Land Trust and the Francestown Conservation Commission.

 Annual Meeting:  

 Thursday June 11, 2026 Attended by 46 members and guests, the Francestown Land Trust’s Annual Meeting got underway with a social reception followed by a brief business meeting and a speaker presentation. Our Keynote speaker was Maria Sanders, an Emerita Professor in Philosophy at Plymouth State University and author of the book Mind the Gap: Exploring Happiness as a Community. Her presentation, The Place We Call Home: Ethics, Nature, and the Future of Human Life, looked at the relationship of ethics, nature, and the future of human life through the interconnectedness of all living systems. Maria argues that since humans are not separate from the environment, but deeply embedded within it, our moral responsibilities extend to ecosystems and future generations. She emphasized that connectivity between community and the natural place matters. She discussed concepts such as Eudemonia, which in phycology is known as "eudaimonia well-being," a framework focused on personal growth, meaning, and purpose, resulting in living a full and flourished life and how two different approaches to living life affect this goal. Anthropocentrism places humans at the center of moral consideration, where nature is valued primarily for its usefulness to humans, such as providing resources, recreation, or economic growth. Conversely, ecocentrism places the entire ecological system at the center, asserting that ecosystems, species, and nonliving elements have the right to exist and thrive simply because they are part of the Earth, regardless of whether they are useful to humans. Ultimately, she suggests that achieving Eudemonia calls for a shift in perspective, seeing humans as responsible participants in nature rather than dominators, and encourages a more sustainable, ethical approach to progress that respects ecological boundaries while supporting human well-being. After questions/answers with Maria, audience members continued to socialize, making it a great evening for all.

 EXPLORING OUR TRAILS: 

On May 9, 18 hikers gathered in the drizzle to hike the Two Brooks Trail on the Piscataquog Land Conservancy’s 15-acre Alan and Edgar Rice Natural Area. Recent rains kept the black flies at bay, made the young tree leaves vibrantly green and left Senter Falls running with gusto. 

This was the second hike of the season for the “Exploring our Trails” program, organized by representatives of the Francestown Land Trust and the Francestown Conservation Commission.

 EXPLORING OUR TRAILS: 

On April 18, a record number of 24 hikers -- adults and children -- gathered together to hike through FLT’s 150-acre Schott Brennan Falls Reserve. A slightly damp day brought out the vibrant early spring colors of the old Mill Pond marsh and the recent rains left Brennan Brook running vigorously through the forest and down the waterfall. This was the first hike of the season for the “Exploring our Trails” program, organized by representatives of the Francestown Land Trust and the Francestown Conservation Commission.

THE SPRING JOAN HANCHETT NATURE SERIES PRESENTATION:

“SILENT SPARKS: THE WONDROUS WORLD OF FIREFLIES”

On Friday April 10, an audience of seventy-five was treated to an engaging presentation by Sara Lewis, biologist and professor emerita at Tufts University and co-chair of the IUCN International Firefly Specialist Group and author of “Silent Sparks; The Wondrous World of Fireflies”.

Sara shared surprising tidbits of information; there are over 2,600 different species worldwide and of the 125 species in the U.S., 15 are present in New England;. We also learned that firefly fossils exist from nine million years ago, firefly bioluminescence is caused by enzyme activity, some fireflies over-winter on tree bark, and their egg to larvae to pupae period in soil takes 1-2 years. Sadly, adults live only two weeks, during which, the male firefly has a species-specific pattern of flying and flashing and the female tends to “lay low” and, if interested, will flash back.

Habitat loss, light and chemical pollution, all negatively impact fireflies and Sara suggested 

creating a firefly-friendly landscape by leaving the leaf litter, providing moist soil, reducing pesticide use, and encouraging neighbors to “turn off their lights”! 

 The Francestown Land Trust and Conservation Commission co-sponsored a snow shoe hike in the Rand Brook Forest on Feb 28. The hike was led by Ben Haubrich. It was announced at the last minute, taking advantage of a beautiful winter day on conservation land in town. Sixteen hikers participated, including seasoned snowshoers and as well as those on snowshoes for the first time.

It was a morning of mild temperatures and sunshine and everyone enjoyed Ben’s wildlife tracking guidance as well as the group comraderie. Tracks identified on the hike included bobcat, coyote, fox, mice, mink, otter, porcupine, skunk, red and gray squirrels, and weasels. The group also saw bear claw marks going up a tree and signs of pileated woodpeckers. 

To receive notices of upcoming hikes, you can sign up via the FLT website.

THE FRANCESTOWN Conservation Commission and the Francestown Land Trust once again joined forces to host a snowshoe night hike, this time under the brilliant glow of the nearly full January Wolf Moon. Rendezvousing at the end of Farrington Road, an impressively bundled-up group of thirty hearty hikers braved the biting cold and set out across snow-covered fields to the Town's extensive trail system through the Crotched Mountain Forest. It was a cold, clear winter night, and the almost full moon cast bright light over the snowy ground.

Winding through the woods and connecting with the Joslin Loop Trail right below the intersection of Scot's Trail, the line paraded clockwise along Joslin to Bullard Hill Road, down to its intersection on Farrington Road, and back up to the original rendezvous point. The Wolf Moon lit the path beautifully through the silhouette of trees.

Even so, the night was only half over. Like any good Francestown community event, the opportunity to catch up with friends and meet new neighbors drew the hikers gratefully indoors to a crackling fire and refreshments. The warmth of the room was matched only by the warmth of the company. Everyone chipped in, with trays of baked goods, cheese & crackers, and other snacks, with pitchers of cider and hot chocolate. Familiar faces and new faces all had a great time thawing out together.

 THE FALL JOAN HANCHETT NATURE SERIES 

“RESURGENCE OF BALD EAGLES IN NH’”

On the evening of Friday November 7th, seventy-four attendees were treated to an information-packed lecture accompanied by a superb power-point show of photographs, on “Resurgence of Bald Eagles in New Hampshire.” Our presenter, Chris Martin senior raptor biologist from NH Audubon, spoke in detail about the dramatic Bald Eagle population recovery in New Hampshire and described management efforts and partnerships that have helped eagles. 

We learned about the life cycle of eagles (they can live more than 20 years), how their appearance changes as they mature, why they select the nesting locations they do, how to tell a Bald Eagle from a Gold Eagle and the management approaches that are currently being taken to protect, track and document eagles in our State. 

In close collaboration with NH Fish & Game, Chris focuses on recovery of the state’s raptors. He recruits, trains, and supervises an enthusiastic corps of NH Audubon volunteer field observers who monitor Bald Eagles all across the state. He encouraged our audience to be on the lookout for breeding pairs of Eagles and to be sure to report them.