The forest is a living organism, made up of plants, animals, and microorganisms all coexisting together symbiotically. As the second most forested state in the country, New Hampshire is covered by nearly 5 million acres of forest, about 84% of our total land area. The woodlands that cover our state offer seemingly endless recreational opportunities throughout all four seasons, as well as expansive wildlife habitat and the opportunity for sustainable timber management and harvesting. We invite you to explore the NH forests with our two upcoming forestry workshops in partnership with Branch Hill Farm.

Our “Forest Management and the Changing Climate” workshop on Saturday, October 15th, 10am-12pm, will explore the near-term and long-term effects of climate change on our forests and how we can ensure a carefully kept ecosystem balance in the face of disruption. Forester Dan Stepanauskas will lead this this conversational workshop as we tour a conserved property in Wakefield, NH. Register online here.

Daniel Stepanauskas has been a consulting forester in New Hampshire for over thirty-five years. He practices the sustainable management of private and municipal forest lands, using light-touch management techniques and imitating nature’s design to achieve the desired results. He is currently also the consulting forester for Tin Mountain Conservation Center and is a board member of the Upper Saco Valley Land Trust.

Our second workshop, “From Forest to Frame”, will be on Saturday, October 29th, 2022 from 10am – 12pm.  Join us at Branch Hill Farm (Milton, NH) to learn about the process used to select trees and mill your own lumber with Charlie Moreno and George Main of Moreno Forestry. Branch Hill Farm recently completed a large Pole Barn using 100% of the timber from the farm’s lands. Charlie will present the sustainable forestry perspective to produce the timber and George will share his knowledge about sawmilling and building a barn. Register online here.

Based in Strafford, Charlie Moreno, NH Licensed Professional Forester, has practiced locally as a Consulting Forester for over 40 years, managing 40,000 forest acres for private landowners, land trusts, conservation organizations, and communities in southern New Hampshire and Maine. Charlie manages forestland for the Carl Siemon Family Charitable Trust, where he has presented outdoor workshops about natural history, forest restoration, mixed-age silviculture, low-impact harvesting, habitat management, the connection between forests and wood, and forest habitats. Over the years, he has worked closely with New Hampshire Fish & Game and the Natural Resources Conservation Service on a variety of wildlife habitat projects. Based in Acton, Maine, George Main is an employee of Moreno Forestry and a highly skilled Forester, Sawyer, and Builder.

Space is limited for both of these upcoming events, and registration is required. A $15 per person donation while registering is suggested for both events, which goes towards MMRG’s nonprofit programs. Please contact Jill Eldredge at 603-473-2020 or email jill@mmrghnh.org for more information.