10-Year Planning Guide

Explanation of Management Priorities

            In writing a conventional forest management plan that is aimed more at simply the management of trees, a forester will typically set up a schedule of events on an annual basis where portions of the forest can be harvested as they mature or to fit the landowners objective of income generation.  In writing this comprehensive plan that focuses on so much more than just silviculture, it seems that setting up a list of priorities for action and identifying which silvicultural practices could be implemented will best serve whomever is charged with the authority to manage this large tract.

            There are some immediate concerns that must be addressed that focus primarily on preventing further degradation of the natural resources on HHNP.  While some of these priority actions may be worked out in conjunction with forest management activities and not necessarily completed prior to any other work done on this property, these issues (notably, Priorities 1-10) should be addressed as soon as possible, within the next year if at all possible.

            Obviously, the OHRV issue is of great importance because of all the damage currently being done to sensitive wetland areas on the HHNP.  However, of even greater importance is protecting this property for the long term.  It simply does no good to protect the land from wheeled vehicle damage for the next 10 years and then see the land paved for a parking lot of developed into buildings.  Therefore, the issue of greatest importance is to protect this property forever through the use of a conservation easement to allows management actions that have been described in this plan but does not allow development of the property in years to come.

            With the future security of the land taken care of, there are some very pressing needs that should be addressed soon before too much is lost.  To make the citizens of Merrimack aware of this magnificent nature experience right in their back yards (instead of 3 hours north in the White Mountains), some sort of press coverage should be sought for any facets of the work that is done on site, including the completion of this report, trail head parking, habitat creation, closed trails, and forestry work.  Education will go a long way towards having others join the Master Plan Committee and Conservation Commission efforts to make this property into what it will become. 

            Thirdly, before access routes, trails, and forestry efforts can begin, it is essential for whatever group is charged with the authority to manage this property (HHNPMPC, MCC, or a Town Forest committee) to address the OHRV issue directly, decisively, and productively.  Gates and boulders will make some progress, enforcement will go a little further, education will go further still, but working with recreationists to understand the damage they are doing and to receive their input about how to solve the problem will sometimes go a very long way.  Not only that, it might behoove the Town to locate areas that can be used for OHRV recreation and directing those wheeled vehicles to that area and away from the more sensitive areas on this property.  Perhaps one trail on this property could be upgraded and routed away from sensitive areas to keep the damage from continuing.  This is not an issue of hating people that ride ATVs, but rather an issue of allowing humans to enjoy recreation without making it at the expense of delicate wild communities.

            This opening statement is not meant as a rambling of thoughts, but to ensure that communication and a team approach will be sought when attempting to manage this property.  The focus should be on the long-term outlook and making sure that quality of life is maintained or enhanced, using the goals and objectives laid out in the Master Plan as a guide.

Priority Actions

1)       Determine which group will ultimately be responsible for the management of this parcel, whether it is the Horse Hill Nature Preserve Master Plan Committee, the Merrimack Conservation Committee, or a Town Forest Committee set up by the Board of Selectmen.

2)       Look into placing a conservation easement on most of the property that should remain as open space forever, and determine which areas of this property could be set aside of other Town uses (such as a ball field).  This may require a much more thorough evaluation of soils and costs of road and site construction before this can be determined, but the process should begin as soon as possible.  One potential area for ball fields (about 10 acres under the powerlines on the western edge of the property) has been identified on the Recommended Management map based on the existing soils map.

3)       Get press coverage for any facets of the work that is done on the site, including completion of this plan, trail head public parking, trail closings, wildlife habitat work, and forestry activity. 

4)       Install gates, boulders, and logs at all the main access points into this site to prevent any more OHRV damage on this property until (if and when) a suitable trail can be agreed upon for this type of recreation.  A policy on education (see Priority 7), enforcement (see Priority 10), and public communication (see Priority 2) should be established along with this step.

5)       Construct access points and parking areas with gates at the two proposed sites on Amherst Road and Palmeri Road.

6)       Hire a surveyor to finish locating the property lines, then have the forester blaze and paint the boundary lines and install small conservation signs along boundaries.  One recommendation would be to have the same crew from HSI do the work, since they are no doubt already somewhat familiar with this property.

7)       Install kiosks and signs at the access points to show that this is the Town-owned Horse Hill Nature Preserve.

8)       Conduct a thorough, on-the-ground review of all the trails with a newly-formed subcommittee called the Trails Committee to determine the condition of all the trails and determine which trails need to be closed, repaired, or re-routed.  From this assessment, determine what uses will be allowed on these trails.

9)       Conduct educational seminars in the field with interested parties to look at all the critical habitats and point out the location of new, re-routed, and closed trails.  This includes re-routing the Wasserman Trail, which is an excellent link to further expand the use of open space in the Town of Merrimack.

10)   Set up policy with the Conservation Commission, the Board of Selectmen, and the Merrimack Police Department on which types of uses will be allowed on this site and where.

11)   Look at constructing a main access/safety route through the property and where gravel deposits on the property could be use to upgrade this road.  Consider the impacts to the habitat surrounding this road and determine the level of upgrade needed based on the approved uses on the HHNP.

12)   Conduct wildlife surveys over the winter to determine where major wildlife corridors are to further help determine where trails for snowmobiles and/or wheeled vehicles amy be feasible with no impact to wildlife or the habitat.  Consult State Fish and Game officials as well as the UNH Wildlife Biologists for their assistance.  Don’t overlook the potential use of the HHNP to UNH students that need class projects, which could provide valuable information at no cost.

13)   Begin construction of the internal main access road from both the Amherst Road parking area and Palmeri Drive parking area.  File all necessary wetlands permits to be able to upgrade this road for fire, safety, and forest management.

14)   Conduct timber sales in Stands 4, 5, and 8 as access is improved.  Access to Stand 4 may be gained through Mr. Watson’s adjacent property instead of building all the way around from the parking area on Amherst Road.

15)   Begin a program to control the invasive species found on the property, particularly the tangled mess in Stand 1, the burning bush understory in Stands 5, 7, and 8, and the Japanese bamboo in Stand 7.

16)   Apply for cost-sharing funds to make some of the wildlife habitat projects occur.  Contact the NRCS office in Milford, NH at (603) 673-2409 Ext. 4 to apply for the funds.  Apply for the Small Grants program from NH Fish and Game to do further wildlife habitat work.

17)   Look into areas over the entire forest that TSI could be done as discussed in this plan.  Hire a forester to do the work, or hold training sessions for volunteers to train interested parties how to do this work with chainsaws.  Determine if the Town has insurance coverage for such tasks with volunteers.

18)   Prune appropriately-sized pine trees with pole saws to improve their quality as future sawtimber.

19)   Have an Eagle Scout make an interpretive nature trail and brochure that can be used by local schools on field trips.  Hold a teaching seminar with science teachers in the field to show them where the nature trail is located and point out interesting features along the way.  Contact Project Learning Tree (PLT) to let them know that there is a large tract of managed forestland to help with public education.

20)   Certify this property as a Certified Tree Farm with the American Tree Farm Association. 

21)   Retain the current forester throughout this process to help with these priorities and update the management plan in 2014