Belmont Master Plan

Conservation & Preservation

Preliminary Report: Wildlife & Habitat

7/12/01  Jeff Marden

INTRODUCTION

The Master Plan process is an opportunity to inventory, involve and educate townspeople on wildlife (both animals and plant life) and the local habitats that sustain both - adding measurably to Belmont quality of life.

Current goals and important considerations for this undertaking follow in summary form. Clearly, as the research and task load is significant and detailed, it is my personal hope that a volunteer group - possibly from local schools, with further assistance from University of New Hampshire based environmental programs be invited and recruited for active participation. Belmont has a significant number of citizens enjoying outdoor recreation in our open spaces and sports in habitat areas. A very rough and conservative estimate is nearly 50%*.  Through promotion and education I believe we can work together to first make appropriate recommendations to the Planning Board and, at the same time, develop a corps of citizen-volunteer-advocates for overlapping Belmont wildlife, conservation and recreational interests.    

GOALS, TASKS & CONSIDERATIONS

Ø      Inventory existing town wildlife, with special focus on threatened, endangered and unique species

Ø      Identify and map wildlife/habitat on town-owned land (young and old forests, vernal pools, agricultural soils - along with wildlife occupants and their preferences, as deer yards featuring pines, spruce and hemlock )

Ø      Establish management plan - in consultation with foresters, other experts - to develop a management plan for the town forest and other Belmont public lands

Ø      Communicate benefits of habitat and needs to landowners - targeting those with large, unfragmented acreage - educating and involving them with habitat measurement and monitoring - as well as local, area resources including conservation commission, county resources, foresters and wildlife biologists

Ø      In looking at large, unfragmented lands, it is important to keep in mind how and where wildlife travels between tracts - and consider these wildlife “corridors” when planning future development or other actions with environmental impact

Ø      Research Project SERVE (Students for Environmental Resource Volunteerism and Education) and the CEOP (Community Environmental Outreach Program) for pioneering and pilot involvement in Belmont   (see further program description under RESOURCES)

* 2000 licenses to Belmont residents (fishing, high-fish,hunting and archery) 1216; active snowmobilers; town beach users, cross country, snowshoers, hikers

RESOURCES

BEGINNING  WILDLIFE  INVENTORY

Great Blue Heron rookery, Osprey nest, Eagle wintering site, Deer, Bear, Moose, Coyote, Mink, Otter, Beaver, Migratory/Upland gamebirds, Reptiles and Amphibians, Songbirds, Insects, Rare plants etc.

Threatened and Endangered in NH list (attached) http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/nongame_page.htm

Note, the most recent and comprehensive survey of wildlife, plants and habitat was August 1976.  (Mary J. Perry PhD - Earlington Environmental Analysis)

PROJECT SERVE and CEOP are both University of New Hampshire based programs. Project Serve offers high school students earned academic credit by working with conservation commissions, or other community conservation groups on local environmental projects. The UNH Cooperative Extension administered program introduces students to town government and the responsibilities of volunteerism for a healthy community.   Contact: UNH 603 863-9200 or projectserve@unh.edu

CEOP brings environmentally-oriented UNH students as consulting teams of 2-4 students to work for a full academic year with community or non-profit organizations. The minimal stipend cost ranges from $300. To $800. Per student/team.  Additionally, senior students majoring in natural resources are also available for one semester projects - also with a stipend.  Contact: Dr. Paul Johnson, Director  603 862-1717 or pcj@christa.unh.edu

Additional resources could possibly be identified locally, or formed as teams with specific responsibility areas - including student groups from the Belmont Outdoor Classroom experience, similar high school efforts, Boy & Girl Scouts and the 4H groups, AmeriCorps - to name just a few possibilities.  Promotion, recruitment and information might be shared online through the town website to keep people informed and interested.

SURVEY QUESTIONS/AREAS/APPROACH :  WORKING LIST

Ø      If you hunt, fish snowmobile or just enjoy the wildlife - animals and plants - your help is needed.  Make this a fun project and time with your family, friends. Take a walk through the woods,  your backyard or neighborhood each year and season and help find different forms of wildlife and their homes. Salamanders, birds, insects, deer, bear, rare plants - those are just a few of our wildlife Belmont neighbors.

Ø      When you identify them, take note of their habitat - their home and neighborhood. Pine/spruce trees, acorn/hardwood trees, beaver pond, swamp, and a field or pasture are just some of the Belmont places that wildlife call home.

Ø      How wildlife travels is also important to know. These questions might help you:  Where do they go to eat, drink and sleep?  What roads/routes would they take to get there?  Do they have to cross any of our roads/routes?

NH DEPARTMENT OF FISH & GAME STATISTICS        

Licenses issued  to Belmont residents with the 03220 ZIP code in 2000

Resident fishing                566

Resident combo high/fish  283

Resident hunting              187

Resident archery              180