Most everyone has read about nearby lake associations that are fighting invasive flora, like Eurasian and Variable Milfoil, at a great expense of money and time. Here at Eastman we are fortunate that our lake remains clean of these invasives. This could be good luck, but most likely it is due to the sharp eyes of 40 resident volunteers who act as Lake Hosts at the public boat ramp. Another 25 volunteers are Weed Watchers who inspect our shores for the unwelcome plants. In the six years that the Lake Host program has been in existence in New Hampshire, no lake with Lake Hosts has been newly infested.

Lake Hosting is useful and pleasant. What other volunteer job allows you to sit with a good book beside a beautiful lake for two hours each week? Your reading may be interrupted by the arrival of a boat, a hiker, or a dog, but the conversation is welcome as you share your knowledge about invasive flora and offer to inspect the boat and trailer for the harmful plants. The main job of a Lake Host is to educate the public. A Lake Host is the first line of defense against the invasion of these exotic species of plants, which can overwhelm a lake and ruin its fish and animal habitat. A one-hour training session and a commitment of two hours per week is all it takes to be a Lake Host this summer. Last summer, over 700 boat inspections were performed by Eastman Lake Hosts.

You too can join this team and make a difference. Won’t you drop-in at our Open House in the Lakeview Room at South Cove, on Wednesday, May 16 from 4-6 p.m.? Come enjoy fellowship and wine and nibbles as you learn about the job of Lake Hosting. Returning Lake Hosts are also invited and may sign up for their 2012 training sessions and select their two-hour ramp time slots.

Because of the lack of snow at Eastman this past winter, we were unable to enjoy our usual Snowshoe Hike Program. In order to walk in the woods, traction devices, such as stabilicers or MICRO spikes were much better options. But an early spring just might allow extended three-season hiking!

Of course, please stay off all trails until they are completely dry. Rail Trails and Class Six Roads are good alternative routes. The higher altitude trails are especially prone to damage from spring hikers’ boots, so stay low until May, and then play it by ear, depending on local conditions.

We are looking forward to active Eastman Walking and Hiking Programs this year. We schedule walks in Eastman and nearby areas mid-week and moderate to more strenuous hikes to peaks near and far on Saturdays. A small transportation fee is requested for trips outside our area. We do need more Walk and Hike Leaders! If interested, please contact me at 863-6456 or phope at worldpath.net.

When venturing into the woods, either alone or with others, make safety your main concern. Wear adequate clothing  and footwear and bring more than enough food and water as well as emergency gear (map, compass, headlamp, extra socks, first aid kit, etc.) Do not trust a GPS or cell phone in remote areas! Let someone know your destination, route and projected time for return. And think carefully before venturing alone into remote areas.

And now to this issue’s Picks –

• Moose Mt. South Ledges, Enfield(NH): This route is unmarked but not difficult to follow. Park at the roller rink on US-4, west of Enfield. Walk uphill (west) a short distance along the highway. Just below the crest of the hill, you will see a house on the right (north)side of US-4. Immediately after that, follow a cart road (in excellent condition) diagonally uphill behind the house, initially heading east, then swinging left  and north to cross a large open field and a power line. When the road splits, take the left  branch, which soon enters the woods and gently continues in a northerly direction, with a few ups and downs. The road then swings right  and climbs to another junction.

Turn left  uphill to parallel the ridge above you on your right. Watch for a short trail heading left  up the bank to open ledges with spectacular views of Mascoma Lake and even Mt. Ascutney. Stay a while! Return the way you came.

Total distance 3-4 miles ; elevation gain: 700’. Easy/Moderate.

• Deer Leap, Killington(VT):Much of this hike follows a trail for which I am the Adopter. The route is blazed in blue, except for the section that follows the LT (Long Trail)/AT (Appalachian Trail) which is white-blazed. Park just off US-4 in Killington at the height of Sherburne Pass, on the south side across from the Inn at the Long Trail. For those with an interest in history, this was the site of the former  Long Trail Lodge owned by the Green Mt. Club.

Carefully cross the higway and enter the Sherburne North Trail, once the LT /AT , just to the east (right) of the Inn. The trail gently climbs the eastern slope of Deer Leap Hill, affording limited views west . You will arrive at Old Maine Junction. The LT /AT North turns right; if you choose, you can follow it a short distance to Ben’s Balcony, a ledge with great views to the west.

Otherwise, continue straight, north. Paradoxically, this is the LT /AT South! In a very short distance turn left  on the Deer Leap Loop and climb to a (sometimes wet) plateau, where the trail turns south to another junction. Continue straight  on the Deer Leap Spur, which descends to some stairs and then to the spectacular open ledges of Deer Leap, with great views toward Pico and Killington peaks.

Return to the last juction, and descend to your left . The trail bypasses the site of a rotten ladder, which I helped to remove. Cross a little valley with a small stream, then climb steeply to a level stretch of trail which skirts to the left  to reach the top of this hill. Again, there are views, both to the south and the west. Continue descending to reach the LT /AT north where you originally turned off. Turn right , climbing, and then descending gradually, passing both the other end of the Deer Leap Loop and Old Maine Junction to return to Sherburne Pass.

Total distance 3.1 miles, with a few hundred feet elevation gain. Easy/Moderate.

Happy Spring and Early Summer Hiking!

A key aspect of the on-going Grantham Wetlands Inventory, coordinated by the Grantham Conservation Commission, is assessing our wetlands based on a set of threshold criteria (such as a one-acre minimum) and then using questions in the well-established Revised NH Method to scientifically evaluate and compare the functional values of each identified wetland to determine those that are of high value to our community. To increase citizen involvement in the evaluation phase, the commission elected to use local volunteers, trained to conduct evaluations using the NH Method by  the wetland scientist for the project, Dr. Rick Van de Poll.

Late in October 2011, Dr. Van de Poll finished his initial assessment of Grantham’s wetlands and identified and mapped 54 wetland units for further evaluation. Since this necessary work was not completed until late fall, when many of the indicators needed for field evaluations were difficult to identify and a number of wetland evaluation volunteers had headed to warmer climates, the Conservation Commission decided to suspend field visits and evaluations for the winter and restart them beginning May 1, 2012, with projected completion of evaluations by June 30. At this time, most of the existing volunteers will be back, and spring growth and weather conditions will permit more accurate and complete evaluation of the identified wetlands.

When the volunteers go out to conduct evaluations in May, they will receive an evaluation package that includes two maps for the wetland unit being evaluated, a Revised NH Method evaluation form, and a number of useful reference items.

Examples of the maps generated for the wetland unit identified as Deer Run North are shown here.

Map One is a topographic map showing the outline of the wetland unit (a light blue line surrounds it), a typical buffer zone (outlined by a pink line), and the types of wetland habitats in the unit, shown by the colored/shaded areas with codes. For example, the code “PFO4-1E” in areas shaded darker green means the habitat of that area is palustrine (i.e., a nontidal wetland dominated by trees, shrubs, and persistent emergent herbaceous plants), forested with broad-leaved deciduous trees, and seasonally flooded/saturated.

Map Two is an aerial image map that uses the same wetland and buffer delineations as Map One, but the colored areas and abbreviations in this map refer to soil types: e.g., “495” (shaded bright pink) refers to hydric soil type, Ossipee Mucky Peat.

• For more information on reading these maps, wetland habitat types, soil codes, identifying wetland plants and more, visit the Wetlands Resource sub-page of the Conservation Commission’s website (www.granthamnh.net/conservation), which can be reached through a sidebar shortcut called “Wetlands Inventory, the Wetland Resources” on the right side of the home page.

• If you like maps and hiking, and are interested in volunteering to help with the evaluations in May-June, or with data compilation after the evaluations are completed, contact Lindsey Dixon at ledixon2919 at hotmail.com.

• Learn more about the Wetlands Inventory and follow its progress by visiting the Conservation Commission’s website (www.granthamnh.net/conservation). On the website, you can also read the first edition of the commission’s periodic newsletter, which provides information about activities and events involving the commission and other happenings in our area relating to conservation, the environment and wildlife. To subscribe to the newsletter, email GranthamConservation at comcast.net with a request to be added to the email subscription list.