Vibe-Fall-2024 - Flipbook - Page 28
RARE SPECIES AT CHAIN OF PONDS
Small whorled pogonia (Isotria medeoloides)
The small whorled pogonia is a member of the orchid family and is
listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. Colonies of
this plant are typically 20 plants or fewer. It is severely threatened by
commercial and residential development according to a species Recovery Plan published by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.
Three birds orchid (Triphora trianthophora)
In addition to being rare, this orchid is tiny and ephemeral, making
it very difficult to spot. It blooms briefly in late summer, sometime
between mid-August and mid-September, and lives in beech forests.
Its common name is due to its resemblance to three birds in flight. It is
so small it sometimes barely pokes through the leaf litter.
Borea pine looper moth (Nepytia pellucidaria)
More commonly known as the false pine looper, this moth has been
declining and rare in its range for the last 50-plus years. They depend
on a variety of pine trees as their primary food source, and, as an invertebrate, they are a key food source for an array of bird species.
Opposite page - Left: USVLT staff and board members study a map of the property. Right: Lichen colonies are important to the health of many ecosystems and
provide many benefits to nature, providing food sources, habitat, nesting materials, protection, and nutrient cycling. Photos by Lindsay Kafka.
Community
Ultimately, Chain of Ponds will be managed as a community forest. Community forests are protected forest lands funded in part
by a national US Forest Service grant program. USVLT applied
for, and was awarded, $400,000 in grant funding through the
highly competitive Community Forest and Open Space Conservation Program. In recognition of its extremely high conservation and community value, Chain of Ponds was just one of 13
projects funded nationwide in 2024.
A central component of all community forests is that they
are stewarded by local groups, giving community stakeholders
a direct voice in how these lands are managed over time. In the
case of Chain of Ponds, USVLT as property owner, and the Town
of Madison as conservation easement holder, will collaborate
on the management of the property, which will be focused on
complying with the requirements of the several grant funders
who have invested in the project, and stewarding the property
as a community resource that balances responsible conservation with public access.
Project Complexities
Projects such as Chain of Ponds are complex and unfold over
years. Even once an agreement for the donation or sale of private
land to a conservation organization is reached, there are numerous additional steps that must happen before a project is
completed. This includes detailed and time-consuming survey
work; title checks and appraisals; fundraising for the acquisition
and project costs, including applying for grants; and much more.
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There are often many stakeholders, such as those in this project,
including federal and state grant funders, municipalities, landowners, and the conservation organization itself. In the case of
Chain of Ponds, The Conservation Fund and USVLT—the eventual
owner of the property—are jointly coordinating the overall project timeline and the relationships with the various stakeholders.
The staff and board of USVLT work hard every day to consummate this project. Their primary focus this fall is completing the
fundraising to make Chain of Ponds Community Forest a reality.
Additional Information
To support the project financially, visit www.usvlt.org/chainofponds or call executive director Eric White at (603) 662-0008.
Local photographer Joe Klementovich has also filmed a video
about the project: www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfQ3Pb8Deh4.
Upper Saco Valley Land Trust was founded in 2000 as a grassroots, community conservation organization serving 11 towns
in the Upper Saco River watershed, in both New Hampshire and
Maine. Their mission is to conserve undeveloped
or minimally developed land and protect it from
development pressures. USVLT’s strategic focus
areas are water resources, ecological integrity,
farmland protection, and public access.
To learn more, scan the QR code.
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