News from Newfound

November 5, 2021

Welcome to the Newfound Connection

Each edition of the Newfound Lake Region Association newsletter features events, news, trivia, and the people of the watershed—everything a Newfounder needs to know!

Celebrating our Watershed Stewards

From May-October NLRA's Watershed Stewards Tenzing Syelneon and Karen Candia traversed the Newfound watershed, running community events and programs, stewarding and maintaining Grey Rocks Conservation Area, working with local partners, and more, to conserve Newfound Lake. As we say goodbye, we're looking back on some of their accomplishments - an impressive list!

Around the watershed:

Assisted with stormwater management projects, protecting waterways from stormwater pollution.
Connected with visitors of Grey Rocks Conservation Area, educating them about lake and watershed health.
Maintained the trails and gardens at Grey Rocks, ensuring NLRA's property is welcoming to all visitors, from tiny pollinators to dog walkers and kayakers.
Led educational programs, from guided hikes and paddles to watercolor painting.
Monitored the water quality of Newfound Lake and its tributaries.
Investigated key issues through independent projects to help inform future conservation efforts and communicate our initiatives to the community.

In partnership with community organizations:

Organized summer camp activities for Tapply-Thompson Community Center summer campers.
Led New Hampton School students volunteering at Grey Rocks to clear brush and maintain the picnic area.
Maintained trails and built a new hiking trail in the Alexandria Town Forest with the Alexandria Conservation Commission.
Served as ambassadors, speaking to community members and community groups about their conservation efforts with NLRA.

NLRA Watershed Stewards are part of Lakes Region Conservation Corps, an AmeriCorps service program that provides small conservation organizations with extra hands to work towards their conservation efforts.

Each service member gains experience in a variety of areas, leaving with skills that will benefit them in whatever future endeavors they move on to. Learn more here: Lakes Region Conservation Corps.

Thank you Karen and Tenzing for your service!

The Rob Moore Fund for Clean Water and Community Engagement

Long-time advocate and champion Kelly Dunn excited the crowd at this year's NLRA annual meeting by proposing a new endowment fund and challenge grant to honor NLRA President Rob Moore and his service to the organization and the watershed. The Fund will honor and build upon Rob's impact, supporting long-term projects that protect water quality and educate the community. Kelly is matching every donation to the fund, dollar-for-dollar, up to $100,000.

Inspired by Kelly's announcement, an anonymous donor has added their own dollar-for-dollar match, meaning the impact of your gift is tripled!

Join us in honoring Rob's legacy and securing the future of Newfound with your donation.

DONATE

From left to right: Executive Director Rebecca Hanson, NLRA Trustee Martha Twombly, President Rob Moore, Kelly Dunn, and Cheryl Jonas at the NLRA Annual Meeting in August.

Stewardship Journal: Tenzing Syelneon

Read about the service experience of NLRA's Watershed Stewards.

Stewardship Journal: Tenzing Syelneon - Newfound Lake...

This is the last time I write for the NLRA. Summer has become fall like an old skin shed, and with it ends my term of service with the NLRA. In my last days I met a new NLRA volunteer, Barry Landers. He took the watershed stewards out on the lake ...

Read more
newfoundlake.org

Don't Invite Invasives to the Holidays!

Crafters and decorators delight at the sight of bittersweet. This beautiful vine with bright red berries is commonly used to make wreaths - with potentially disastrous consequences.

There are two types of bittersweet vine, American and oriental. Oriental bittersweet is a noxious invasive that poses serious harm to New Hampshire's native plants and woodlands. A beautiful winter wreath of oriental bittersweet could become a spring nightmare as the berries drop and seeds spread. Read the article below to learn how to identify, and stay away from, oriental bittersweet, in your holiday decorating and beyond.

Beware of Oriental Bittersweet in Holiday Decorations

As you prepare for the winter holidays with festive decorations and good cheer be on the lookout for a quiet but devastating forest killer: Oriental bittersweet.

Read more
www.womenowningwoodlands.net

Keep up the Clean Up!

If you missed the 2nd Annual Newfound Lake Clean Up Day, you can still participate by picking up supplies (and goodies) at the NLRA office.

Gather your friends and family and keep our lake community clean by removing trash from roads and pathways! Goody bags packed with coupons, trash bag, gloves, and snacks can be picked up from the NLRA office. Email Audrey@NewfoundLake.org or call (603) 744-8689 to arrange pick up.