News from Newfound

February 11, 2022

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!

Welcome to our new Conservation Program Manager: Paul Pellissier

Paul Pellissier originally hails from Pennsylvania but knew he would call New Hampshire home after attending the University of New Hampshire and earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Environmental Science and Natural Resources. Paul and his wife spent five years in Wyoming, where he taught courses in environmental problem solving and collaborative decision-making at the University of Wyoming, before moving to Bridgewater in 2018. Paul is happiest in the outdoors and is committed to protecting the environment through inclusive processes and education. You can find him in the mountains climbing and backpacking, cycling the area’s byways, or out on the water sailing and kayaking.

As NLRA's Conservation Program Manager, Paul will lead and grow our efforts in water quality monitoring, invasive species management, and stormwater management, as well as overseeing the continued restoration and stewardship of Grey Rocks Conservation Area.

Now Accepting Applications!

Education and Outreach Manager

The Education and Outreach Manager oversees all education initiatives and programs under the direction of the Executive Director. They manage education programs, collaborate with NLRA partner organizations, coordinate NLRA's Newfound EcoTours, and deliver programming to area schools. Learn more.

Newfound AmeriCorps/Watershed Stewards

Serve the Newfound watershed and gain hands-on conservation experience as a Watershed Steward through a region-wide AmeriCorps program. Advance NLRA's conservation mission while gaining important skills and experiences for the field of conservation and beyond. Learn more.

The Scoop on Poop: Winter Edition

Newfound's fresh white snow makes a beautiful canvas, giving your favorite vistas new personality and complimenting winter foliage and local landmarks. It also accentuates a different type of landmark: pet waste.

Along with being unsightly, pet waste is a problem for water quality. Bacteria and nutrients from winter pet waste will eventually be washed by snow melt or spring rains into our waterways, lowering water quality and potentially even posing a threat to swimmers.

Picking up after your pets all year round is an important way to keep Newfound's waters clean. Here are some suggestions to make clean up duty a little easier:

Attach a waste bag dispenser to your leash. It's easy to forget the all-important bag. A leash attachment ensures you always leave the house prepared!
Try a portable pooper scooper. If the hand-in-a-bag technique makes you squeamish, portable scoopers put some distance between you and the task at hand while still getting the job done.
Pick it up right away. This should always be the case in public areas, but even in your own backyard, picking up pet waste before it's forgotten or frozen makes the task easier in the long run and is the best chance for keeping contaminants out of nearby waterways.
Be prepared to pack it out. Many trails and public access areas in the watershed are "Carry In, Carry Out" which means they do not have waste bins and recreators need to take their trash (including pet waste) home with them. Products like travel trash bins or "tailgate dumpsters" that attach to the exterior of your vehicle are a convenient way to haul it home without suffering the smell on the way.

Turn Your Crypto into Conservation

Through the platform Crypto for Charity, you can transform your cryptocurrency into a gift to NLRA that supports our year-round conservation efforts.

Donating cryptocurrency directly to charity offers tax benefits, including no capital gains tax and a federal income tax deduction for the full value of the cryptocurrency, all while protecting everything you love about Newfound Lake!