A Special Place in Tilton
Buffalo
Park Conservation Area
Located minutes from downtown Tilton is an historic fifty-five acre parcel
of land that is open to the public to hike the trails and to see the
different
varieties of trees. There are stonewalls which remain from when the
property was a buffalo farm. There are several streams for fishing.
Visitors are welcome during the daylight hours; the area
closes at dusk
The
property is a "Carry In, Carry Out" area as no trash
receptacles are provided
No motorized vehicles, horses, or
unleashed pets are allowed
A trail map and other rules can be
found:
Trail
map for Buffalo Park
This is a very special area
for all to enjoy.
Pollinators
There has been a good deal of discussion
about colony collapse and the loss of honey bees, but
did
you know that there are 4,000 native species of bees in the U.S. and
they have been pollinating
plant life since the beginning of
time? The current honeybee crisis shows us that we need to take
care of our native bees and pollinators to maintain food and shelter
for wildlife and humans.
Some suggestions from
NH Fish & Game include:
* native bees like to nest in
snags and dying trees (leave them if it's safe to do so)
*bumblebees like undisturbed grassy clumps - leave one small part of
your lawn free from mowing
*reduce (or eliminate) pesticide use
on your property
*make or buy mason bee nests
* minimize
turning over soil that harbors ground-nesting bees
*plant
different layers of shrubs and flowers considering color and
fragrance
*leave some of your plants whole in the fall as homes
for cocoons and pupae
*rotting fruit can offer food for bees and
butterflies
Native
Plants
Native plants are those plants that grew in NH before the European
settlers arrived.
Therefore, they have winter hardiness, pest
resistence, and low maintenance needs.
They also are not invasive
like some introduced plants have been. Some examples
of
native plants that are perennials are: Columbines, New England
asters, Turtleheads,
Joe-pye weed, Bloodroot, Solomon's Seal,
Harebell, Blue Flag Iris, and Silvery Cinquefoil.
For a more
complete list of plants, shrubs, and trees for NH, go to
wildflower.org
http://www.wildflower.org/collections/collection.php?start=0&collection=NH&pagecount=10&pagecount=100
Since the early 1900s, UNH Cooperative Extension and UNH have been providing soil analysis
and nutrient recommendations to researchers, farmers, and home owners. The following link
http://extension.unh.edu/Problem-Diagnosis-and-Testing-Services/Soil-Testing
will give you directions for taking the soil sample, viewing downloadable forms, and seeing other FAQs.
The standard test costs $17 and provides you with information about your soil's ph, nitrogen,
phosphorous, potassium, magnesium, calcium, organic matter, and a value for lead.
You can receive the results by mail or email, usually within 3 weeks. If you have any questions,
the UNH Education Center and Info Line is available at (877) 398-4769. This is a wonderful
service that is available to NH gardeners. You can also get a soil test for your lawn.
Save April 16 for Discover WILD NH Day in Concord
Discover WILD New Hampshire Day is a
fun way for the whole family to explore New Hampshire’s
wildlife
resources and legacy of outdoor traditions.
Browse educational exhibits presented by environmental
and
conservation organizations from throughout the
state. See live animals, big fish and trained falcons.
Try
your hand at archery, casting, fly-tying and B-B
gun shooting. Watch retriever dogs in action. Get
creative
with hands-on craft activities for the
kids. Plus, check out the latest hunting and fishing
gear and gadgets.
Discover WILD
New Hampshire Day is hosted by the New Hampshire Fish
and Game Department
and is sponsored in part by the Wildlife Heritage
Foundation of New Hampshire, Fish and Game’s nonprofit
partner (www.nhwildlifeheritage.org).
Watch for more details about Discover WILD New Hampshire
Day in
Concord at 11 Hazen Drive
www.wildnh.com
Zika Virus Questions and Answers
http://www.dhhs.nh.gov/dphs/cdcs/zika/documents/zika-virus-faqs.pdf
territories have ongoing Zika transmission, however. Click here for a Zika fact sheet.