The past two weeks have been very interesting at the NLRA. Watershed stewards are jack-of-all-trades when it comes to our tasks and responsibilities, ranging from water quality testing to trail maintenance. Last week we were introduced to NLRA’s Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) members Luke and Lauren. In cooperation with them, we completed work on the Cummings Beach swale located directly in front of the parking lot. This work involved a lot of weeding and clearing brush from the area as well as forming a structured rock border around the swale. All this work will benefit and support the new plantings, such as blueberry bushes, and continue to keep sediment and pollution from running into Newfound Lake.
The highlight of the week was our trip onto Newfound Lake on NLRA’s EcoTour boat, Madelaine. This was our first true experience on the lake alongside the YCC crew, Program Manager Andrew Veilleux, and Executive Director Rebecca Hanson.
We learned a number of new skills here, including gauging water clarity as well as collecting water samples from various sites throughout the lake. There were plenty of new tools, like the Secchi Disk and AquaScope, to learn about. Being able to monitor water quality will increase NLRA’s understanding of the state of the Lake. I snapped a picture of one of the many great views on the lake, showing the natural beauty it provides.
As the week progressed, we were able to get out to Grey Rocks for a day or two as well to continue our work weeding and mulching the garden beds. We even got some good glimpses at some of the wildlife in the watershed, including a pair of bald eagles and a large snapping turtle. Seeing a range of diverse wildlife is definitely a plus of this job.
Finally, we got one last day of outside work done with the Youth Conservation Corps. The first project involved a trip over to Sugarloaf & Goose Pond to clean rain bars and clear brush off the trail for visitors. The view from the top of Little Sugarloaf was the highlight of our excursion. On top of that, we were able to do some brush clearing along the Bristol bike path, Pemi Park.
Overall, I have been able to settle into the program fairly well and it’s a great feeling knowing that what we do everyday is supporting a bigger purpose for the watershed. I’m excited to see what’s next when it comes to our Wilderness First Aid training and conservation projects around Newfound. If you get a chance, check out the progress we’ve made at Grey Rocks and Cummings Beach!