College Woods Assessment Prepared by the Advisory Committee on Land and Property Use For the Ecosystem Task Force

What we were asked to do… 1)Conduct an inventory of natural resources and current and past uses of College Woods and Woodman Farm 2)Within these properties, use spatial analysis to identify those areas that have greatest value in the undeveloped state 3)Make recommendations about future use and delineate a boundary for what should be designated as undeveloped land Accomplished in part by College Woods Assessment, Part 1 Accomplished in part by College Woods Assessment, Part 2

What is College Woods? 1891 Thompson 1921 Mathes 1921 Weld 1921 Weld 1986 Ellison 1934 Teeri 1935 Ellison Niemi Moore

What is College Woods? 1939

What is College Woods? Plantations

1939

What is College Woods?

Current stand cover types 1 white pine- hardwoods 2 hemlock- beech-oak-pine 3 mixed hardwoods 4 white pine- hemlock

NATURAL RESOURCES PHYSICAL Topography Geology Soil Watersheds Water bodies BIODIVERSITY Vegetation, natural communities Species Unique wildlife habitat Wildlife corridors Invasive species

Soil Types

Reservoir College Brook Oyster River College Brook Swamp Brook Watersheds and Water Bodies

Natural Communities UPLAND FORESTS four types WETLANDS 15 units six types

Species Richness: Estimates Vascular plants > 292 species Insects and spiders >280 species Fish 16 species Mammals, birds, herps > 108 species Fungi? Most invertebrates? Protists? Eukaryotes?

Unique Natural Features B1B1 Old white pine trees (>300 years) Old pine-hemlock forest Unique wetlands * A B,C

Wildlife Corridors I

Invasive Plants

USES Drinking water Teaching Research Recreation Resource management –timber harvest –wildlife management Other uses

COLLEGEPROGRAM # COURSES USING COLLEGE WOODS NUMBER OF VISITS PER COURSE MEAN NUMBER OF STUDENTS PER COURSE COLSABiology Forest Technology LSA Freshman seminar Natural Resources Plant Biology Zoology Overall HHSKinesiology3420 Recreation Management1350 Overall LA English1248 Geography11015 Overall ROTCAir Force1360 Army1(?)?? Overall2(?)360 Overall UNH TEACHING 5,240 student visits to College Woods annually

RECREATION MAIN ST CAMPUS MILL RD

Recreational Use of College Woods: Field Survey OBSERVATION PERIOD (A) NUMBER OF PEOPLE ENTERING WOODS PER HOUR (B) NUMBER OF PEOPLE LEAVING WOODS PER HOUR NUMBER OF PEOPLE ENTERING/ LEAVING PER HOUR (average of A and B) % WALK- ING % RUN- ING % WALK- ING DOGS % BICYC- LING # OBS CAMPUS ENTRANCE 7-9 AM PM :30 PM OVERALL (mean) MAIN ST. ENTRANCE OVERALL (mean) MILL RD. ENTRANCE OVERALL (mean) Data exclude persons doing academic work or on athletic teams. “#OBS” means number of observation periods (each 0.5 to 2 hrs long) If these data hold from May through October, College Woods would register 29,000 recreational visits over this period.

What we were asked to do… 1)Conduct an inventory of natural resources and current and past uses of College Woods and Woodman Farm 2)Within these properties, use spatial analysis to identify those areas that have greatest value in the undeveloped state 3)Make recommendations about future use and delineate a boundary for what should be designated as undeveloped land Accomplished in part by College Woods Assessment, Part 1 Accomplished in part by College Woods Assessment, Part 2

College Woods Assessment: Spatial Analysis

THE RUBRIC ECOLOGICAL VALUE ASSESSMENT (100 points) Category0% of points25% of pts50% of points75% of points100% of pointsPossible Points Proximity to water supply No impactWithin water- shed Within 200’ buffer Contains feeder streams, source wetlands waterfront 40 Biodiversity Minimalbuffers critical habitat on adjacent land biodiversity unusual for UNH land biodiversity unusual on community or regional scale High diversity, exemplary communities, or likely species of concern 25 Connectivity Surrounded by development Supports local wildlife popn’s Barriers but movement possible Barriers but areas < 100 feet apart Abuts area of likely wildlife movement 25 Remoteness Adjacent to development >500’ from road >500’ from road or rec trail < 2 per. visits per year < 2 per. visits per year within 500’ 5 Timber production Not permittedPoor access, poor growth High rec or teaching value Good growth, competing uses Good growth, past harvest 5 EDUCATIONAL USE ASSESSMENT (100 points) No visits1-24 pers. visits pers. visits pers. visits >87 pers. visits 100 RECREATIONAL USE ASSESSMENT (100 points) No useAbuts block w/ trail Low use trailHigh-use trail, junction, or low use entrance High use entrance or bridge 100

Ecological value by block 300 ft

Educational use by block

Recreational value by block

Overall index by block

Buffers

Areas of special concern; recommendations.