Join the Squam Lakes Association (SLA) on April 7th from 10am until 1pm for a hike in Chamberlain Reynolds Memorial Forest where we will discuss habitat quality and healthy ecosystems. As part of the SLA Adventure Ecology program series, Lakes Region Conservation Corps (LRCC) AmeriCorps member, Maggie Upham, will start the day teaching participants about the importance of diversity within a working forest, and the components of a thriving ecosystem. We will go over tree and plant identification, look for living organisms that use the forest, and the presence and importance of snags and downed trees.
By learning about forest diversity, habitat quality, and the organisms that live within the ecosystem we can better understand our changing environment. For example, pileated woodpeckers are vital primary cavity nesters who create habitat for many species, but they also require certain structural elements such as logs, snags, and large trees with scars, or decay for their survival. Without these forest elements, the pileated woodpecker population could potentially be impacted. This would result in loss of habitat for other animals, and cause a potential boom in carpenter ants or wood boring beetles, a pileated woodpecker’s favorite snack, and reduce the structural strength of trees eventually killing them. The biotic members that inhabit any ecosystem are connected interdependently, meaning if one element changes, more things will change with it. Taking these potential cascading effects into account can help in conservation efforts within the watershed.
At the SLA we are dedicated to conserving for the public benefit, the natural beauty, peaceful character and resources of the watershed. By looking at the components that make for a healthy ecosystem, we can better assess the needs of the watershed to help in management and conservation practices at the SLA. By the end of the program, participants will be familiar with what a healthy ecosystem consists of, the native plants and trees that can be found, how organisms interact with the environment, and why they each play an important role in the health of the ecosystem.
For more information, or to sign up for this Adventure Ecology Program, visit the SLA website (squamlakes.org) or contact the SLA directly (603-968-7336). The SLA offers other Adventure Ecology programs throughout the winter. The Adventure Ecology programs are presented by LRCC AmeriCorps members who are spending the winter on Squam performing important conservation work in support of the Association’s mission.
