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New Sunapee Forest Film Released

By on October 25, 2022 in historical resources, home page, land protection, latest news, NH Parks, old-growth forest, voices

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Friends of Mount Sunapee has some very exciting news to share with you. We are announcing the release of a new film focused on Mount Sunapee’s Old Growth Forest.  For the past several months, we have been working with documentary/educational filmmaker Ray Asselin. The focus of this collaboration is the production of a film The Forgotten Forest Primeval Re-Discovering Mount Sunapee’s Old Growth https://youtu.be/beytGX2dOR highlighting the rare, exemplary forest on Mount Sunapee as well as the early history of its protection as Forest Society’s first reservation in 1911.

Mr. Asselin has produced numerous documentaries sometimes reaching  audiences in excess of a million viewers. He is a passionate advocate for Old Growth Forests and has worked in the past with terrestrial ecologist Tom Wessels and with Bob Leverett whose pioneering work on Eastern Old Growth was a catalyst in this field of study. This film features terrestrial ecologist Chris Kane who rediscovered Mount Sunapee’s Old Forest in 1997 as well as Dave Anderson Forest Society’s Senior Director of Education.

We hope you find the film enjoyable and informative. 

Mount Sunapee Resort five-year plans now online

By on June 14, 2020 in latest news, NH Parks, public policy, recreation

At Mount Sunapee State Park, looking across the parking lot toward the Spruce Lodge at the base of the mountain. Vail Resorts is the current lessee and operator of the state-owned ski area. FOMS photo, May 2020.

Mount Sunapee Resort’s five-year Master Development Plan (MDP) and Environmental Management Plan (EMP) 2020-2025 are now available online. The plans, submitted to the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) by Vail Resorts, are subject to a public hearing and public comment:

Or view the plans via the NH Parks’ website.

Submit comments to Mount Sunapee Comments, Dept. of Natural and Cultural Resources, 172 Pembroke Road, Concord, NH  03301, or email mountsunapeecomments@dncr.nh.gov.

Please contact the Friends of Mount Sunapee if you can help us review these plans as we prepare for a public hearing. We encourage citizen involvement in the public policy-making opportunities for Mount Sunapee State Park, including the master development planning process for the ski area.

Additional information

DNCR and the division of Parks and Recreation are responsible for managing Mount Sunapee State Park and overseeing the ski area lease, which encompasses approximately 1100 acres of public conservation land.

The agency’s Involvement and Oversight Policy requires the ski area operator to submit master development and environmental management plans every five years.

In considering these plans, DNCR shall hold at least one public hearing in conjunction with the regional planning commission, according to the public involvement policy.

At the June 9 telemeeting of the Mount Sunapee Advisory Commission, DNCR Commissioner Sarah Stewart said a hearing date had not been set.

For related information see the FOMS resource pages: Mount Sunapee State Park management and policies and Mount Sunapee’s natural heritage and ancient forests.

Where to view the plans?

“The plans are available for public review at the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, 172 Pembroke Road, Concord, N.H., as well as in the Towns of Newbury, Goshen, New London, Sunapee, Newport, Bradford, Sutton, and at the Upper Valley Lake Sunapee Regional Planning Commission,” according to NH State Parks.

However, as of this posting, FOMS is unable to confirm the local availability of the plans. We will update this post when more information is known.

 

Mt. Sunapee commission announces June 9 telemeeting

By on May 19, 2020 in hiking, latest news, NH Parks, public policy

This view looks across the parking lot at the base of the ski area at Mount Sunapee State Park, Newbury, New Hampshire. In a telemeeting of the Mount Sunapee Advisory Commission on Tuesday, June 9, 2020, Vail/Mount Sunapee Resort will present its Annual Operating Plan for the state-owned ski area. Courtesy photo.

The Mount Sunapee Advisory Commission will hold a teleconference meeting on Tuesday, June 9, 2020, at 9:30 a.m. This meeting will discuss operating plans for the state-owned ski area and is open to the public. There will be an opportunity for public comment.

Commissioner Sarah Stewart, Department of Natural and Cultural Resource, chairs the advisory committee.

The meeting agenda includes:

  • Discussion of the Annual Operating Plan for 2020-2021 submitted by Vail/Mount Sunapee Resort
  • Update by Vail/Mount Sunapee Resort
  • Update on the Cooperative Maintenance Agreement (pdf) that pertains to the public hiking trails in the leasehold area, including the Summit Trail
  • Process and planning for the next five-year development and environmental management plans (2021-2025) for the ski area
  • Public comment on the annual plan

See the agenda here: MSAC Agenda 2020June9 (pdf)

The Annual Operating Plan submitted to the agency by Vail/Mount Sunapee Resort is posted on the MSAC webpage, and available here:

Mount Sunapee Annual Operating Plan 2020-2021 (pdf 1.2 MB)

Call-in info for Mount Sunapee June 9 meeting

Dial 800-356-8278 and enter the conference pin 671812. Then, state your name when asked, which enters you into the call.

If you have difficulty connecting to the conference system, you can contact NH State Parks by phone at 603-271-2976 or by email at mountsunapeecomments@dncr.nh.gov.

June 11, 2020, update: Commissioner Stewart is accepting comments on the AOP until June 16, 2020.  Send comments to Mount Sunapee Comments, Dept. of Natural and Cultural Resources, 172 Pembroke Rd., Concord, NH  03301. Or email mountsunapeecomments@dncr.nh.gov.

Additional resources

Check out the FOMS resource pages for more information.

NOTE: If you’re interested in issues related to public policy and the management of our public lands at Mount Sunapee State Park, please contact us.

Newbury Fire Rescue on Mt. Sunapee hiking alternatives

By on May 13, 2020 in hiking, latest news, NH Parks

This week, the Newbury Fire and Rescue Department posted on Facebook the following advisory about parking and Mount Sunapee hiking alternatives.

Hiking to Lake Solitude on Mount Sunapee can be a great adventure with a great view. However, this spring the number of hikers on the Andrew Brook trail has resulted in dangerous conditions on Newbury’s Mountain Road. On some weekends, cars parked on both sides of Mountain Road have narrowed the road to one lane, making the road so narrow that the fire apparatus is not able to get through. Because of the possibility that emergency vehicles will not be able to reach the homes on Mountain Road and beyond, The Newbury Police will be restricting parking to designated areas on one side of Mountain Road in the area of the trailhead.

Hikers are advised that there is plenty of parking in the main lot at Mount Sunapee Resort for the Summit Trail and in Lot 3 for the Newbury Trail which both will take hikers to Lake Solitude as well as all of the other hiking trails on Mount Sunapee.

Please be considerate of the safety of Newbury residents and plan your hike from the trailheads at Mount Sunapee Resort/State Park

FOMS Note: Be safe. Be well. Be Local.

 

NH State Parks during ‘Stay at Home 2.0’

By on May 7, 2020 in camping, COVID-19, latest news, NH Parks

Camping during NH Stay at Home 2.0On Friday, May 1, New Hampshire Governor Sununu announced: “Stay at Home 2.0” that included guidelines for the opening of State Park and private campgrounds.

NH Parks’ reopening guidelines

Most importantly, let’s keep ourselves well. And let’s keep our communities, our parks, and natural areas healthy.

The coronavirus pandemic prevented NH Parks from conducting its usual campground preparation done in early spring.

“In the coming weeks, we will be preparing our campgrounds to open at 50 percent of normal capacity and hiring staff to operate the campgrounds,” according to the State Parks’ recent release. “Under Stay at Home 2.0, reservations will be limited to only New Hampshire state residents. … We want to get up and running as quickly as possible but need to make sure we do so safely.”

The state will soon announce when it will be able to accept reservations.

The division of N.H. State Parks offers camping in 23 natural settings, including at Mount Sunapee State Park. The state operates the Mount Sunapee campground, which is located outside the ski lease area, up a windy round, accessed from parking lot three. Mount Sunapee State Park campground road

Copyright © 2020 Friends of Mount Sunapee