The quality and the character of the towns in which we live emanate from their people, the places in which they live, the businesses in which they pursue their dreams, and the opportunities for them to enjoy natural features of this land. Walpole is an area rich in a unique ecosystem of pastoral landscape providing irreplaceable and magnificent natural resources.
Approximately 65 percent of the town is forested, with another 20 percent in farms and open land. The town is home to over 40 threatened or endangered plants. Numerous species of wildlife, including river otter, beaver, deer, and black bear make their homes here. The town also has over 1,200 acres of wetland habitat. Our farms, fields, forests, streams, and wetlands create the green infrastructure that contributes to the quality of life we enjoy.
It is against this backdrop that the work of the Walpole Conservation Commission (WCC) takes place. The following are some of the WCC’s goals and objectives, as they relate to the work of conserving the quality, character, beauty, and vitality of our town and its natural resources:
- Keep an inventory of all forest lands, farmlands, marshlands, swamps, and other wetlands, as well as other areas of unique natural or ecological importance, within the town of Walpole, NH.
- Ensure the protection of open spaces and important ecological areas, including green corridors, fields, forests, and farms.
- Manage the town forests, including Fanny Mason Forest, Hooper Forest, Nelson Town Forest, Reservoir Town Forest,
and Watershed Town Forest. - Maintain recreational trails on town land, including Fanny Mason Forest, Mill Pond Nature Sanctuary, and Reservoir Town Forest.
- Support the conservation of prime agricultural soils that are critical to ensuring the future of agriculture in Walpole.
- Preserve wildlife habitat that maximizes plant and animal diversity, ensures successional habitats, and provides riparian
and forested travel corridors. - Work with the DES Wetlands Bureau to designate and protect prime wetlands.