Collaborating for Conservation

Besides Conservation Commissions, many Upper Valley communities have groups with a similar purpose of, but different approaches to, improving the environment. There are also national and international groups helping to spread the word about native pollinator gardens, sustainable landscaping, and rewilding.

The network is growing. We hope to keep interested HGC members informed of educational events about natives/pollinators and opportunities to help out with invasive species removals. If you hear of something new, let us know! Scroll down for links about who’s doing what, and how to participate.

"Together, we can create a healthier planet”

Who. What. Where.

If you know of other organizations in your town, let us add them to the list!

Upper Valley

Upper Valley Trails Alliance https://www.uvtrails.org/

Lyme Gardeners Listserve, provided by Vital Communities: Despite its name, the group emails are for everyone. “Lyme Gardeners is an informal group of residents of Lyme and surrounding communities who are interested in gardening and plants in general. Our primary activity as a group is visiting each other's gardens. We call it Pardon My Garden. We use this discussion list to ask questions, share information about gardens and plants, and schedule visits.” Anyone can SUBSCRIBE to this group by sending a blank message to lyme-gardeners-subscribe@lists.vitalcommunities.org

There is also a Conservation Listserve, for related topics in the Upper Valley.

New Hampshire

Enfield

Pattie Fried and the Mascoma Lakeside Park

Grafton

The Grafton Garden Club often has excellent programs https://graftongardenclub.org/

Hanover

Hanover Conservancy, "the oldest local land trust in New Hampshire, founded in 1961," private, non-profit

Biodiversity Subcommittee of the Conservation Commission. Watch for their educational programs!

Lebanon

Sustainable Lebanon's Green the Ground Initiative has occasional events about rewilding, as well as permaculture and other topics.

Vermont

Hartford

The Hartford Hub "brings together local food systems projects, organizations, and folks in and around Hartford, Vermont, and just across the river in New Hampshire."

National Groups

Doug Tallamy Homegrown National Park

Published in 2009, "Douglas W. Tallamy’s first book, Bringing Nature Home, awakened thousands of readers to an urgent situation: wildlife populations are in decline because the native plants they depend on are fast disappearing." This website is a gathering place that invites you to join the effort to expand native habitat.

The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation works internationally to conserve pollinators and other invertebrates, protect endangered species, and reduce pesticide use and impacts. Help your town become a Bee City, or buy a sign for your garden.

Pollinator Pathways is another group collecting individual gardens on maps to encourage the movement, and offers signs to help publicize your efforts. They also have good rewilding advice.