The Andover Conservation Commission is hosting a special event to discuss — Creating and Maintaining Town Forests — on Monday June 2, 2025 at 7pm in the Andover Barn at Highland Lake Inn, 32 Maple St. East Andover, NH

Over 200 N.H. towns have their own town forest. These forests are assets to the community, providing an outdoor space to relax, unwind, and explore, as well as providing undisturbed habitats for the local wildlife.

What does it take to create a Town Forest? Where would one go? How many acres are required for one?How exactly can it be used? How would it be maintained?

Join the Andover Conservation Commission as we learn the answers to these questions and much more about creating and maintaining a town forest from guest speakers:

Barbara Richter (New Hampshire Association of Conservation Commissions Executive Director) has had a passion for nature since childhood and received her Masters Degree in environmetal studies from Antioch University. She has served as the stewardship coordinator for the Monadnock Conservancy Land Trust, and has worked with the Society for the Protection of NH Forests on many of their land trust projects.

Brian Hotz (Vice President of Land Conservation at the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests) joined the Forest Society in 1998 as a Land Protection Specialist and has completed over 275 projects conserving over 60,000 acres. He has a master’s degree in Science from the University of Wisconsin’s Land Resources Program and completed a master’s thesis on implementing conservation easement programs.

This event is open to the public and light refreshments will be served. If you have any questions about this event contact ACC member Sooze Hodgson at doctorsooze@gmail.com.