Membership
Any resident interested in volunteering their time as a member of the Committee is encouraged to Email the Town Administrator. Committee members are appointed by the Board of Selectmen, and the membership is comprised of 5 Regular members. 2 are members of the Conservation Commission, and the remaining 3 are residents of the Town.
The Windham Forestry Committee was established in 2014 by the Board of Selectmen following an affirmative Town Meeting vote to create a Town Forest comprised of various town-owned parcels as authorized under RSA 31:110. As established, this Forest encompasses the following 6 parcels of Town Conservation Land located in the area of Bayberry Road: 25-R-7010, 25-R-8000, 25-R-7025, 25-R-103, 25-R-6500, and 25-R-6000A. Collectively, these parcels comprise approximately 201.4 acres.
Establishment
The Windham Forestry Committee was established in 2014 by the Board of Selectmen following an affirmative Town Meeting vote to create a Town Forest comprised of various town-owned parcels as authorized under RSA 31:110. As established, this Forest encompasses the following 6 parcels of Town Conservation Land located in the area of Bayberry Road: 25-R-7010, 25-R-8000, 25-R-7025, 25-R-103, 25-R-6500, and 25-R-6000A. Collectively, these parcels comprise approximately 201.4 acres.
You may view a map of the area, the Map Street Outline (PDF). At the March 2017 Town Meeting, by-laws were adopted for the management of the Forest, you may view the Management of the Forest By-Laws (PDF).
Responsibilities
The Forestry Committee is responsible for the management of the Town Forest and, as required in NH RSA 31:111, performs the following functions:
- Develops a Forestry Management Plan.
- Encourages the proper management of the timber, firewood, and other natural resources associated with the Forest through plantings, timber stand improvements, thinning, harvesting, reforestation, and other multiple use programs consistent with an approved Forest Management Plan.
- Identifies and pursues Federal, State, and other grants and funding for the purposes of managing and maintaining the Town Forest.
Town Forest Stewardship Plan
The town is interested in a multiple use concept for its forested properties. This concept includes recreation, wildlife habitat, soil and water conservation and sound long term sustainable timber management. One of the many benefits that can be derived from long-term sustained yield forestry is the generation of periodic revenue from timber harvests.
Far more important is that responsible timber harvesting also encourages the growth of quality trees that remain after the harvest as well as the establishment and or release of tree regeneration, in order to grow tomorrow’s forest beneath the forest of today. Forest management can also be beneficial to wildlife in that harvesting has the potential to create browse from sprouting cut trees as well as provide cover for wildlife as the seedling trees develop into saplings.
View the Town's Forest Stewardship Plan (PDF) and Soils Addendum (PDF).