Visiting New Hampshire's Biodiversity


Forsaith Forest: Atlantic White Cedar Swamp


Description: The trail at this site provides an excellent opportunity to observe many common species of southern New Hampshire’s upland and wetland natural communities. From the parking area, a wooden boardwalk leads out into an Atlantic white cedar - yellow birch - pepperbush swamp. The boardwalk passes by all of the community’s characteristic species. Soft, sponge-like peat moss (Sphagnum spp.) carpets the ground and forms undulating hummock and hollow mounds. The trail also offers several close-up views of black gum trees as well as many species of the surrounding upland forest, such as red oak, white oak, black oak, white pine, hemlock, and beech. 

Directions: From Rte. 121 in Chester, go north on Rte. 102 for about half a mile. Take a left on Ledge Rd and go north for about half a mile. Park at the small pullout on the left (west) side of the road. A kiosk and bench mark the trailhead. Two paths lead straight into the swamp and soon meet up again while the one to the left will be your return route. The entire loop trail is about a quarter of a mile long.

Landowner: Pinkerton Academy 

Images

Trail through the Atlantic white cedar swamp at Forsaith Forest in Chester (photo by Ben Kimball)
Trail through the Atlantic white cedar swamp at Forsaith Forest in Chester (photo by Ben Kimball)

Atlantic white cedar swamp community at Forsaith Forest in Chester (photo by Ben Kimball)
Atlantic white cedar - yellow birch - pepperbush swamp community at Forsaith Forest
(photo by Ben Kimball)

Pinkerton Academy's Forsaith Forest Nature Trail in Chester, NH (photo by Ben Kimball)  Trail through the Atlantic white cedar swamp at Forsaith Forest in Chester (photo by Ben Kimball)

ferns (photo by Ben Kimball)  black gum tree bark (photo by Ben Kimball)

black gum tree at Forsaith Forest (photo by Ben Kimball)
black gum (Nyssa sylvatica) tree at Forsaith Forest
(photo by Ben Kimball)

Forsaith Forest general area map


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