If you’ve ever walked through the woods and had the feeling that you were overlooking a lot of interesting stuff, the UNH Cooperative Extension has an event for you.
“Our goal is to slow down and observe carefully, to detect different subtle signs, or maybe not subtle signs, that are there in the woods,” said Dan Gardoqui, a wildlife tracker who’ll be leading a two-hour walk Saturday “mostly on trail, some off trail” in Great Gains Memorial Forest in Franklin.
Gardoqui, founder and owner of a nature-based consulting and training company Lead with Nature, says the idea is to help even the newest of outdoors beginners figure out what’s happening around them.
“There are things that can help you spot where there’s been a bear, or if you see a red squirrel versus a gray squirrel, or mink versus otter,” he said. Even when no creature is visible, he noted, there’s plenty to learn. “We’ll talk about and look for tracks and signs … things like scat as well as pellets that certain birds will pass. Carcasses, feathers; signs of dens and burrows and excavations; marking behavior, territorial behavior, scratching, biting and clawing at things.”
“If it’s a decent day with a northwest wind, keeping our heads up for hawks, birds of prey, migrating,” he said.
The 615-acre Great Gains Memorial Forest is managed by the Franklin Conservation Commission. It has well-marked hiking trails as well as varied habitat for wildlife, including ponds.
Sturdy footwear is a must, organizers say, with water and snacks, and insect repellent and sunscreen are recommended. It will continue unless the weather is really bad.
“I’ve worked in rain, plenty. I’ve done bioblitzes in hurricanes,” said Gardoqui, recalling a fisher sighting on the Seacoast during the torrential downpour and winds of a hurricane.
The walk is part of a month-long program called NHBioBlitz designed to help people explore town-owned lands throughout the state. Attendees can participate in BioBlitz by submitting any species observations online, via an app called iNaturalist.
Is there anything particular that he hopes to encounter on this walk?
“I try not to hope to find anything because that can bias what you find. I like going out a little bit blind,” he said. “But most animals are active still.”
The event runs from 9 to 11 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 11 at the Great Gains forest, 266 Flaghole Road, Franklin. It is free but group size is limited, so advance registration is required. For information and registration, go to extension.unh.edu/event/2021/09/wildlife-track-sign-walk-great-gains-forest.
