The Forgotten Forest Primeval, A film by New England Forest Films

Join us for a film screening (35 minutes) and follow-up discussion with ecologist Jessica Bouchard

There is renewed interest in remaining old growth or “primeval” forests in New England. Learn about the history of one rare old growth forest at Mount Sunapee State Park in Newbury, NH. The original campaign to purchase and protect Mount Sunapee by Herbert Welsh of Sunapee and Philip Ayers of the Forest Society took place in 1912. The “rediscovery” of old growth a century later by ecologist Chris Kane includes potential to find additional areas. 

Join us for a film screening and discussion. Following the screening, NH Natural Heritage ecologist Jessica Bouchard will answer questions on old forests and the history of Natural Heritage old forest inventories at Mt. Sunapee.

FREE! Please register in advance so we can plan ahead, however, and help us make the check-in process quicker.

ABOUT THE SPEAKER:

Jessica Bouchard is an Ecologist with the New Hampshire Natural Heritage Bureau (NH NHB). The ecologists and botanists in NHB analyze data on the status, location, and distribution of rare or declining native plant species and natural communities to protect NH’s biodiversity. Jessica has worked to locate and confirm new sites of old forest in the state, performs rare plant surveys, and assesses the ecological integrity of natural communities. She has a background in environmental regulation, plant conservation biology, and genetics. Jessica has a M.S. in Plant Science and Biotechnology from the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry and a B.A. in Biology from Rutgers University.