What distinguishes wetlands from other types of water resources such as rivers, ponds, and lakes? Wetlands are defined as areas that are saturated by surface or groundwater that supports vegetation which thrives in wet conditions. Wetlands may be cattail marshes, beaver ponds, sphagnum bogs, forested swamps, floodplain forests, vernal pools or shrub-covered wetlands, each of which provides a different type of wildlife habitat.

Some wetlands, vernal pools in particular, support rare and endangered plants and animal populations, and recent research has shown that wetlands hold tremendous ecological value in absorbing floodwaters, recharging groundwater supplies, and providing habitat for many species of fish and wildlife. Wetlands harbor many species and provide food and shelter for our animal friends. Beavers, turtles, snakes, moose, deer, muskrats, otters, raccoons, and mink frequent beaver ponds and other wetland habitats for food and shelter. Ducks, song birds, herons, and Canada geese are just a few of the birds that nest, breed, and forage for vegetative treats to feed their young.

Cornish is especially dependent upon the many wetlands that allow rainwater and snowmelt to seep into the earth and replenish the water table upon which all Cornish residents depend for our water supply. The US Fish and Wildlife Service and the Natural Resources Conservation Service have identified and mapped between 306 and 2,109 acres of wetlands in Cornish, depending on how each agency defines the wetland area. Nationwide wetlands are particularly vulnerable to degradation from development and other negative human impacts.
One of the best places to view wetlands and observe wildlife is on the Cornish Recreation and Education Area (CREA). A viewing platform has been built on the edge of the wetland, and includes a structure that acts as a blind so that observers can watch the wildlife without disturbing their habitat.

For a deep dive into wetlands around New Hampshire take a look at “Fact Sheets for Wetland Systems in New Hampshire”.

Read more about wetlands in the Cornish Natural Resources Inventory and view maps.

As there is no reservoir or Town water supply, Cornish is crucially dependent upon groundwater. Early farms and homes were sited near natural springs along Route 12A, Cornish Mills, and East Road, ensuring a plentiful and clean water supply.

Protecting groundwater is vital to maintaining a healthy ecosystem. According to the UNH Natural Resources Inventory guide, “At the global, national, regional and local levels, groundwater is the largest distributed store of freshwater and plays a central part in sustaining ecosystems and enabling human adaptation to climate variability and change. The strategic importance of groundwater for water and food security will probably intensify under climate change as more frequent and intense climate extremes (droughts and floods) increase variability in precipitation, soil moisture, and surface water. Protection of locally important aquifers by protecting the lands that overlie them is an important priority for maintaining adequate drinking water supplies into the future.” (Source: UNH Extension NRI)

Aquifers consist of saturated rock materials (e.g. gravel) that are permeable enough so that the water can move through them by gravity and be withdrawn from them by wells. An aquifer recharge area occurs where water is purified by losing its pollutants on the way through these materials. Large quantities of these water resources move slowly underground toward areas where they reappear in the form of ponds, wetlands, or springs. Aquifers and groundwater reservoirs are often used interchangeably.

There appear to be five major areas in Cornish that act as aquifers, holding and perhaps purifying groundwater. Each of these areas contain stratified drift (sand and silt) consisting of glacial outwash and recent stream deposits. (1) Along the Connecticut River from the Claremont line to Mill Brook at the base of Wellman’s Hill. (2) Along the Connecticut River in northwest Cornish to slightly east of Blow-Me-Down Brook and along the base of Dingleton Hill. (3) South Cornish after the junction of Whitewater and Redwater Brooks, where the brook swings north into Cornish again, crosses Route 120 and back into Claremont. (4) South Cornish, between Route 120 and East Pond is another area of large deposits. (5) Cornish Flat area north to the Plainfield line.

Only a small portion of these aquifers are within protected land — the most protected being around Blow-Me-Down Brook and St. Gaudens. Private land conservation is just one of the ways that we can help protect the aquifers against future development and sustain a source of freshwater for future generations.

View Groundwater Aquifers Map of Cornish >

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Preventing pollution is easier, cheaper, and more effective than cleaning it up after the fact. This philosophy is embodied by the Best Management Practices in Forestry developed by the New Hampshire Division of Forests and Lands and the University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension Service. Best Management Practices, or BMPs, are a manual of recommended timber harvest practices and techniques which focus on the prevention of erosion and the protection of water quality. Through pre-harvest planning, which includes determining landowner objectives and evaluating the property to identify and locate environmentally sensitive areas, operators can choose which BMPs are best suited to the particular needs of the site.

BMPs include technical specifications and recommendations for the construction of log decks, landings, forest roads, skid trails, stream crossings, and wetland crossings in such a way that erosion is minimized and water quality is protected. Exposed soil on forest roads, for example, is prone to water erosion. Stabilization of exposed soil can prevent runoff into streams, wetlands, and other environmentally sensitive areas. Many BMP techniques mimic the natural function of the forest: using the brush, slash, and tops available on-site is an excellent way to temporarily stabilize exposed soils. While hay or straw also can mitigate soil erosion, the seeds contained in these materials could introduce invasive plant species to the site. This is just one example of how a BMP can be cost effective and protect the forest environment.

The UNH Cooperative Extension currently offers two BMP in Forestry publications, both available online, Best Management Practices in Forestry: Protecting New Hampshire’s Water Quality and New Hampshire Best Management Practices for Erosion Control on Timber Harvesting Operations. There is some overlap of information between these manuals, and the NH Division of Forest and Lands may be combining these publications into one BMP manual at some point in the future. So, if you are interested in learning the best way to protect water resources and prevent erosion during a timber harvest, or if you would like to learn how to construct a pole ford, navigate a corduroy crossing, or protect fish species with an arch culvert, please check out these resources.

Over the last 50 years, the Cornish Conservation Commission has been committed to helping Cornish sustain an open land preservation strategy, assisting land-owners to develop land stewardship practices that preserve working farmland, forested landscapes, as well as space for education and recreation. Ultimately these efforts help to maintain the rural character of Cornish, protect its natural resources, and create a long-term benefit to current and future residents of Cornish.

Conservation-minded landowners have contributed greatly to protecting the open and undeveloped landscape of Cornish. Collectively they have protected over 3000 acres to date—and if we include public lands (such as the Town Forest, St. Gaudens National Historical Park, CREA, the Chase Island and Cornish Wildlife Management Areas, and Whitewater Brook Reservoir Lands (~1000 acres total), that translates to a combined total of conserved private and public property equal to around 15% of Cornish. We are thankful for these land-owners for helping to protect our best farmlands and open spaces, as well as other natural resources for the future. Town management (Select Board, Zoning and Planning Committees) and voter sentiment consistently affirm our town’s preservation strategy. For details on private and public land parcels in Cornish see pages 17-19 of the 2013 Natural Resources Inventory (NRI) in the link below.

Read the Cornish NRI and view maps