get acquainted with wildlife habitats in Rochester

When you think of municipal garbage, you probably don’t hear birds singing. But in fact, one of the region’s most beautiful sysems of trails is supported by Waste Management of New Hampshire. In partnership with environmental groups, they’ll hold a free family event, “Get Wild about Water and Wildlife,” in Rochester on Saturday, Oct. 11 from noon to 4 p.m., at the Gonic Trails, near its facility on Rochester Neck Road.

The event will offer interactive activities for learning and will highlight the company’s wildlife and land sustainability programs, as well as its state-of-the-art Eco-Park, the Turnkey Recycling and Environmental Enterprises facility in Rochester.

The Eco-Park is on 1,300 acres of forested land bordered by the Cochecho and Isinglass rivers, as well as agriculture land, making it valuable wildlife habit and a recreation destination. The space is open to the public for non-motorized activities like hiking and canoeing.

The event will feature hands-on programs for families to learn about the habitats and eco-systems along the river, which are home to many species of trout, blue birds, frogs, lizards, aquatic insects and more. Educational and interactive stations will be set up along the network of hiking trails that border the river.

Participants will be able to test the water quality in the river, explore the habitat of amphibians, identify insects that live in the water, touch and operate a recycling truck and heavy equipment, take a tour of the Environmental Enterprises complex and participate in a nature scavenger hunt. The culmination of the event will include the stocking of hundreds of rainbow trout in the Isinglass River by the Three Rivers Stocking Association. 

The company hopes “Get Wild” will become an annual event, according to Waste Management district manager Alan Davis. “Throughout our organization, we are committed to working to improve environmental conditions—from community volunteerism to recycling initiatives, and from waste-to-energy projects to promoting beneficial civic use of our sites,” he said in a press release.

An example is Waste Management’s project to convert landfill gas into energy, which currently powers 9,000 homes daily, Davis said. The University of New Hampshire is expected to tap into the excess power of this operation. A pipeline has been completed and should be online early next year, Davis said.

The event is a partnership that includes N.H. Fish and Game, the UNH Cooperative Extension, the Cocheco River Watershed Coalition and the Isinglass River Advisory Committee. “This event will provide families with the opportunity to see how responsible environmental protection and habitat management is crucial to environmental sustainability,” said Lorie Chase, of the Cocheco River Watershed Coalition, in the press release.

Waste Management’s wildlife habitats and wetlands restoration projects have received numerous awards from environmental and government agencies, including international recognition from the Wildlife Habitat Council as a “sustainable lands” location.

The first 300 families in attendance at the event will receive a blueberry bush, courtesy of Waste Management. The afternoon will include free food and giveaways. The event will be held rain or shine and attendees are encouraged to dress appropriately. For more information, call 603-330-2106.