NH Conservation

Kelsey Notch “Trails”

11-4-2015: State Lands team review of Kelsey Notch north ATV trail. "Need geologist input. Will expressed concerns regarding fragmentation of habitat due to more trails. Pete expressed concerns regarding distance to wetland. And the big issue: Do ATVs meet the original intent and purchase of the formulation of Nash Stream State Forest?"

AMC, TNC, SPNHF tell CORD ATVs violate Nash Stream 5- 5-2016

DNCR justifies Kelsey Notch Trails, 7-6-2016

John Magee to F&G Director Glenn Normandeau: "...the sediment coming off this road and entering perennial streams is tremendous." 8-1-2016

DFL solicits input from CORD on ATV Trails including Kelsey Notch 10-25-2016

CORD decides Kelsey Notch Trails OK 12-8-2016

1-5-2017: MOU

2017: Kelsey Notch ATV Trail Coarse and Fine Filter worksheet. "However, it is the opinion of Fish and Game wildlife biologist Will Staats that should traffic become heavier on the trail in the future, it might preclude some animals from crossing or denning near the trail and could potentially cause avoidance by some wildlife species in the area."

2017: Updated Coarse and Fine filter.

2017 Kelsey Notch ATV trails inspection report. 8-10 & 10-11-2017

Kelsey Notch excavator work Metallak ATV Club $2530. 2017

Kelsey Notch construction/maintenance; 30 hours bulldozer, 30 hours excavator, 10 loads gravel, 2018

2018 Kelsey Notch ATV trails inspection report. 9-6 & 10-8-2018

2019 Kelsey Notch ATV trails inspection report. 9-23-19

10-29-19 Kelsey Notch construction/maintenance; 9 loads screened gravel spread

2020: Kelsey Notch ATV trails inspection report with F&G letter of concern about ATV use. "In summary, New Hampshire Fish and Game has continued concern surrounding the intensity of use on this section of trail and how increased use affects ecological integrity of Nash Stream Forest and the surrounding subwatersheds. The condition of the trail appeared adequate during the site review, but varied levels of use influences this ecosystem, as well as others, differently. In particular, sedimentation from OHRV’s impacts terrestrial and aquatic habitat and increased noise pollution from higher traffic and loud machines is of concern as it displaces wildlife."

2020: NHB report; Kelsey Notch Trail north fork goes through a forest seep/seepage forest system

9/20/20: AMC memo to CORD: ATVs not permitted according to FS

9/22/20: AMC & SPNHF legal memo to CORD: ATVs not snowmobiles

2021: Kelsey Notch Monitoring (now called 'Environmental Compliance') Report

1-9-2022: From: Maggie Machinist to Will Guinn, Patrick Hackley, Tracey Boivert, Craig Rennie and Clint Savage; Westside Road Report and Kelsey Road Report. 'Attached are the finalized, signed reports. These need to be sent to CORD by the 15th. Have a good weekend. Thanks, Maggie"

1-12-2022: From: Verdile, Stephanie Verdile (CORD) to Tracey Boisvert, Will Guinn, Patrick Hackley, Craig Rennie, Clint Savage re DNCR Nash Stream ATV Trail Reports for CORD

1-28-2022: 'Was KN closed on Oct. 15 because of the issues that prevented comprehensive maintenance in 2022? Given F&G's ongoing concerns about noise impacts "when song birds are nesting/ fledgings and mammals are in the early days of raising young,” and the report that 1056 ATVs passed counters on Corridor C-North on the two day period of May 28- 29, 2022, shouldn't KN be closed throughout May and June at a minimum. If CORD does not close KN at its January 2023 meeting, KN ought to be closed at least until July 1'

1-28-2022: Patrick Hackley to Craig Rennie and Clint Savage Subject: FW: KN Monitoring Report 2022, FYI – I don’t know if Jamie [Sayen] will be attending the Jan. 12 CORD meeting; however, these may be questions he raises should he attend.

1-28-2022: 'Was KN closed on Oct. 15 because of the issues that prevented comprehensive maintenance in 2022? Given F&G's ongoing concerns about noise impacts "when song birds are nesting/ fledgings and mammals are in the early days of raising young,” and the report that 1056 ATVs passed counters on Corridor C-North on the two day period of May 28- 29, 2022, shouldn't KN be closed throughout May and June at a minimum. If CORD does not close KN at its January 2023 meeting, KN ought to be closed at least until July 1'

2-7-2022: Letter from TNC, SPNHF and AMC to DNCR: “...Please find attached a letter from the Appalachian Mountain Club, The Nature Conservancy and the Society for the Protection of NH Forests in support of a request made by David Govatski, Chair of the Nash Stream Citizens Advisory Committee, for an updated legal review from the US Forest Service of the easement terms governing the Nash Stream State Forest.”

11-2022 Natural Heritage Bureau presentation

9-26-2022: $4,000,000. from American Rescue Plan Act for DNCR computers, snow groomer, mapping of trails.

10-5-2022: Kelsey Notch Road report: "Forests and Lands staff noted that the trail was in rough condition this year compared to years past during the site visit on September 14, 2022...It was noted that the roots from the trees seemed to be protruding more than in years past on the flat section immediately west of the large bridge....The hill leading up to the kiosk was a rougher than years past when more maintenance was completed. The rubber water diversion devices were completely filled in with material and were not functioning properly...There was sediment observed entering into one of the brooks along Corridor C, on the last bridge before the property line...The hill leading from the kiosk toward Kelsey Notch (corridor B) was in poor condition due to lack of maintenance and amount of use. The rubber water devices were not working and some were broken. This hill was in very rough shape. In 2021, it was noted that there was one location where some sediment was running down the trail and getting into the brook next to the rock/culvert, since there was no maintenance done on the trail this was still an issue in 2022. "

10-20-2022: Fish & Game to DNCR; email re. Nash Stream Advisory Committee Enforcement Memo

10-20-2022: Fish & Game enforcement memo

10-20-2022: Fish & Game to DNCR; email re. Nash Stream Advisory Committee Enforcement Memo

10-20-2022: DNCR to DFL; "each year we have to submit law enforcement reports for Kelsey Notch and West Side (both in Nash). Can you please send to me by November 1, so I can send along. Let me know if you have questions."

10-25-2022: Kelsey Notch Road enforcement patrols; "I think reaching out to Fish and Game would be best to have them do it again. I did not patrol that area this year so any enforcement, trial conditions, or crash numbers would be from them anyways."

11-9-2022: k pastoriza letter to Dave Govatski and Sarah Stewart; "...Specific levels of damage or traffic numbers that would lead to closing the ATV roads in Nash Stream need to be defined in writing and actually monitored and enforced. At this point there are no conditions that require ATV road closure that cannot be defined out of existence. DNCR and the Nash Stream Citizens' Committee also must address global warming and the sixth great extinction as they relate to Nash Stream, in writing, with an assessment of how these disasters will affect Nash Stream (and for DNCR, other State Parks and Forests) and very specific actions to be taken in response to this climate emergency, for example, ceasing all logging and motorized recreation in Nash Stream State Forest. DNCR needs to abdicate its sovereign immunity, for the good of state lands, wildlife and people..."

November 11, 2022: NHB Report; 160 year old spruce, and northern hardwood seepage forest around Kelsey Notch ATV Road

11-28-2022: Maggie Machinist to herself, photos of Kelsey Notch Road erosion, flow of sediment off-road and ATV mud splatter on roadside plants.

11-28-2022; email and copy of Robert Blechl article on NSFCC meeting and ATV problems in Nash Stream State Forest.

11-28-2022: email re forwarding letter from k pastoriza to NSFCC members.

11-29-22: k pastoriza letter to NSFCC re failure to monitor ATV damage in Nash Stream S.F.

12-8-2022: email reminder of CORD meeting

12-12-2022; email re Kelsey Notch Road reports

Kelsey Notch ATV Road, Snowmobile Trail and Cohos Trail.

12-13-2022: email re invasives, requirements for washing construction equipment and use of possibly- carcinogenic Glyphosate in Nash Stream S.F.

12-14-2022: email re missing Fish & Game Reports

12-14-2022 email re enforcement reports

12-28-2022; email to Maggie Machinist re noise concerns expressed by Fish & Game

1-6-2023: Strategic Vision Report not ready yet...

1-10-2023: North Country ATV to CORD, claims of economic benefit of ATVs with no documentation or discussion of externalized costs.

1-11-2023: Metallak ATV Club letter to CORD with unsubstantiated claims and offensive logo.

1-11-2023; Coos County Commissioners to CORD asking for approval of Kelsey Notch claiming economic benefit while providing no data supporting this claim.

1-12-2023: NHOHVA (New Hampshire Off-Highway Vehicle Association) letter to CORD, including 10-26-2022 Rath Pignatelli legal opinion and the elusive 8-1-2021 Plymouth State OHRV economic benefit document "...commissioned by NHOHVA affiliated clubs to "show how important the OHRV community is to the tourism industry in NH...An online survey was conducted to capture an accurate view of OHRV rider spending. New Hampshire OHRV Club members were invited to complete an online survey. Respondents who participated in trail riding in New Hampshire during 2020 were asked to provide detailed spending into by category."

1-12-2023: email re final Kelsey Road reports

RSA 215-a

1-12-2023: Milan Trail Huggers ATV Club letter to CORD; "In March of 2022, Dummer residents voted to close their town roads to ATV traffic... We respectfully request that members of the CORD committee continue to keep the trails in Kelsey Notch open since they are the only alternative left for riders in the Stark area to access these other trail systems."

1-12-2023; last minute ATV Club submissions from DNCR to CORD; Coos County CORD Letter, NHOHVA Letter, ATV Club Letter, Milan Trail Huggers Letter, Nash Stream Forest Facts, North Country ATV Letter, image001.jpg

1-17-2023: Larry Gomes to Patrick Hackley; Attachments: Kelsey Notch Trails.jpg, West Side Trails.jpg, Nash Stream Public Use Footprint.pdf 'Hi Patrick, Attached is the info we spoke about on the phone today. Thanks, Larry Gomes"

Road, trail and stream footprints submitted to Patrick Hackley by Larry Gomes of Great North Woods ATV Club; no noise footprint, light-pollution footprint, effect of noise on wildlife footprint, herbicide footprint, sedimentation effects on streams, invertebrates and fish footprint, pollution footprint, carbon footprint of ATV trail use and maintenance, fragmentation by roads and trails footprint, damage footprint beyond Nash Stream State Forest caused by ATV access through the Forest.

Kelsey Notch Trails map

Larry Gomes' Nash Stream Forest "Facts"

1-17-2023: Patrick Hackley to Will Guinn and Maggie Machinist; "FYI - Larry Gomes sent me the attached maps and trail information. I was unaware that Kelsey Notch splits into three trails before exiting NSF. Do either of you know how many total miles comprise the KN trails? Thanks, Patrick"

1-25-2023: John Magee to Maggie Machinist, request for Kelsey Road Reports 2022 and 2023.

2-23-2023: interagency email re Kelsey Notch "Trails"

2023, February 23- March 1: emails re CORD meeting

3-6-2023: BOT to BOT, email with CORD final agenda

2023, March 8 :DES to F&G email re Kelsey Notch ATV Trail

2023, March 8: DES to F&G re map of Kelsey Notch

3-8-2023: topo map of Kelsey Notch ATV Trails/Roads

3-8-2023: email to which map was attached

3-8-2023: email re map

3-9-2023: CORD agenda

3-2023: info given to CORD for March 2023 meeting

3-9-2023: Fish & Game recommends Kelsey Notch ATV "Trail" be approved.

3-9-2023: letter to CORD; "Not only are OHRVs damaging to water and air quality, wildlife and residents alike, they are limiting the growth of Coos County’s economy by keeping away the verifiably larger numbers of people who enjoy our forests quietly - to fish, hunt, hike, camp and live."

3-9-2023:CORD approves Kelsey in defiance of evidence of relentless failure of monitoring, failure of trail to meet required conditions, absence of required studies, enforcement, and a complete lack of documentation of economic benefit.

3-17-2023: F&G to BOT, email re trail impacts report

3-20-23: DNCR acknowledges CORD's approval Kelsey Notch OHRV "Trail".

3-22-2023: Berlin Daily Sun article about approval of Kelsey Notch ATV Roads by CORD

2023, March 28: email re. Kelsey Notch decision

2023, August 21: Agencies email re Kelsey Notch Inspection

10-30-2023: interagency email re visit to Kelsey Notch Road and Bordeau(x) "Trail"