As someone who grew up on Squam, I always thought that I knew it like the back of my hand. Since I’ve lived away from it for a few years, I’ve come to realize that I may have some knuckles left to navigate. I know the loon calls, barred owl hoots and spring peeper peeps by heart, but I am always finding new hidden corridors and oases that evaded me when I was younger. When I heard about the opportunity to serve as an AmeriCorps member with the Squam Lakes Conservation Society, I was ecstatic. I didn’t think I’d get lucky enough to make an impact on my local community right after graduation. It’s been a little over two months since I started, which is crazy to think about, but I guess time really does move fast when you’re having fun.
The first week of my term was spent getting to know my fellow AmeriCorps members, getting a rundown of the office space, and settling into the cabin I’ll be in for the next few months, which we’ve lovingly deemed “The Coop”. Since that first week, I’ve connected with so many wonderful people and already been on dozens of adventures. I’ve gained a plethora of certifications and training, and I’ve learned so much more about land stewardship. My favorite training days were trails and axe training. I hadn’t done much trail work before taking this position, so getting to use tools like mcleod’s, pulaski’s, pick mattocks, and rock bars to build and maintain trail structures was really fun and interesting.
If someone had told me three months ago that I’d be pulling 300lb rocks out of the ground with nothing but an angled metal bar, I’d say they're crazy. Axe training also gave me a lot of useful information and skills for trail maintenance. I learned about different types of axes, how to sharpen them and keep them clean, and how to use them to clear blown down trees from a trail. I used to think that using an axe required much more force and strength from the person doing the chopping, but it’s really more about technique and using the weight of the axe itself, with some help from gravity.
Over the past month, I’ve done a few trail days where these trainings were highly useful. Just yesterday I, along with four other AmeriCorps, trekked up Mt. Morgan to clear some blow downs and clean up the Crawford Ridgepole Trail to Webster Mountain. On our way up the Mt. Morgan Trail, we cleared seven blown down trees with handsaws, and cleaned three water bars with mcleods and pick mattocks. The mcleods are great for clearing organic material from drainages, as well as tamping down loose soil to keep set rocks in place. The pick mattocks are useful for widening drains or making them deeper so it's easier for water to flow off the trail. Once we got to the Crawford Ridgepole Trail, we walked a few miles to the Webster viewpoint, using loppers and handsaws to keep the trail corridor wide and clear for visitors. Although it was a long day with roughly ten miles of hiking, the views were incredible. We were able to see almost all of Big Squam, with West Rattlesnake Mountain in the forefront of the scene.
Although trail work is my favorite part of this position, other duties that occupy my time like property monitoring visits and community engagement events are just as valuable. The thing I love about property monitoring is that it feels like a treasure hunt. But instead of hunting for trinkets or treats, we’re hunting for iron pins, rebar, and drill holes in stone walls. Every monitoring visit is an adventure, and even when we think we know what to expect, there’s always something that surprises us. Just the other day, we were startled by a momma bear at a property called DW Emerson Preserve in Sandwich. Thankfully, we were able to cut through the woods away from her and her cubs without incident.
When I was chosen for this position, the thought of connecting and giving back to my local community really excited me. I’ve loved getting the opportunity to connect with residents of the Squam watershed and talk with them about what makes it so special. It’s also been nice to hear their opinions on things that could be done to help keep the lake and surrounding landscape as pristine as it is. For me, Squam has always been a place to find peace and enjoyment in nature, and hearing that the local community shares that opinion has been heartwarming. I am greatly looking forward to the impact I can contribute to conservation around the watershed in the next coming months, and all the amazing people I will meet along the way!
Maggi is serving with AmeriCorps at the Squam Lakes Conservation Society as a Land Steward. She graduated from the University of New Hampshire in May of 2026 with a B.S. In Wildlife and Conservation Biology. She is committed to a career in conservation and sustainability and excited to make an impact on her local community. Learn more about her here.