Saving a New Hampshire Treasure

Alliance Staff commented on Kayaking the Natural Area

Enter via the Pine River boat ramp on Route 25E near the junction of Route 16, or via the Bearcamp at the Whittier Covered Bridge in West Ossipee. For the Bearcamp, Canoe King, just up the road to the north, can help with directions or gear. Also try the Ossipee River in Effingham. There is a great ramp at the junction of Route 25E and Route 125E. Head in either direction from that site for beautiful paddling.

David Cohen commented on Kayaking the Natural Area

Looking to kayak during August when on vacation on Lake Ossipee. Where can I get data on dropin and takeout locations?
Bearcamp looks interesting

Fred Klestine commented on Plant Found in Lake Natural Area Is "Critically Imperiled" In State

Richard, as one life long resident to another, you have to be kidding saying DRED put restrictions on this area based on a few disgruntled individuals. When has the state ever done anything based on a few disgruntled individuals, let alone DRED? You can still park your boat there and play all day, but without being able to go on shore and trash the environment. That's called balance and common sense.

Richard Lover commented on Plant Found in Lake Natural Area Is "Critically Imperiled" In State

I am a life long resident of the State of N.H. and have been enjoying going to Ossipee Lake with my family for the last 50 years. I am thrilled to see that an estimated 3500 people on a given day were able to enjoy being out on the lake as I have been. I have made many many new and dear friends while at the Lake. I'm also equally as dismayed that a few disgruntled people have been able to take away the freedom of enjoyment of one of this state's greatest "open and free to all" areas. They should all be ashamed !

Dan commented on About

My daughter is the 5th generation of my family to enjoy Long Sands, I married into a family that is 4th generation on the lake. Those that own property on the lake, those that cherish what Ossipee Lake is, seem to agree with the (limited) beach closing, all support and encourage stepped up Marine Patrol to weed out the few that are ruining it for the many.

I saw a few comments about tax payers and that is a ligitimate angle. The people that pay the rediculous taxes to have a place on the lake, surely aren't the same ones that arrive at 9:00AM and leave at 9:00PM!

Why doesn't the state look at doing something with the boat ramps, impose a rediculous fee to launch your boat, better yet close the ramps, the 25 ramp was the worse thing done to this lake in my life time. This would help fund both invasive weed control and increased Marine Patrol presence of the area....

Mike Decristofaro commented on About

Gary,
I too believe that the "issues" at Long Sands are caused by less than 5 % of the people that frequent the area. I also believe that increased presence of the Marine Patrol can help. As far as the need of going ashore, please remeber those that kayak the area. For us about the last 11 years. We need an occasional stretch. In the process nothing is disturbed or damaged. We carry out anything left over. Why should we lose this ability and who are we hurting ?

Gary C commented on About

I have been frequenting Longs Sands for quite a few years. 95% of the people I see using the area are having a good time and not damaging anything or bothering anyone. The 5% blasting music and trashing the area are obnoxious slobs but I am at a loss as to how to deal with them. Is there really any "need" for people to go onto the land? Would establishing a 50ft buffer allow for better enforcement?

Ossipee Lake Alliance commented on Pine Barrens Eyed for Protection

The Nature Conservancy's Ossipee Pine Barrens property is right across the lake from the Natural Area, and their preservation and stewardship efforts are described in an article in the N.H. Union Leader. Click on this link.

Bracken commented on Long Sands Group Presses DRED

I've been a visitor to the Lake for more than forty years. The peace and beauty I've found here have drawn me back again and again, in every season of the year. But the degradation of the Long Sands area, particularly in the last five to ten years, is simply appalling. It took Mother Nature tens of thousands of years to create this unique and beautiful shoreline; it's taken DRED only a few years to bring the Long Sands area close to total devastation. Live Free or Die? What happened to government of the people, by the people, and for the people? Come on DRED, you are supposed to be stewards: either take proper care of the place, or transfer it to some one else who will.

Tad D. commented on About

Long Sands isn't a beach. It's a natural area and the people using it as a beach are killing it. What difference does it make that they take their trash home after sunbathing all day at the "beach"? The state is looking for ideas on how to protect this area, yet most of the letters from boaters don't offer ideas, they just complain. They don't seem to get what the issue is.