Saving a New Hampshire Treasure

Natural Area Priorities Debated

By Roger Amsden

Ossipee – May 6, 2007 – Preservation or recreation — or a combination of both?

That was the issue that brought more than 80 people to the conference center at Camp Calumet yesterday for an informational planning session on future uses of state-owned Ossipee Lake Natural Area.

The 400-acre area, also known as Long Sands, has about 9,000 feet of frontage at the southern tip, and was originally purchased by the state in the 1960s to provide recreation opportunities according to Clayton Sawyer, whose father and his partner sold the land to the state.

“The state wanted to take the daily boating and swimming pressure off from White Lake State Park and move those activities here so White Lake would be more of a camping area for longer stays. They were going to put in a road to the beach through the wetlands but the rules changed and they weren’t able to build a road,” recalled Sawyer.

Situation Out of Hand

But people began to use the natural sandy beach there anyway, reaching it by water rather than land, resulting in a situation on summer weekends when as many as 300 boats arrive and as many as 1,000 people may be ashore, many of whom build campfires for cookouts in the area, where at least five rare species of plants have been found and are now being threatened. As a result, the lake association wants to see use of the area sharply restricted.

Nearby property owner George Eisner says the situation is out of hand and says he wants to see illegal use of the property put to an end.

“We’ve got a situation where 1,000 people are running around, and there’s no control. There’s more toilet paper and human waste there than there are plants,” said Eisner. “The state has no policy with regard to the use of the area and it’s management has been a complete disaster.”

Long Sands Sinners

But Mike Breault, who wears a T-shirt identifying himself as a “Long Sands Sinner,” said he and other users team up to keep the area clean and added that it’s important to keep the area as originally intended.

Paul Claussen, of a group concerned the natural beach is overused, said one day last summer 357 boats were anchored just offshore, creating a public nuisance as well as a pollution.

But State Rep. Harry Merrow, who proposed establishing a town beach at Long Sands that would be leased from the state, said water samples have not shown any bacterial pollution.

“I’ve used the beach for 60 years and I’m dead against closing it,” said Merrow, who suggested a compromise might be in order that would allow public access while also protecting the rare plants.

Kim Whitefeather, a native American, said she has used the beach ever since she was two years old and wouldn’t want to see it shut down.

“The state should put in (portable toilets) and trash barrels and let people continue to use it as they have for years,” said Whitefeather.

Sara Cairns, state Parks and Recreation Division biologist, said three rare plant species have been identified in the beach area, including Hudsonia, and heavy use of the area could have an adverse impact on them.

Frank Blackwing said the plants were endangered by more than human activity, including natural high and low water cycles, and said it didn’t make sense to close off the area when the plants might disappear anyway.

Phil Bryce, director of the Division of Forests and Land, said information gathered at the session would serve as a starting point for developing a state plan for use of the area.

[Courtesy New Hampshire Union Leader]

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