The Great Meadow
Overview
The Great Meadow area, bordered on the west by Sodom Road and on the north by Route 171 (Mountain Road) is 512 acres of open and forested wetlands. It is a large open basin with the Melvin River running through it. It is a mix of natural habitats that vary from beaver ponds to upland forest islands to deep conifer swampland with lush vegetation and well-worn game trails. It is the highest ranked wetland for ecological integrity in the region.
The Conservation Commission subsequently proposed to the Selectmen and the Capital Improvements Committee the idea of an environmentally sensitive trail which would allow residents to access the Great Meadow and see for themselves the wonder of the area. The trailhead parking would be just beyond the Town Garage, toward County Road. The trail would head down the slope toward the north. The proposed route would be about one mile, and the main purpose would be for education and viewing of the Great Meadow, leaving most of the wetlands untouched and available to wildlife.
Now, five years later, the Great Meadow Trail, including a parking area, kiosk, the trail and an observation platform, is reality. Additional funds, when available, will be used to improve the basic parking area, trail signage, interpretive materials and to add trail spurs to other interesting areas. The labor will continue to be provided by volunteers and the necessary funds will come from private, not public, sources
Why So Important?
It is an area surrounded by wetland forest, is host to at least 22 different natural communities (some very rare in New Hampshire) and provides excellent recharge for the area aquifers.
When the Conservation Commission began selling the idea to conserve this hidden gem in Tuftonboro, they hosted tours into the area for community leaders, financial supporters like Wolfeboro/Tuftonboro Land Bank and Tuftonboro Association Board of Directors. It was a short but challenging walk, up and down slopes and through wet areas to get to a spot where the Great Meadow could be viewed. Along the way, there were many teaching points about early settlement, agricultural history, wildlife habitat and plant history. On one of these excursions, someone said “wouldn’t be nice to have a trail out here where everyone could have this experience, but the walking would be easier”.
From that point, a plan for a developed trail began to emerge. A trail that would avoid steep slippery slopes, have boardwalks over wet areas and an elevated observation platform where people could sit and enjoy the experience. This would also be place for education where the wonders of nature can be explained, and people can witness happenings in the natural world.
The Conservation Commission subsequently proposed to the Selectmen and the Capital Improvements Committee the idea of an environmentally sensitive trail which would allow residents to access the Great Meadow and see for themselves the wonder of the area. The trailhead parking would be just beyond the Town Garage, toward County Road. The trail would head down the slope toward the north. The proposed route would be about one mile, and the main purpose would be for education and viewing of the Great Meadow, leaving most of the wetlands untouched and available to wildlife.
Although enthusiastic about the plan, both groups agreed that other priorities would preclude public money being available for the project in the near term. That is when the Tuftonboro Association stepped up with an offer to contribute up to $6,000.00 towards the effort.
In addition, the Tuftonboro Association also published a special edition of The Tuftonboro Times describing the day-to-day wonders of the Great Meadow through four superb articles written by Steve Wingate. This was the beginning of a major fundraising effort, and it brought in close to another $6,000.00