Shea-Porter takes nature hike in Pinkham Notch

GORHAM – From bugs to moose to climate change, U.S. Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter was given an education on the environment by Appalachian Mountain Club staffers on a recent tour at Pinkham Notch. The congresswoman, in turn, gave the AMC a sense of what's going on in Washington D.C.

Shea-Porter, who is a Democrat on the Natural Resources Committee, said there is a moral, economic and environmental obligation to protect the White Mountain National Forest. She said multiple generations of her family have spent time in the forest. She said the forest needs to be protected from threats like climate change and forest fires.
"The funding issue is a challenge right now," said Shea-Porter. "We still have to keep pushing and advocating for resources."
She said taking care of the White Mountains is a top priority for her in Washington D.C.
AMC president John Judge spoke about how many people work on AMC projects. He said  last year AMC had 16,000 volunteers who ran programs from Maine to Washington D.C. This year, AMC will educate almost 60,000 children about the outdoors. There were 1,500 volunteers who worked on the trails this past summer.
"We're real, real fortunate to have this terrific team of conservation stewards at all different levels," said Judge.
A reporter asked Shea-Porter what was the most important thing she learned during her visit to the AMC and subsequent hike with various AMC staffers.
"What always impresses me is how all these different groups are working together," said Shea-Porter adding she was impressed by the effort to preserve the forest and wildlife. "Our discussion about some of the changes we are seeing, for example, the moose die off, they believe it's (due to) ticks and it's a longer season for the ticks."
Nicky Pizzo, a naturalist for AMC, said New Hampshire Fish and Game found that 60 percent of the yearling moose that were involved in a recent radio collar study died over the winter. As a result, the moose hunting season was more than cut in half.
She said there is a mother-to-be moose that lives in the area. That moose seems to be fine, said Pizzo.
Nobody saw momma moose during the congresswoman's tour.
"The moose that's around here, she's losing her winter fur and she's growing in her summer fur but she's not thin," said Pizzo. " She is hopefully going to give birth any day now. So she looks good. She looks healthy."
Pizzo said some AMC visitors ask her why the momma moose lives where she does.
"Why not?" said Pizzo. "We're surrounded by forest and things she likes to eat."
Earlier in the hike, Pizzo pointed to a plant that had its buds nibbled by moose during the winter. This time of year, the moose head to wetlands where they can find plants rich in sodium.
"Even if we never see animals, there's always signs that they are here," said Pizzo.
Pizzo often sees moose on her drive from her home in Gorham to the AMC facility. A reporter asked if those other moose look healthy too.
"I don't get that close to them," said Pizzo.
During the hike, Shea-Porter said some legislators don't believe in climate change.
"A lot of people who don't necessarily believe politicians who say it also question scientists," said Shea-Porter.
Shea-Porter and those she was walking with said there are other practical reasons, besides climate change, to look at alternative forms of energy.
"This might chill you to know, there's legislation proposed in Congress that any climate change study that has federal funding in it cannot consider the impact of human beings on the environment," said Shea-Porter.
AMC staff scientist Georgia Murray agreed with Porter that the bill sounded troubling.
Along the walk, Murray pointed to a small device in the woods and explained that it's measuring air temperature.
"We want to know what the temperature is when the the plants come up and when they flower," said Murray.
When Shea-Porter asked if the device was based on new technology, Murray said it isn't.