The Manchester Conservation Commission is excited to announce an upcoming guided tour of the Manchester Cedar Swamp Preserve on Sunday, July 6th, at 10:00 AM. This tour offers a fantastic opportunity for Queen City residents to explore one of Manchester's most remarkable natural treasures and, with a bit of luck, witness the magnificent giant rhododendrons in their full summer bloom.
This tour continues the Manchester Conservation Commission's commitment to raising awareness about the rich natural resources available right here in the Queen City. The Commission's mission is to preserve these vital natural resources for the benefit of all residents, and these Community Conservation Tours are designed to highlight Manchester's abundance of outdoor natural spaces and diverse outdoor recreation opportunities for all ages and abilities.
"Manchester’s Cedar Swamp is rich with natural beauty and we’re thrilled to provide a platform to the caretakers of such great spaces to educate our residents about the history and future of these lands, it’s a must see in the area!" Said Manchester Conservation Commissioner Don Waldron.
The 640-acre Manchester Cedar Swamp Preserve, located off Countryside Boulevard, is a true hidden gem. Once considered a site for a University of New Hampshire campus, this significant parcel of land was acquired by The Nature Conservancy (TNC) through an innovative settlement agreement in 1999. It has long been open to various forms of public outdoor recreation, including hunting, bird watching, and hiking. In 2022, The Nature Conservancy opened the "All Persons Trail," an accessible trail built in partnership with the community, designed to connect people of all abilities and backgrounds with nature without requiring them to leave the city. The MTA bus has a stop at the trailhead, and an audio tour for the trail is available in English and Spanish.
This upcoming tour provides a unique chance to delve deeper into the preserve's ecological importance. Participants will learn about the shady hemlock groves, the globally rare Atlantic white cedar swamps that give the preserve its name, and the iconic giant rhododendron patches directly from dedicated staff of The Nature Conservancy. Early July is often the perfect time to catch these stunning plants in bloom, creating a truly spectacular display.
The Manchester Conservation Commission encourages all residents to get outside and explore the natural resources right here in Manchester, including the Cedar Swamp Preserve. Please note that only service animals are allowed on the trails at the Cedar Swamp due to the fragile ecosystem.
Visit the Manchester Conservation Commission webpage for more information about the Commission and future Conservation Tours.
To learn more about the Manchester Cedar Swamp Preserve or The Nature Conservancy in New Hampshire, please visit their Manchester Cedar Swamp webpage.
Manchester Conservation Commission Outreach Tours Presents:
Spring Clean-up Extravaganza 2025 at Piscataquog River Park
Piscataquog River Park is over 110 acres of urban forest, running along both banks of the Piscataquog River in West Manchester. This park is one of the largest city parks in Manchester, is a wildlife corridor for many birds and animals, and is one of the few places you can directly access a river in Manchester. But like all parks, it needs to be cleaned and maintained to make sure everyone can enjoy the park to its fullest.
Please join the Friends of Piscataquog River Park, Manchester Parks and Recreation, and the Manchester Conservation Commission for our 2025 Spring Clean-up Extravaganza! Our 3rd annual spring clean-up will take place on Sunday, April 27, 2025 from 10 am to 2 pm. We are looking for volunteers to help pick up trash, do trail maintenance, and beautify the park, along with other tasks to improve the area. Our goal is to make the park cleaner, greener, and more accessible!
As part of this event, we are also partnering with The Nature Conservancy for the City Nature Challenge. From April 25 - 28, people from 700+ cities around the world are finding animals, plants, and more in their neighborhoods, and sharing their observations. All you need is a smartphone & the free iNaturalist app. While you’re volunteering, discover all kinds of wonderful species that live in Piscataquog River Park! This is a kid-friendly activity, and TNC staff will be on site to help get you started!
The tour will meet at Piscataquog River Park in the George W. Smith Complex at 300 Precourt Street, Manchester (the park entrance is towards the back behind the baseball field).
The event is open to the public and runs from 10 am to 2 pm, with coffee, snacks, and lunch provided for all volunteers. Tools, gloves and a short training will be provided, but please wear appropriate clothing for being outside and working on uneven terrain. Volunteers under 18 will need to have a waiver signed by a parent.
After the event, feel free to stay, explore the park more, and keep looking for new things to add to the City Nature Challenge!
Please register for this event at https://naturegroupie.org/experiences/2025-spring-clean-extravaganza
The Manchester Conservation Commission is a function of the City of Manchester and is responsible for preserving the City's natural resources for the benefit of its citizens and wildlife. The Commission holds regular outreach tours to help residents and visitors learn more about these natural resources.
Where: Piscataquog River Park – George W. Smith Entrance, 300 Precourt Street, Manchester, NH 03102
When: Sunday, April 27, 2025 - 10:00 AM until 2:00 PM
Parking: Parking is available on site
Accessibility: Participants are encouraged to wear sturdy footwear, have clothing appropriate to be outdoors for long periods of time. Volunteers will be working off trail and on uneven terrain. This event will happen rain or shine.
The event is free and open to the public, however registration is required. Please register online at this link: https://naturegroupie.org/experiences/2025-spring-clean-extravaganza
Manchester New Hampshire was once the textile mill capital of the world! Manchester’s Amoskeag Manufacturing Company was the largest textile producer in the world and much of the infrastructure that supported this industry is still part of Manchester’s fabric. Manchester was not chosen at random, but instead it was the immense natural resources provided by the Merrimack River that cemented Manchester’s role in the Nation’s industrial revolution.
The Manchester Conservation Commission invites you to join us for the fourth in its series of Outreach Tours on Saturday January 20 at 10:30am to learn how the “Mighty Merrimack” helped build the industrial roots of our City.
This tour is open to the public and will be exploring how the growth of Manchester’s textile industry was a direct result of the natural resources provided by the Merrimack River Watershed.
The tour will meet at the Millyard Museum located at 200 Bedford Street, Manchester (entrance is on the Commercial Street side). Tour participants will have a brief opportunity to explore the museum before a presentation by local historians. The group will then be provided with a tour of the revitalized Waumbec Mills which was built in 1897!
The event ends at noon, after which attendees are encouraged to visit any of the numerous local restaurants for lunch and independent exploration!
The Manchester Conservation Commission is a function of the City of Manchester and is responsible for preserving the City's natural resources for the benefit of its citizens and wildlife. The Commission holds regular outreach tours to help residents and visitors learn more about these natural resources.
Where: Meeting at the Millyard Museum, 200 Bedford Street
When: Saturday January 20, 2024, 10:30AM (until noon)
Parking: Street parking on Commercial and Bedford Streets.
Accessibility: Participants are encouraged to wear sturdy footwear, have clothing appropriate to be outdoors for short periods of time. There may be stair climbing to access some portions of the tour.
This event may be canceled in the event of inclement weather.
The event is free and open to the public, however registration is required. Please register online at this link: https://manchesternh.recdesk.com/Community/Program/Detail?programId=341
On August 26, 2023 from 10 am to 12 pm the Manchester Conservation Commission will be holding the second event in a series of “Conservation Walks” at the Valley Cemetery in downtown Manchester.
A true Manchester hidden gem, the Valley Cemetery is located just a block from Elm Street and was built in 1840. The cemetery was designed to be a living, “garden cemetery” that should be enjoyed by members of the community on a daily basis. The original cemetery included a chapel, bridges, gazebos, and numerous walking trails that were all well maintained and was a place for families to have picnics and enjoy a day at the park.
Throughout the 1900s the cemetery fell into a state of disrepair and neglect and had become a place to avoid. However, efforts have been underway since the early 2000’s to reclaim this green space in the heart of Manchester. The Valley Cemetery is now listed in the U.S. Register of Historic Places and members of “Valley Volunteers” volunteer every other Saturday to clean the cemetery and to painstakingly restore many of the headstones.
Join the Manchester Conservation Commission, members from the Valley Volunteers, and representatives from the Manchester Department of Public Works for an informative exploration of this urban greenspace and learn about the history of the cemetery from historians and the efforts of local volunteers to take back the cemetery and restore the garden park that it once was. We will also learn about the challenges and victories of the Valley Volunteers group and how you can help their efforts.
This will be a walking tour of the cemetery and will include some paths that go down into the lower parts of the cemetery. While not steep, participants should wear appropriate footwear and bring sunscreen and bug repellent. Participants will also get to explore the inside of the chapel that is slated for restoration.
Participants should park on Pine Street near Grove Street and then walk into the main cemetery entrance. The Conservation Tour will meet just inside the gate.
The tour will depart promptly at 10 am and should take no more than two hours. We anticipate having Spanish interpretation available and multiple Manchester Transit routes pass within close proximity to the Cemetery.
WHO: Manchester Conservation Commission, Manchester Department of Public Works, and the Valley Volunteers Group
WHAT: Conservation Walking Tour of the Valley Cemetery
WHERE: Park on Pine Street near Grove Street and walk into the main cemetery entrance. The group will meet just inside the gate.
WHEN: Saturday, August 26, 2023, 10 am to 12 pm.
For more information or to register please email: conservationcom@manchesternh.gov
