Friends of Tucker Mountain, Inc. is a nonprofit, community-based 501(c)3 organization dedicated to the preservation and maintenance of Tucker Mountain Town Forest for current and future generations. We work closely with the Town of Newbury and other conservation organizations to support Tucker Mountain Town Forest through fundraising, volunteer coordination, and educational programs that promote stewardship of Tucker Mountain’s history, natural resources, and recreational opportunities. Our work is supported by the generous donations of individuals and local businesses in the community, as well as through foundation grants.”

 

 

You can also send a check to our mailing address at P.O. Box 284, Newbury, VT 05051.
If you have any questions or would like to talk to someone with
Friends of Tucker Mountain, you can reach us at: friendsoftuckerinfo@gmail.com

Accomplishments

In 2021, Friends of Tucker Mountain secured a grant from the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation and matching funds from donors to create 10 interpretive signs to place along trails and points of interest in Tucker Mountain Town Forest. These signs provide information about the area’s history, early settlement, ecology and wildlife. Installation was completed in August of 2022. The Friends worked with the Management Committee to secure a $30,000 grant to the Town of Newbury from the Vermont Recreational Trails Program to be used toward rebuilding the multi-use High Meadows Trail to the Tucker Mountain summit. The Friends are preparing to construct a StoryWalk® for kids along one of our trails, thanks to a $2,000 grant from the Vermont Community Foundation and donors who have chipped in with matching funds. A StoryWalk® consists signboards presenting pages from a children’s book that families stop to  read as they walk. The books, usuallyabout the forest, wildlife, or ecology, are changed out periodically.

Future Projects

For 2022-2023 and beyond, Friends of Tucker Mountain will be raising funds for the following projects and efforts:
A. Multi-Use Highland Meadows Trail to the Summit
The old dirt road from Tucker Mountain Road to the summit of Tucker is a serious erosion hazard and needs to be replaced with a solid gravel multi-use trail with proper drainage to prevent irreparable damage to our upper meadows.
B. View Clearing on Tucker Mountain Summit
Four to five acres of young trees need to be cut and mulched before they begin to obstruct views to the west and south. The area will be restored to open meadow. The view from the summit is one of the most remarkable features of our town forest.
C. Wetlands and Plant Inventory
Our town forest has unique wetland environments that need to be protected. Funds are needed to have them professionally surveyed and mapped. Our forest management plan also recommends that we have a plant inventory done to better understand the biodiversity of the forest beyond just the trees.
D. Eradication of Invasive Species
Invasive honeysuckle that is found throughout the property needs to be brought under control to create a more resilient forest, allowing more plant diversity of the understory to better support wildlife and native tree and shrub growth. We also need to reverse its future spread. Volunteers can only do so much; this job will require professional help.