Mud Pond and Mud Pond Trail Factoids

Here are some interesting facts about Mud Pond and the Mud Pond Trail at the Pondicherry NWR:

  • The natural community found around Mud Pond is a Northern White Cedar–Black Spruce Seepage Swamp Forest. This is an unusual variant of the black spruce seepage swamp forest.
  • The immediate area around Mud Pond is a Fen. A fen differs from a bog in that it has nutrients flowing in and out from streams.
  • Total Trail Length is 3,150’ or 0.6 miles or 1 km.
  • The turnpike section with ledgepack is 2,165 feet long and is 4.5 feet wide.
  • The boardwalk is 985 feet long and is also 4.5 feet wide.
  • The boardwalk is on footers that prevent the posts from sinking into the deep peat.
  • The viewing platform is 10’ x 16’.
  • The starting elevation at the trailhead is 1204 feet.
  • Mud Pond is 1134 feet in elevation for a difference of 70 feet in 0.6 miles.
  • Mud Pond has 1.6 acres of open water (71,780 square feet) and 3 acres of fen.
  • Mud Pond is 417 feet long and 252 feet wide at its widest point.
  • Mud Pond is approximately 3 feet deep.
  • Mud Pond has one outlet and three inlets and all are unnamed.
  • The pH of Mud Pond averages 5.2 with one inlet stream having a pH of 5.8.
  • Mud Pond is surrounded by 156 acres of black spruce – white cedar forest.
  • A “Poor Fen” and a Northern White Cedar–Black Spruce Seepage Swamp surrounds Mud Pond. This is an uncommon natural community in New Hampshire.
  • The habitat around Mud Pond is considered to be boreal forest.
  • The NH Champion Black Spruce is found along the boardwalk on the Mud Pond Trail.
  • The first wheelchair use was on 29 November 2010. Tiffany from Whitefield.
  • The trail is designed for Universal Access including wheel chairs. The wheel chairs with larger tires designed for trail use are better than narrow tired wheel chairs on this trail.
  • Cost for materials including lumber, gravel and tools is approximately $80,000. $30,000 came from a grant from the NH Trails Bureau and the rest from the Silvio Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge.
  • Youth Conservation Corps crews from the Pondicherry YCC crew worked for parts of five summers on this project. Members of the Randolph Mountain Club Trail crew provided two days of assistance in clearing the route. The Friends of Pondicherry contributed over 1600 hours of volunteer time. Most of the work was done in the short summer period when the Northwoods Youth Conservation Corps worked on the project.
  • Jamie Savage of Jefferson designed the boardwalk and supervised the construction effort.
  • The Trail is entirely in the Town of Jefferson.
  • Access is from Route 116. From the junction of Route 2 in Jefferson take Route 116 for 3 miles towards Whitefield to the access road for the Mud Pond Trail. From Whitefield take Route 116 for 1 mile past the Whitefield-Jefferson Town Line towards Jefferson.
  • The entrance sign was installed on October 15, 2011 when the trail dedication occurred.
  • A variety of other names were proposed for the trail with Mud Pond being the chosen name.
  • The trail will have interpretive panels designed and installed in 2013.
  • The Friends of Pondicherry offersperiodic guided walks at Mud Pond and also Cherry Pond.
  • Three species of carnivorous plants are found at Mud Pond including pitcher plants, sundews and bladderworts.

Additional background:

Mud Pond in Jefferson has always been a place of mystery. Maybe it was the name. Maybe it was the ground that moved up and down as you walked on it. It is a special place. Mud Pond is a fen where unusual plants live including three that are carnivorous. The area around the fen is a boreal forest where you can see unusual birds like black-backed woodpecker, yellow-bellied flycatcher, white-winged crossbill, spruce grouse and gray jay.

The US Fish and Wildlife Service acquired the land around Mud Pond in 2003. Much of the surrounding forest with the exception of the wetlands around Mud Pond had been cut over. The land was added to the Pondicherry National Wildlife Refuge. The Pondicherry was a well-known wildlife area and over 230 species of birds have been recorded here. The area has also been a popular location for hikers, naturalists and photographers.

Andrew French of the US Fish and Wildlife Service is the Project Leader for this and other areas of the Silvio Conte National Wildlife Refuge. He has worked with closely with state agencies, New Hampshire Audubon, the Friends of Pondicherry and others to improve access for the public. He visited Mud Pond in late 2003 and recognized its potential for a universal access trail. He made the decision to propose the project and work with the local Friends group. It helps to have a visionary leader in charge.

David Govatski of the Friends of Pondicherry selected the location of the Mud Pond Trail in 2005-2006. He used aerial photos and many (over 60) site visits in all seasons and weather to determine the optimum location. The trailhead was formerly a log landing and the first part of the route was on a winter logging haul road. Much of the surrounding forest was cut over in the 1990’s and is now rapidly growing back into a young forest. For the boardwalk he consulted with botanists, wildlife biologists and soil scientists on the trail route. The intent of the boardwalk was to allow people, including those in wheel chairs, to visit a rare natural community safely and without disturbing the sensitive plants found there.

The staff of the Silvio O. Conte National Wildlife Refuge (USFWS) reviewed and approved the location of the proposed trail and boardwalk. The USFWS then presented the proposal to the public for comments. Following a positive review the USFWS then proceeded to get a wetlands permit through the NH Department of Environmental Services using a local firm of wetland scientists. The next step was working with the NH Trails Bureau, an agency in the Department of Resources and Economic Development. The project was selected for a matching grant and work began by the Northwoods Youth Conservation Corps in the summer of 2008 under crew leader Jenn Barton.

Jamie Savage of Jefferson designed the actual boardwalk. The design followed the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and wetland permit requirements of the NH Department of Environmental Services. The design allowed the boardwalk to avoid fragile plant communities and even trees and achieved a curvilinear approach that created a sense of mystery and excitement as one walked along the boardwalk.

The footpath coming down the hillside had unique difficulties due to a grade that was unsuitable for wheelchairs. Several switchbacks were required to achieve a suitable grade until the boardwalk arrived at the boardwalk. The wooden edging that was used was flexible and allowed the builders to create a curving trail that was pleasing to the eye. The raised edging was required to keep wheel chairs on the trail.

The surface of the trail is a layer of crushed rock called ledge pack over a layer of bank run fill. The ledge pack has sharp angular edges that after compaction hold together very well. We used a small amount of Portland cement mixed in with the ledge pack to create a better bind between particles. This is particularly important for electric wheelchairs that have a fairly heavy surface pressure.

Local high school students working with the Northwoods Youth Conservation Corps largely did the physical work. Jenn Barton of Jefferson was the crew leader the first summer followed by Reuben Rajala of Gorham for the last four summers. The Youth Conservation Corps employs young adults aged 15-18 to work on natural resource conservation projects during their summer break. Youth unemployment is high in the North Country and this program is a much sought after summer job.

On October 15, 2011 we dedicated the Mud Pond Trail. Building a trail that provided universal access was certainly not the easiest or quickest way to provide access. We could have built a primitive hiking trail in much less time. But we would have left behind those who also wanted to see the wild places but cannot walk on their own. This trail allows families to use a three-wheeled stroller to bring in young children who can smell the balsam fir fragrance and hear the wind in the pines. It means that families can visit with those using wheel chairs or a cane. Not every trail can offer this and few trailsin the White Mountain region have this opportunity. That is why we went with a trail that was designed for all of our citizens. We also hope this trail provides a boost to everyone’s health and vitality regardless of their current ability.

David Govatski, Chairman

Friends of Pondicherry

7 August 2012

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