What's Happening Here? Traditional Geocache
-
Difficulty:
-
-
Terrain:
-
Size: 
(small)
Please note Use of geocaching.com services is subject to the terms and conditions
in our disclaimer.
Traditional, small camo'd lock n' lock, Jennings Forest Cache
Walking along the trail in The Jennings Forest in New Durham, I spied recent activity that seemed unusual to me. I wondered what was happening here. A call to the Forest Society gave me all the answers and some neat history. The Foresters are doing a planned clear cut of about ten acres of mature softwood trees, mainly white pine. He said that although it would look rough for one or two years, the area would self seed with hardwoods such as oak, beech and some birch. The Society regularly rotates selected cuttings on all of the State Forests to keep them healthy, making way for younger, vital growth that benefits both flora and fauna, and those of us who appreciate diversity in our wanderings.
In addition I learned that in colonial times this area was well known for its tall, straight white pines, known as mast trees. Although other areas had such trees, prevailing winds would often cause them to twist, rendering them unusable for the British Navy, who could never get enough masts for their ships. There was competition for these trees between the British and the colonists, who prized them for cabin building so the Navy dubbed them the "Kings Trees" and made it illegal to cut them down.
There is parking for one car at the gated entrance of the forest on Middleton Crossroad in New Durham. Cashe contains funny money, magnet, NHOM pin to start.
FTF prize is a color reproduction of a map showing the Alton and Alton Bay area circa 1888. The map is near the small camo'd lock n' lock. If you are not interested in the map please leave it for another cacher.
Congrats to mshay for *FTF*
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Ybbx ybj