Like many New England streams, Great Brook in Walpole has been modified over time, making it less resilient to floods and less supportive of aquatic life. In 2024, four local landowners — including Michael Nerrie of Distant Hill Gardens — launched a restoration project along two miles of Great Brook in partnership with Trout Unlimited and the Natural Resources Conservation Service. The cornerstone was an innovative technique called Strategic Wood Addition (SWA), which uses the careful placement of large woody material to improve stream health, restore natural flow patterns, retain sediment, create pools and cover for fish, and enhance habitat for other aquatic wildlife.

Join Michael to learn about the benefits and process of SWA, and to visit the restoration site. We’ll start with a brief presentation, then hike to a nearby section of Great Brook for a closer look. Come prepared for a 1-mile roundtrip hike on somewhat steep terrain, and for spring conditions, including mud and biting insects.

4 to 6 p.m. at the Distant Hill Nature Trail in Alstead. Space is limited, and registration is required. For general information about Harris Center field trips, see our Outings Information page. For more information about this particular outing, including questions about accessibility, contact Brett Amy Thelen.

Co-sponsored by the Harris Center for Conservation Education and Distant Hill Gardens and Nature Trail.