The 164 acre Town Forest is located in the northern portion of Bath and on the town line with Monroe. To travel there, go north on Route 135 and turn right onto Locke Road. Travel on Locke Road until you see a gate on your left, go through the gate. You are now on a Class VI road, which is perfectly passable but a little rough. Travel 0.5 miles until you come to an open area with a huge wetland and cemetery to the right. The Town Forest boundary line starts uphill from the cemetery.
History
This property was used as a farm for close to two centuries. A cellar hole and cement silo foundation are located in the open area that was once used as a log landing. Stone walls can be found throughout, having been placed there by the first farmers who cleared the land to use as pasture.
The property was purchased from Napolian Paradie by the town in 1956.
In 1958 the Bath School students planted the hay fields to red and white pine.
In 1990, a Forest Stewardship Management Plan was developed and the Forest was harvested.
A stone ford was constructed over Bedell Brook to allow forestry equipment access without harming the brook. That structure survives today.
In 1990, the voters designated the property as a Town Forest and it was entered into the Certified Tree Farm Program (#2003).
In 2025, the Forest was re-inventoried and the Forest Stewardship Management Plan was updated.
Any future timber harvesting will be planned in support of the long term goals; maintaining and improving wildlife habitat, water resources, soils and forest health, opening up trails for recreational access, respecting historical sites, and providing educational opportunities for all ages. This will be a unique way to teach that forest management is multifaceted and can provide income as well.
Specific recommendations include manage for snag and cavity trees, encourage hard mast (acorns, beechnuts, seed cones) and soft mast (apples, berries, grapes) trees and shrubs, and harvest timber to provide a diversity of woody vegetation age, species and structure.
In 2024 a major salvage cut was done in the pine plantations to manage the timber that blew down in a series of wind storms.
Timber and Wildlife
The colorful map shows the landscape view of the NH Wildlife Action Plan habitat types in the forest which is predominately Northern Hardwood and Conifer habitat. Major tree species include sugar maple, beech, yellow birch, red oak, hemlock, white pine, balsam fir. This forest provides habitat for creatures as small as insects and as large as black bear and moose. It also creates a refuge for many forestland birds, such as Cooper’s hawk, black-throated blue warbler, and wood thrush.
Threatened, Endangered Species, and Exemplary Natural Communities
The NH Fish and Game Department’s deer wintering yard map for Bath indicates that a recognized “core” deer wintering area covers the entire property. These areas of thick coniferous cover are critical for deer survival through the winter months providing shelter from the wind, thermal cover and manageable snow depths. Signs of active use by deer were observed throughout.
The Bath Town Forest is home to many plants that provide essential wildlife habitat and a colorful background for recreationists. However, invasive species such as Japanese Barberry, are not welcome. It crowds out native plants and provides cover for ticks that could carry Lyme disease. Invasive species found within the forest will be removed.
Hundreds of millions of years ago Bath Village was part of a volcanic chain that was crashing into the edge of North America. The place that volcanoes met the continent is marked by the Ammonoosuc Thrust Fault that runs just to the east of the Bath Town Forest and along the eastern edge of the Gardner Mountain range.
Along the Ammonoosuc Fault gold was mined off and on from the 1870s until the 1920s. Copper and zinc deposits were found in the Silurian rocks, and pyrite cubes ranging from sugar grain size to the size of quarters can be found in various places around Bath. The Bath Town Forest is surrounded by faults, so it is a good place to explore for copper ores and pyrite, maybe even gold.
Star - Bath Town Forest
Light Green - Silurian (430 million years old) schist, quartzite and minor carbonate rocks
Purple (Ammonoosuc Volcanics) - Cambrian to Silurian ( 520 million to 430 million years old) rusty schist and meta-volcanic rocks; and calcareous quartzite and slate(s)
Heavy black lines - faults
The basic soil types are: rock outcrop with-loamy soils that are well to excessively drained; fine sandy loams; and poorly drained hydric floodplain soils.
These soils support a variety of upland and wetland woody and herbaceous plant growth that provides food and cover for a diverse wildlife population.
Soils:
61 = Tunbridge-Lyman-Rock outcrop complex, 8-15/15-25/25-60 percent slopes
76 = Tunbridge-Lyman complex, 8 to 15 percent slopes, rocky (90) Marlow fine sandy loam, 8-15 and 15-25 percent slopes
78 = Peru fine sandy loam, 3 to 8 percent slopes
72 = Berkshire fine sandy loam, 8 to 15 percent slopes, very stony
Hiking, nature viewing, picnicking, fishing, and hunting are allowed on the property. Thanks to skid trails created from previous logging operations, people have access to many sections of the property.
Town Forest access road
Trail leading into the forest
Bedell Brook is a very healthy brook trout stream available for fishing. The BVS 5th and 6th graders learned how to tie flies and cast thanks to volunteers and members of the Ammonoosuc Chapter of Trout Unlimited.
The “Year of the Bath Town Forest Project, 2024-25” formed a partnership between the Bath Conservation Commission (BCC) and the Bath Village School (BVS). It was intended to provide an opportunity for the students to learn about the natural resources in their own backyard by using the Bath Town Forest (BTF) as their study site. A cadre of volunteers, natural resource specialists, and professional educators provided free classroom presentations, environmental education activities, demonstrations, and field trips to the Forest and other areas to guide and direct these science and outdoor education efforts. The students were also able to witness an active logging operation that was being done on the BTF. From these experiences, the students learned about various career and volunteer opportunities from the people who donated their time for this project, while gaining from the professional and practical knowledge that these people had to offer. Hopefully what the students learned will guide their current and future stewardship activities and decisions.
Our kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd graders journeyed into the world of wildlife in the Bath Town Forest.
They learned about the animals that call the forest home, discovering what makes each species unique and how they live in their natural habitat. Whether learning about birds, mammals, or woodland creatures, students explored the forest ecosystem, fostering a sense of wonder and appreciation for the wildlife around them. This hands-on learning experience introduced our youngest learners to the beauty of nature right in their own backyard!
K - 2 Field Work
Finding a Salamander
Beaver Wetland Habitat
Field Trip to Bath Town Forest
Nature Journaling
Bluebird Nesting House
Examining Deer Browse
Examining Log Yard
Gathering Moss for Terrariums
Final Products
K-2 Shoebox Habitats
Beaver Habitat
All About Beavers
K-2 Studies Brook Trout
Our 3rd and 4th grade students embarked on an exciting exploration of New Hampshire wildlife habitats
In the Bath Town Forest, students chose a species to study in depth, learning about its habitat, behavior, and role in the ecosystem. Animals included the barred owl, beaver, deer, bobcat, moose, red and gray squirrels, hairy woodpecker, porcupine, raccoon, and turkey. Through hands-on learning and field observations, students deepened their understanding of local wildlife and the diverse habitats that make up our natural surroundings. It’s a fun and educational adventure into the world of New Hampshire's native species!
3rd and 4th Grade Field Work
Field Studies
Nature Journaling
Nature Journaling
Nature Journals
Supporting Investigations
Final Products
Hairy Woodpecker and Trout Investigations
3rd and 4th Grade Habitat Studies
3rd and 4th Grade Habitat Maps
Our 5th and 6th graders “dove” into an exciting hands-on study of New Hampshire wildlife through
the Trout in the Classroom program, with a special focus on the brook trout, a species of concern in our
state.
This year, students raised brook trout from eggs to fingerling stage while learning about their life cycle,
habitat, and the importance of conservation. Their fieldwork centered on Bedell Brook and its
watershed within the Bath Town Forest, where they explored local ecosystems and investigated the
health of this critical habitat. It provided a unique opportunity for our students to connect with nature
and contribute to preserving our state's and town’s natural resources by contributing data to the Bath
Natural Resources Inventory.
Click on the photo below to share their adventure!
Let’s explore the food and shelter choices of the species that the Bath Village School students studied in the Town Forest!
Shelter in the Forest
Food in the Forest
In the stream and riparian buffer
Bedell Brook is a very important headwater stream within the Town Forest. It provides essential spawning and cold water habitat for our state fish, the brook trout.
Wetlands
Beaver-managed wetlands on Bedell Brook, just to the south of the Bath Town Forest, near the cemetery.
Narrative and design created by Lisa Hjelm, Linda Michelsen and Judy Tumosa, with information
taken from the updated Bath Town Forest Management Plan prepared by Bruce Barnum and
from studies done by the BVS students
Photographs provided by Ginger Holton, Judy Tumosa
“Bath Town Forest and Bedell Brook Project” Story Map created by the 5th and 6th grade
students and teachers Karen Bellidoro and Kayla Heathe
For more information about the Bath Conservation Commission studies and projects:
http://www.bath-nh.org/committees--commissions.html
For more information about the Bath Village School: https://bvs.sau23.org/