New Hampshire Divisions and Units
Pondicherry Division
The Pondicherry Division, at 6,405 acres, is located in Jefferson, Whitefield, and Carroll, New Hampshire, 5 miles south of Lancaster, New Hampshire, and twelve miles northwest of Mount Washington.
This area, including Cherry and Little Cherry Ponds and the surrounding complex of wetlands and swamps, has long been known for its high quality habitat and rich, diverse assemblage of wildlife species, particularly birds. In 2004, the Pondicherry area was designated the first Important Bird Area in New Hampshire for its rich variety of breeding and migrating birds.
Within the bounds of the division are three ponds (Cherry Pond, Little Cherry Pond, and Mud Pond), and a complex mix of habitats including boreal forests, forested bogs, northern hardwoods/conifers, communities, an abundance of early successional vegetation, and open water. This concentration of diverse, high quality habitats acts as a magnet to wildlife.
There are five trails located within the Pondicherry Division. The Mud Pond Trail is a 0.6 mile wheelchair accessible trail. The Little Cherry Pond Trail, the Shore Path Trail, and the Rampart Path are located in the center of the division and are accessible from the Presidential Recreational Trail managed by the New Hampshire Bureau of Trails. This rail-trail can be accessed from trail heads on Airport Road and Route 115A in Jefferson.
Pondicherry has been recognized for its ecological importance through its designation as . Two of the trails (Little Cherry Pond Trail and Mud Pond Trail) are National Recreation Trails.
This division is open to the public for hunting, fishing, wildlife observation, photography, environmental education, and interpretation.
Birds
American black duck, American woodcock, Canada warbler, wood thrush, blackburnian warbler, gray jay, black-backed woodpecker, boreal chickadee, hermit thrush, alder flycatcher, palm warbler, broad-winged hawk, golden-crowned kinglet, wood duck, northern waterthrush, American redstart, mourning warbler, cedar waxwing, pine siskin, northern goshawk.
Mammals
Black bear, moose, white-tailed deer, beaver, northern bog lemming, snowshoe hare.
Fish
Eastern brook trout, chain pickerel, northern red-bellied dace.
Pondicherry Division Rack Card
Blueberry Swamp Division
The Blueberry Swamp Division lies in northwestern Coos County in the town of Columbia, New Hampshire, about 5 miles southeast of the town of Colebrook, New Hampshire. Currently, this division is 1,023 acres in size. Habitat is primarily mixed-wood forests and lowland spruce-fir. Blueberry Swamp is a large wetland in the northeast corner of the division consisting of shrub swamp, freshwater marsh and cedar swamp communities. Abandoned pastures and hayfields are also present.
This division is open to the public for hunting, fishing, wildlife observation, photography, environmental education, and interpretation.
Mammals
White-tailed deer, black bear, moose.
Birds
American black duck, Northern harrier, blackburnian warbler, black-throated blue warbler, black-throated green warbler, cedar waxwing, common snipe, American woodcock, bobolink.
Fish
Eastern brook trout, brown trout.
Blueberry Swamp Rack Card
Mascoma River Division
In February 2015 the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service acquired a 761-acre easement which established the Mascoma River Division. This easement gives us the authority to manage habitat and public use in this area. The Mascoma River Division contains large, intact forested area which has diversity in elevation and aspect and includes numerous small, scattered, forested wetlands. This corridor within the Appalachian Trail provides outstanding recreational opportunities. The Division is open from sun-up to sun-down, year round. It is open to the public for wildlife observation and photography, environmental education and interpretation, and hunting and fishing, according to State regulations.
