“World’s Worst Mom” or Inspiring Parent?

Lenore Skenazy Wants the Kids to Play Outside

Let the kids go, says Lenore Skenazy, author of "Free Range Kids:
How to Raise Safe, Self-Reliant Children Without Going Nuts
with Worry." Let them climb a mountain, scurry up rocks and take
risks, like Ian Aldrich here, who celebrates a successful
hike up Mount Skatutakee. Lenore Skenazy will be the keynote
speaker at the N.H. Children in Nature Coalition's annual conference,
Oct. 4 in Windham. Photo by Eric Aldrich.

There are plenty of reasons why kids are becoming less-connected with the outdoor world -- the Internet, video games, TV, sports and all sorts of other competing activities.

Another reason is fear. Some parents are afraid their kids might get hurt, lost, kidnapped or worse. The outdoors is full of awful things: poison ivy, bugs, snakes, big scary woods and all kinds of creepy people.

But such fears are silly, according to Lenore Skenazy. “We’re swimming in fear soup,” Skenazy says. “Fear of lawsuits, fear of injury, fear of abductions, fear of blame.”

Skenazy says let kids be kids. Let them climb trees, jump in puddles and catch frogs. Let them do all the things we did as kids. Take risks. Fail sometimes. Succeed. Build confidence and grow.

Skenazy is author of “Free Range Kids: How to RaiseSelf-Reliant Children Without Going Nuts with Worry.”

Her book and its message have become a rallying cry, a movement for “free range kids,” kids whose parents let them play outside, build forts, explore the world and become self-reliant. It’s a backlash against over-protective helicopter parents who watch over their kids’ every move, sometimes smothering them under a blanket of protection.

While Skenazy’s message is about basic parenting, it’s also a strong refrain in the children-in-nature movement prompted by Richard Louv’s 2005 book “Last Child in the Woods.” Moving kids away from “nature deficit disorder,” Louv argues, will require not only generous exposure to nature, but giving children the freedom to explore, play on their own and take risks.

Taking risks was exactly what Skenazy had in mind when the New York City mother allowed her 9-year-old son to ride the subway by himself. The boy had asked his parents to take him somewhere and let him find his way home solo.

The Skenazy family had been riding the NYC subway system for years, so it wasn’t exactly unfamiliar territory for the boy. At Bloomingdale’s one day, Skenazy gave her son a subway map, a MetroCard, a bunch of quarters for a phone call, $20 for emergencies and a few questions and words of advice. Forty-five minutes later, the boy arrived safely home, ecstatic and proud from his adventure.

Skenazy, a former reporter, wrote a column about her boy’s adventure. Two days later she was making appearances on the Today Show, NPR, MSNBC and Fox News. One person who was upset with Skenazy’s risky, free-range style described her as “America’s worst mom.” Skenazy found herself defending her parenting and the notion that kids need to take risks, including exploring the great outdoors.

What resulted for Skenazy was her “Free Range Kids” book, a popular blog by the same name and a reality TV show that Skenazy hosts: “World’s Worst Mom.” The reality show produced by Cineflix is kind of like Supernanny, featuring over-protective parents and Skenazy offering advice and real-life challenges about giving children independence while also staying safe.

One of her key points is that it’s okay for kids to fail.

“If they don’t fail sometimes, they won’t learn that they can get back up and go on with their lives,” Skenazy writes. “For instance, we don’t want our kids to fall off a bike. Who does? But we do want them to learn how to ride. So we have two choices: We can hold onto their handlebars forever. That way they’ll never, ever fall. Or we can wish them luck and then — let go.”

Eventually, they’re going to fall. And when they do, they need to get back up and try again. Ultimately they’ll succeed and be all the better for it.

The media’s barrage of horrible crimes against children has given parents a false sense of alarm, according to Skenazy. Statistics from the Department of Justice show that crime rates have actually fallen since a peak around 1990 to 1970s levels. So — unbelievable as it seems — if you were playing outside as a kid in the ’70s or ’80s, your kids are actually SAFER outside than you were!” Skenazy says.

Skenazy calls herself a “safety geek” and is constantly making sure her children wear seat belts and bike helmets. But there is a point where concern for safety can become over-protective. The point of Skenazy’s message is to push that line toward independence and self-confidence.

• Lenore Skenazy will be the keynote speaker at the N.H. Children in Nature Coalition annual conference on October 4, at the Castleton Conference Center in Windham.
  For more information about the conference and Skenazy’s talk, visit nhchildreninnature.org.

Eric Aldrich writes from his home in Hancock.

Our Own Mystery Mammal: The Eastern Coyote

An Eastern coyote in mid-February.

How well do you know Canis latrans var.?

As we paddled around a corner in the marsh, motion caught my eye some 70 yards away, where the forest narrowed and the North Branch River turned into a rocky stream.

At first, I thought the blur was a bobcat. Then, as it hopped across the rocks to cross the stream, I saw it was a coyote, with a nice, long, bushy tail. It didn’t see us -- a small group of kayakers -- as it crossed and loped slowly into the woods.

Then another crossed the stream -- a pup, much to my delight -- playing in the water as it went. I held my hand up to the other kayakers behind me, put my finger to my lips so they’d be quiet, and pointed to the scene. Another pup crossed. Followed by yet another, all seeming to enjoy themselves as much as we enjoyed seeing them.

Finally, another adult crossed, all business-like, and off they went, into the woods. They never even saw us.

You don’t see coyotes too often, even if you spend a lot of time outside. Rarer still to see a whole family of coyotes, in their own setting. They’re kind of a mystery mammal.

With that in mind, here’s a quiz about coyotes:

1. New Hampshire’s Eastern coyote populations were wiped out in the early 1800s; they returned in the early 1900s when the forests grew back.
True or false?

2. Why do Eastern coyotes howl?
a) To excite other coyotes about a hunt.
b) Because it’s mating season.
c) To tell competing coyotes to stay away.
d) To draw their pack together.

3. Eastern coyotes typically eat:
a) House cats, small dogs and other pets.
b) Squirrels, mice, voles, frogs, apples, berries, fawns, adult deer, snowshoe hare and other seasonally available foods.
c) Fruit and vegetables.
d) Fish and rabbits.

4. An Eastern coyote typically weighs:
a) About as much as a Western coyote.
b) 30 to 50 pounds.
c) 80 to 100 pounds.
d) Much less than a Western coyote.

5) The Eastern coyote is more accurately described as a “coydog,” because of its hybridization with dogs. True or false?

6. The term “coywolf” is a more accurate description of Eastern coyotes. True or false?

7. Because of their impact on deer populations, the best way to manage Eastern coyote populations is to encourage high annual harvests. True or false?

8. If you encounter a coyote, the best thing to do is:
a) Run away.
b) Savor the sight calmly and safely from a distance, standing your ground, but not making a big reaction.
c) Yell and throw objects at the coyote.
d) Curl up in a fetal position and hope that it goes away.

Answers:
1. False. According to prevailing scientific thought, New Hampshire’s first confirmed coyote was in 1944 in Grafton County. The spread of Eastern coyotes across the state really took off in the 1970s, north to south.

2. D. Biologists have observed that Eastern coyotes howl to locate each other and regroup their pack, especially in the fall and winter when the pups are old enough to start hunting on their own.

3. B. Coyotes are omnivores that thrive on opportunities offered by the season, whether it’s berries, rodents, ground-nesting birds or even garbage and carcasses. They will occasionally take pets, but that’s not a big part of their diet.

4. B, about 30 to 50 pounds. By comparison, the smaller Western coyote typically weighs 25 to 30 pounds.

5. False. While coyotes and dogs have been known to breed, there’s generally low viability of their litters. For one thing, the female coyote needs the male’s help in providing food. Studies have found little evidence of domestic dog genes in the mix of Eastern coyotes.

6. True. Genetic studies have shown that our Eastern coyotes are the result of hybridization between Western coyotes and Eastern wolves.

7. False. While the science, sociology and politics of managing coyotes is complex, research and experience have shown that Eastern coyotes can respond to hunting pressure by having larger litters or freeing up young females to breed. The end result can be more coyotes. This is a testament to the coyote’s remarkable ability to adapt to changing conditions.

8. B. If you encounter a coyote, the best thing to do is savor the sight. Relax and enjoy. Coyotes don’t want to mess with people and attacks are extremely rare. So watch and enjoy them. Running away can trigger a chase response in a coyote, and throwing things could upset them.
Eric Aldrich writes from his home in Hancock.

Canoe-Camping: The River Awaits

Enjoying a shady lunch on the river.

A few cool things about paddle-camping.

After years of dreaming about canoeing a long stretch of the Connecticut River and camping along its banks, I finally did it.

As my son and I paddled, we found ourselves comparing our trip to adventures of earlier summers, like car-camping and backpacking. We resolved that canoe-camping is a pretty cool way to get around and see the great outdoors.

With that backdrop, here are a few things to keep in mind about canoe-camping.

Every river has its own personality
We chose to paddle-camp on the Connecticut River, the stretch between Bellows Falls and Vernon, Vt. There are a plenty of good campsite choices, all outlined in the handy Connecticut River Boating Guide, published by the Connecticut River Watershed Council. The stretch has plenty of mid-summer water, and some parts are accessible by canoes or kayaks only, which was fine by us.

We could have chosen other rivers. There’s the close-to-home Contoocook River, with its calm waters and beautiful places. But it doesn’t have the big water character and camping options of the Connecticut.

There’s the sandy Saco River in New Hampshire and Maine, with loads of camping options and outfitters who can help pick you up or drop you off. The Saco’s reputation as a party river is starting to wane, but sometimes it can still seem like a riparian version of Spring Break.

There’s the mighty Merrimack River, the wild Allagash in Maine, the rugged Deerfield in Massachusetts. The list goes on, and each river has plenty to offer.

You can bring lots of stuff
Unlike backpacking, where every ounce weighs on your shoulders, you can haul a few extras in the canoe. You can bring camping chairs, a lightweight table, tarps and extra rain gear or all kinds of things to make your trip more fun and comfortable. You can even bring a cooler, full of all kinds of great food and beverages.

But all that stuff has its limits, too. More weight means harder paddling and can complicate packing and portaging. Test-packing will help you decide whether you need it or leave it. 

Keep your gear dry
No matter how careful you are, there’s always a chance you’ll dump your canoe. If it happens, just hope that no one is watching and take a few simple precautions to keep your stuff safe and dry.

You can use dry bags, like the many kinds offered at EMS and other sporting goods stores. They come in sizes small enough for maps or snacks or big enough to fit your sleeping bags, tent and plenty more. You can also get dry boxes and pouches for cameras or cell phones. A cheaper option for storing gear are 5-gallon pails or plastic storage boxes, both with tight lids, of course.

If you’re really paranoid about losing your stuff, you can clip your dry containers into a rope. 

Water, water to drink
Like backpacking, you want to stay hydrated, especially when you’re paddling in the hot sun. Pack a full, collapsible 5-gallon water container and keep it handy. You’ll need it. If you can’t refill it along your journey, bring a water purifier or tablets.

You can refresh your provisions!
As we paddled our stretch of the Connecticut in the boiling heat, one of the nicest sights was the Chesterfield-Brattleboro bridge. On the other side is an easy pull-out and a store with ice cream, ice and beer. Just a short paddle downstream, we could have stopped for a meal at the Marina in Brattleboro.

If you’re paddling the Allagash, you won’t have options like that. But when you pick a river, stores and pit stops like that are good options to keep in mind.

It’s fun for kids
Not every child will enjoy canoe-camping, but some will love it. They don’t have to paddle all the time; sometimes they can sit back and enjoy the ride.

Depending where you go, the paddling can offer lots of cool things to see around every bend. To break up the tedium of long, straight stretches, take breaks, go swimming or use that rod and reel.

The river can move you
Our stretch of the Connecticut River had a little current to move us along, but most of it was flat. If you want the river to do some of the work, you really have to do your homework and find stretches with current that’s strong enough to keep you moving, but not so strong to turn your placid camping trip into a crazy whitewater nightmare.

Remember that dams and their release schedules can have a big influence on flow. A nightly release at Bellows Falls, for instance, raised the river a few inches and significantly increased the flow.

By the way, remember that a dam’s release schedule can impact your choice of campsite. Camp too close to the river and you may find the river lapping against your tent at night!

It may be mid-summer, but the year’s best times for canoe-camping are still ahead. The bugs will soon be gone, the air will get better and the river awaits.

Eric Aldrich writes from his home in Hancock.

New Field Guide Helps You Discover New Hampshire’s Natural Wonders

What are You Waiting for?
Go Out and Discover These Places.

When you’re looking to get out and enjoy the outdoors this summer, a new book by The Nature Conservancy can guide you to some new and cool destinations.

Discover and Explore New Hampshire’s Natural Wonders is a handy field guide to the Conservancy’s preserves and project areas throughout the state.

In the interest of full disclosure, I work for The Nature Conservancy and took some of the photos that appear in the book. It was an awesome pleasure and privilege to visit and photograph the dozens of places we’ve worked hard to protect, from Fourth Connecticut Lake in Pittsburg to Great Bay to Nubanusit Lake here in Hancock.

This book, which celebrates the Conservancy’s 50 years of conservation in New Hampshire, is a great way to share these places with you. Having been to many of these cool sites, I can say with confidence, you really should check some of them out. You’ll be glad you did.

When The Nature Conservancy completed its first project in New Hampshire in 1961, it was still a young organization, only 10 years since its founding. That project was in Hancock and Nelson, protecting the 400-acre “island” on Nubanusit Lake.

Since then, the Conservancy has helped protect more than 280,000 acres of ecologically significant habitat in New Hampshire, including 650 miles of river and stream frontage. Of that, the Conservancy owns or manages some 25,000 acres across the state, nearly all open to the public for hiking, fishing, boating and other recreational activities.

Evolving Strategies

While always guided by the best available science, The Nature Conservancy -- like all organizations -- has evolved over time, and its projects and strategies have reflected those changes.

Some of the Conservancy’s early projects focused on protecting rare species and natural communities in New Hampshire, like places that harbor the federally endangered small whorled pogonia in and around the Lakes Region. Another example is along the Connecticut River, where the Conservancy has worked with other organizations to protect and monitor small areas with rare plants, including one species that grows no place else on earth.

Over time, the Conservancy has learned that, for natural systems to maintain their ecological value into the future, it must conserve lands and waters at a larger scale, conserving whole and interconnected systems that will be resilient to climate change and other human impacts.. That has involved use of conservation easements on private lands, supporting sound management of protected lands, using innovative finance methods and supporting smart public policy.

Along the Connecticut River, for example, the Conservancy years ago focused on protecting a small and unusual habitat that supported globally rare plants. Now, we leverage our science and partnerships to conserve and restore thousands of floodplain forests or restore natural flow regimes to the river’s mainstem and tributaries. The result will be natural areas that are not only protected and resilient to change, but human communities that are safer and more economically viable.

Discover and Explore

Whether through land protection or other strategies, the Conservancy’s commitment to conserving lands and waters is the heart of its work, and its 50-year legacy in New Hampshire is a lasting testament -- offering places you can discover and explore.

The new handsomely designed field guide shows you where these places are, how to enjoy them and describes why we protected them.

A few local places include:

• Loverens Mill Cedar Swamp in Antrim, where a nice trail system features a rare Atlantic white cedar swamp.
• Louis Cabot Preserve in Hancock and Nelson, now owned by Keene State College, where you can paddle across crystal-clear Nubanusit Lake and enjoy a beautiful, evolving forest.
• Sheldrick Forest Preserve in Wilton, where you can see towering old white pines and geological remnants from the Ice Age.
• Wales Preserve in Sharon, where you can have a picnic along the Gridley River.
• Joanne Bass Bross Preserve in Temple, where you can hike along the Wapack Trail and see great views of Mount Monadnock, North Pack and Pack Monadnock.

Use the book to check out some more distant places, too, like Fourth Connecticut Lake in Pittsburg. This is one of my favorite Nature Conservancy preserves. As you hike the trail to this little pond, your right foot is in Canada and your left foot in the states. If you quietly approach the pond, you might see a moose.

Explore the Ossipee PineBarrens, where you can see a rare fire-dependant ecosystem. Over the past decade, we’ve carefully restored fire here with annual prescribed burns that encourage the mix of pitch pine and scrub oak in different stages of growth that attract rare moths, Eastern towhees and other bird species.

Go check out Great Bay, where we’ve protected lands and worked with partners to establish a trail system between Durham and the bay. You can see osprey, a cool salt marsh and the estuary where we continue working to restore oysters and improve water quality.

Finally, the new book honors some key people who’ve helped make these conservation successes possible. It profiles a few local players, like Swift Corwin, who played a key role in protecting Sheldrick Forest, and Richard Bennink, whose vision helped protect Nubanusit’s island. These and many others are the folks who work behind the scenes, making it possible to protect great places for ours and future generations.

What are you waiting for? Get out and Discover and Explore New Hampshire’s Natural Wonders?

Eric Aldrich writes from his home in Hancock.

Don’t Let the Bugs Win!

What works and what doesn’t in the war against bugs?

Come May and June, it only takes a few minutes outside until you’re swatting those pesky bugs.

And along with this year’s early bug season comes the perennial discussion: What works against them? What doesn’t?

Well, I’m far from an expert on this, but I do occasionally use myself as an insect test lab and I check with folks to see what’s hot and what’s not.

Dr. Alan T. Eaton, the entomology specialist for the UNH Cooperative Extension, has put a lot of thought into products that attempt to offer relief from pesky insects.

While many describe themselves as insect repellents, that’s not exactly what they do, according to Eaton. They actually block receptors that mosquitoes, black flies and others use to find hosts for them to bite. By blocking the receptors, the products stop the insects from biting.

Some products, as you might imagine, are more effective than others. Eaton recommends that you check the active ingredient and always follow the label directions. 

Hair Shirts, Bear Grease and Bug Suits 

Before we get into the chemicals, how about the no-spray alternatives?

How about using nothing? No protection at all. Just go out there like a hair shirt and show the mosquitoes who’s boss.

I’ve hiked with folks who try this. Some just put up with the bugs and don’t complain at all. They wonder what the fuss is all about. I do wonder, however, whether they reach their vehicle at the end of a long, buggy hike, jump inside and in the privacy and comfort of their cars, let the profanities fly.

 hiked with a fellow from India a few years ago who’s only protection in one of the buggiest places in New Hampshire (Effingham) was a small fan, the size of a ping pong paddle. Seemed to work, but he was constantly swatting.

And I’ve often heard that Native Americans successfully used bear grease to keep away the bugs. While I wouldn’t ask for it at the drug store, I suppose you could get some bear grease if you tried hard enough. Then, if you did, what would you do? Rub it all over yourself? I suspect it would keep away more than the bugs.

Bug suits and hats are an attractive alternative, much less messy than bear grease. You can buy a top just for your head. You can get a shirt and top combo. Or you can get the whole suit -- pants and all -- and walk around like an astronaut.

They do work. I’ve used them in the woods and in the garden. But you can feel a little claustrophobic in there, sweating and squinting while the mass of flies hover around your head. 

DEET 

The champion of the chemical line-up seems to be DEET, the short name for N, N-diethyl-meta-toluamide. The stuff is as scary as its name, but it does seem to work against mosquitoes, black flies, midges and even ticks. It doesn’t work against deer flies and horseheads; nothing really fights them, according to Eaton.

Products with higher concentrations of DEET generally last longer and are more effective than those with low concentrations, Eaton says. But it shouldn’t be used in concentrations over 30 percent. And it should never be used on infants under 2 months old. And don’t get it in your mouth, nose or eyes.

The other problem with DEET is that it dissolves plastics, which invites all sorts of questions about its effect on your skin. 

Picaradin 

Products with picaradin are becoming more common, and like those with DEET, can come in pump sprays, aeresols and wipes.

On the plus side, picaradin doesn’t dissolve plastics, like cameras and such.

On the down side, picaradin seems to have a short span of effectiveness. I find I need to re-apply it every hour or so, unlike DEET. 

Cironella 

Derived from grasses native to tropical Asia, citronella is often used in candles and torches.

While I don’t recommend hiking with torches, they can be pretty cool near the campfire. 

Oil of Lemmon Eucalyptus 

According to Eaton, research has shown that natural products like this are less effective on mosquitoes than products with DEET or picaradin.

In my own decidedly unscientific tests with lemmon, eucalyptus oils and other naturals, I’ve returned from the woods, bitten and cranky. I wish they worked better than they do.

Some folks swear by the naturals. And that’s fine. I say, if it works by you, use it! 

Permethrin 

This isn’t a standard repellent. It’s really used as a treatment for clothing to ward off mosquitoes and other biting insects. I’ve found it works best against ticks, and it really does work.

It comes in aeresols, pump sprays and solutions. You generally treat the clothes according to instructions, let them dry and they’re good to go.

I’ve found the best bet for permethrin is to treat gaiters, boots and below-the-knees parts of a grungy pair of pants. That’s my anti-tick outfit. And it stays in the basement or on the porch.

Whatever ammo you choose against bugs, even if it’s bear grease, follow the label’s instructions and be flexible. If it doesn’t work, try something else.

Just don’t let the bugs win! 

Eric Aldrich writes from his home in Hancock.

Downtown to the Mountain on the Cranberry Meadow Pond Trail

Cheney Ave. meadow, Pack Monadnock in the distance.

Picture this for your next hike: You start in downtown Peterborough, fueling up with breakfast at Nonies, Aesop’s Tables or the Peterborough Diner.

Under a brilliant blue sky, you cross the Contoocook River and head up Pine Street and Cheney Avenue. Then you’re on the Cranberry Meadow Pond Trail, passing through a tranquil meadow, with Pack Monadnock, your destination in full view.

In 3 miles you’re on the Raymond Trail at Miller State Park. Go another 1.6 miles and you’re enjoying the view atop Pack.

“I love how much people are hiking the trail,” said Swift Corwin, the Peterborough forester who helped create the trail. “For many, it has been part of their daily routine.”

The idea of a town-to-mountain trail came to Corwin in pieces a few years ago. Landowner Cy Gregg had asked for Corwin’s help to build a streamside trail east of Old Street Road. At the time, Corwin didn’t think that it would be possible to connect downtown with the mountain because of sizable wetlands between the two. The idea sat on the back burner.

The Italian Connection

It took a trip to Italy to give Corwin the big picture.

“One day, we had this fabulous hike from the village of Schio up to the top of Mont Novegno,” he said. “It was Christmas and there were lots of people making this walk.  I just loved that you could go from town to the mountaintop.”

When he returned, Corwin learned that the people who had bought land around Cranberry Meadow Pond had protected the property with a conservation easement held by the Monadnock Conservancy and wanted to make their land available to hikers.

A look at the map convinced Corwin that a town-to-mountain trail would be possible.

“Thanks to the generosity and cooperation of the other landowners along the way, the path and the possibility unfolded,” he said.

This was in 2008, when the economy started to sour. The idea of a cool, low-cost, local hike actually gave the project a boost.

Blazing a Trail

Corwin and staff of the Monadnock Conservancy got to work. They scouted routes, cut brush, built bridges and eventually marked the trail with blue diamond blazes.

By building a boardwalk, the wetlands that once seemed like such a barrier became a nice feature of the trail.

Many volunteers have pitched in. More than a dozen seniors from Conval Regional High School recently worked on the trail, marking switchbacks, repairing and installing bridges and stepping stones, building a small boardwalk and installing benches by the pond. That session was leveraged by Eastern Mountain Sports, which agreed to fund the seniors’ class trip if they completed a day of community service.

“I think what I really like about the trail is the variety of landscapes it passes through,” said Emily Hague, the Monadnock Conservancy’s stewardship manager. “It really gives you a sampling, crossing a field, a wetland, a streamside hemlock grove, a pondside, a working forest, to the base of Pack.”

Access to Land

Hague credits the landowners who’ve generously agreed to host the trail. One landowner who completed a recent timber harvest also agreed to leave a buffer along the trail, demonstrating that well-managed woodlands and recreational hiking can be compatible.

Hague is also delighted that so many people are enjoying the trail. “Travelers from all over the country and the world write in our log book, and people walk the trail every day. It feels great to be able to provide this resource and to give people access to land that will always remain the way it is.”

Corwin knows that many hikers stop at the pond, enjoy the view, then turn back toward town. But continuing on towards pack, Corwin said, is worth the trip.

“The experience of being in town in the morning, walking through the village up Pine Street, across Cheney Avenue field, then across the boardwalk and into the deeper woods and on to the mountaintop and back is something that you won't forget.”

Eric Aldrich writes from his home in Hancock.