Birch Ridge has thirteen miles of trails that offer access for hikers, cross-country skiers, and birders with views of the Merrymeeting Lake and Mount Washington. Birch Ridge includes Corridor 22, the main east-west snowmobile corridor south of Lake Winnipesaukee that connects Maine to central New Hampshire.

For more than a decade, critical recreation land and wildlife habitat in New Durham has slipped through the fingers of many neighbors and local outdoor enthusiasts who wished to protect the land from development. Now, through partnership efforts of the Southeast Land Trust of New Hampshire (SELT), the Merrymeeting Lake Association (MMLA), and Moose Mountains Regional Greenways (MMRG), these 2,000 acres are conserved forever as Birch Ridge Community Forest.

As a community forest, Birch Ridge promotes conservation, community, and economic development through SELT’s ownership and management of land for the benefit of the community. The conservation easement is held by Moose Mountains Regional Greenways with the Town of New Durham and the New Hampshire  Department of Environmental Services holding a right of enforcement.

Once proposed for a 220-unit subdivision, Birch Ridge was a priority for the community to protect for more than a decade. Past efforts fell short of acquiring and conserving this land. The previous owners aggressively cut most marketable timber from the property, which was closely monitored by the New Hampshire Division of Forests and Lands to ensure it met state regulations. Visits to the property after the cut shows strong regeneration of oak, which is a good sign of recovery.

The AllTrails website has a description and map of a hike at Birch Ridge Community Forest.