Property Description
The Chambers Memorial Reserve comprises 19 acres with 0.5 miles of trail.
History
In 1973, the Chambers Memorial Reserve was donated to the Connecticut River Watershed Council by Susan Chambers in memory of her husband William N. Chambers, MD, a respected physician, and naturalist. In 1997, the Connecticut River Watershed Council transferred ownership to the City of Lebanon and transferred the existing conservation easement to the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests.
Features
Chambers Park features a variety of geomorphic features of glacial origin. The wooded ridge along the Connecticut River is an esker, formed as a stream bed of sand and gravel at the bottom of the glacial ice sheet that covered this area, approximately 12-15 thousand years ago. The small pond near the entrance to the park is a glacial “kettle hole pond” (common throughout New England), created when a block of ice surrounded by sands and gravel melted away, leaving a depression that filled with water.
The varied habitats support a wide variety of plants and animal species. The property is home to chipmunks, foxes, frogs, waterfowl, and songbirds. White pine, hemlock, and red oak dominate the forest, while dogwoods are found in the moist soils around the pond. The meadow and woods are home to numerous wildflowers including fringed polygala, white and purple violets, wild strawberries, hawkweed, pinks, yellow rattle, and pink lady slippers. Deer and bear activity is abundant on this property.
Access
Along Faraway Lane is a kiosk located at the trailhead to the property, which then passes by both a kettle pond and a granite bench honoring the Chambers Family, proceeding to a ½ acre open wildflower meadow. From the meadow, there are 2-3 trails that descend through the forest down to the edge of the Connecticut River.
Management Plan
View the Chambers Memorial Reserve Management Plan (PDF).
