Species

Noted Rare, Threatened or Endangered Species in Weare 

Below is a list of species that have been located and recorded in Weare. If you see any of these species, please contact us at conservation@weare.nh.gov. In addition, if you have the ability to take a photo and notate the GPS location, that information would be extremely beneficial and you would be aiding in the protection and/or re-establishment of these species.


 

Small Whorled Pogonia (Isotria medeoloides)
From DRED: "Small whorled pogonia grows in a variety of forest habitats, but usually in second-growth mixed hardwoods. The plants are commonly found on terraces or at the base of slopes, and in areas where hard pan soils cause considerable runoff during heavy rains (visible due to piles of leaves disturbed by the water). We believe that some populations in NH are getting shaded out as forests mature, and that this orchid can benefit from selective timber harvests that thin out the canopy. There have been a number of long-term studies of small whorled pogonia but much of its life history is still a mystery. Individually marked plants have lived for up to 20 years, but most survive only 1-3 years. Plants can also go dormant, staying underground for a year or more before re-emerging. The greatest mystery is how and where new populations become established. The “dust seeds” of this orchid are extremely small, which means they could be widely dispersed but also that they have no resources to start growing without the help of a fungal symbiote. We don’t know exactly what fungi are needed by small whorled pogonia, or how long an orchid seed takes to sprout and emerge above-ground after being deposited in the ground. The scientific name of the orchid is based on its strong similarity to a very common herb of forest floors: Indian cucumber root (Medeola virginica)."  * Plant Photo by Ben Kimball for the NH Natural Heritage Bureau. 



 

Wood Turtle (Glyptemys insculpta)
NH Conservation Status: Species of Special Concern, Wildlife Action Plan: Species in Greatest Need of Conservation. Legally protected in New Hampshire: possession, sale, import, and take (harm, harass, injuring, killing) is illegal. Read more at NH Fish & Game. The Wood Turtle is also documented as a rare species in the Weare Natural Resource Inventory report.



 

Blanding's Turtle (Emydoidea blandingii)
NH Conservation Status: Species of Special Concern, Wildlife Action Plan Species in Greatest Need of Conservation. Legally protected in New Hampshire: possession, sale, import, and take (harm, harass, injuring, killing) is illegal. Read more at NH Fish & Game. The Blanding's Turtle is also documented as an endangered species in the Weare Natural Resource Inventory report.



 

American Cancerroot (Conopholis americana)
Conopholis americana (L.) Wallr. f. Squaw-root (American Cancer-root)
Orobanchaceae — Broomrape family
"A parasitic plant with yellowish to cream-colored flowers emerging amonglanceolate or ovate, pointed, yellow-tan scales on upper part of a fleshy stalk. This plant resembles a pinecone as it becomes dry and brown with age. A parasite, it gets its nourishment from the roots of oaks, its host trees..." source wildflower.org.   More info at the USDA web site. American Cancerroot is also documented as a threatened species in the Weare Natural Resource Inventory report.



 

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)
The heron is listed on the Fish & Game web site, not as a threatened or endangered species, but simply as a species that breeds in NH. The Great Blue Heron is also documented as a rare species in the Weare Natural Resource Inventory report.



 

Northern Black Racer (Coluber constrictor)
NH Conservation Status: Species of Special Concern; Wildlife Action Plan Species in Greatest Need of Conservation (Click here to download the Reptiles and Amphibians section of the NH Wildlife Action Plan. Black racer is on page 3.) More info at NH Fish & Game >>.   The Northern Black Racer is also documented as a threatened species in the Weare Natural Resource Inventory report.