(Left to right) Sturtevant Hobbs, Christina Hobbs, David DeKing, Chris Mattrick, Libby Eustis and Bill Brumback, exchanging the deed for
the Hobbs Fern Sanctuary.

Hobbs Fern Sanctuary

Protecting land for ferns and ferns alone may seem an odd idea to some people, but this is the nature of the New England Wild Flower Society’s eighth and most recent sanctuary acquisition. The Hobbs Fern Sanctuary in Lyman, New Hampshire, given to the Society by Christina and Sturtevant Hobbs in 2002, contains 248 acres of spruce/fir forest, northern hardwood forest, a bog and associated wetlands, and a very unique calcareous ledge community. The calcareous ledge contains a great diversity of species that, if not rare, are very uncommon in New Hampshire.

The Sanctuary Committee first visited the site in the summer of 2000, and although the entire property is quite spectacular, it was the abundance and diversity of ferns that impressed us most. Following the committee’s visit, fern specialists Ray Abair and Don Lubin were asked to visit the site and identify as many of the fern and fern-allies as possible. What resulted was a list of 33 species including a rare species, Goldie’s wood fern (Dryopteris goldiana). Other ferns of note located on the property are silvery glade fern (Deparia acrostichoides), bulblet bladder fern (Cystopteris bulbifera), and mountain wood fern (Dryopteris campyloptera).

The sanctuary is not yet open to the public, but once boundaries are marked, trails are created, and a parking lot can be cleared, the property will be open to limited use. Stay tuned for more information on our newest sanctuary.