The Sustainability Project’s Emerson Brook Forest Center is located in Gilsum, at 57 Emerson Brook Drive, off of Route 10, just before the Marlow town marker. We’re one-half mile up Emerson Brook Drive on the right.
Emerson Brook Forest Outdoor Center Visitor’s Guide
Dear Visitors,
Welcome home! Enjoy the peace and healing of this space. During your visit here, please keep in mind that this is a wildlife sanctuary, and that, as stewards of this beloved forest, we want to ensure the safety and sustainability of resident wildlife and the land itself. You can help by observing the following guidelines:
Social Distancing ~ Out of concern for Covid-19, please maintain a space of at least 6’ between yourself and others.
Parking ~ Please use the parking spaces on the right before or on the left beyond the center’s entrance. One space is available for wheelchair accessibility at the entrance near the picnic table.
Trails ~ Trails are for pedestrians, wheelchairs and non-motorized travel only. No motor bikes, snowmobiles, or ATVs please. Trails are in varying degrees of accessibility. Go as far into the forest as you feel comfortable.
Children ~ Children under the age of 16 must be supervised by an adult.
Trash ~ Please carry out what you carry in.
Drinking Water ~ The center does not have an on site source of drinking water. Please come with your own supply.
Pets ~ For the protection of the resident wildlife, animal guests must be under their owner’s control at all times. The Emerson Brook Forest is not the place to “run” dogs.
Please clean up after your pet.
Substances ~ Help us keep the center a tobacco, alcohol and drug free space.
Air Quality ~ We encourage people to be mindful that strong scented personal care products may cause adverse reactions in others.
Bugs ~ They belong here! We recommend the use of protective clothing and non-aerosol non-toxic bug repellent. Please check for ticks after visiting.
Fires ~ Depending on hazard status, fires are permissible only with staff on hand at center or at nearby Piedmont Fleischmann home.
The Edible Forest Garden ~ You are welcome to sample fresh fruits from labeled plants as they ripen.
Plants and Wildlife ~ Please help protect the ecosystem by staying on established trails and refraining from gathering plants. Capture the beauty with photographs, not specimens.
More about the Wildlife ~ Please don’t feed or leave food for the forest creatures. Close interactions may be dangerous to both the wildlife and humans. Animals in the wild, with the exception of birds, will usually avoid humans if possible. It’s important to be mindful that what often appears as fierceness in an animal is really an expression of fear. A relaxed, non-threatening posture and an appreciating heart is a good way to experience a chance meeting with a member of the wildlife community. To our knowledge, the snake population is benign and beneficial.
Inclusion ~ The Sustainability Project’s Emerson Brook Forest Center and programs are designed to be inclusive. This means that we do whatever we can to accommodate the needs of anyone who would like to join us. If you have a specific need, please let us know what we can do to make you feel safe and comfortable at our center.
Let us know if you would like to get more involved in The Sustainability Project. Consider volunteering at the center or for our signature community projects.