Advertisement Check out carnivorous plants at a New London bog Walk the boards above floating bog of arctic plants that live off bugs Share Shares Copy Link Copy

Elliott and Audrey Clendenning of Concord have explored many beautiful places in New Hampshire with their parents, but none are quite like the Philbrick-Cricenti Bog in New London.On a recent outing, the 8- and 6-year-olds got to see carnivorous plants, which "close their mouths" Elliott said, around bugs, or otherwise ensnare them. The plants use the nutrients from the dead insects to live in a very nutrient-starved environment:a quaking bog.The trail network here totals about a mile and takes around an hour to complete at a leisurely pace, while walking completely on boards above the plants and moss.For a little state, New Hampshire is very biodiverse.From arctic tundra natural plant communities of the Northern Presidentials to the estuary at Great Bay, New Hampshire has over 200 natural communities which range in size from a table top to hundreds of acres.According to Ben Kimball, author of the 2011 book "The Nature of New Hampshire: Natural Communities of the Granite State," New Hampshire has close to 200 natural communities broken down into eight major categories. It includes Peatlands and the Philbrick-Cricenti Bog in New London is an excellent example of a Peatlands kettle hole bog.Over 18,000 years ago it was a pond but over time, moss from the edges grew in over the water.Animals have become stuck in the bog and have died over the years, and are still decomposing under the mossy wet surface.Round-leaf sundews and pitcher plants can be found here at this time of year, along with various sedges and arctic plants which have turned all sorts of beautiful colors.Town of New London owns and maintains the bog, which is just off Newport Road before the Post Office, on the same side of the road.Don't expect to find a big sign. There is a nondescript pull in area to park a few cars and nothing but a worn sign as you enter the path.The trail begins as a tunnel through a red maple forest. It is flat and some of the boards are broken and it is not good for dogs.But it leads to an amazing natural community, which is unlike any other place in the state.It is the perfect place to bring the kids to learn about biodiversity.Audrey said she loved the "cotton ball flowers" which dotted the open bog, while Elliott said he was surprised at the lack of trees and the openness of the bog.According to the state Division of Forests and Land, "Four peatland natural community types can be seen here: leatherleaf - sheep laurel shrub bog, Sphagnum rubellum - small cranberry moss carpet, liverwort - horned bladderwort fen, and large cranberry - short sedge moss lawn."The colors of the red and green of the pitcher plant were gorgeous and made me think of foliage still to come.Inside their cups there was water, despite the dry weather. In some cases you could see dead bugs inside. The insects are attracted to the nectar inside and become entrapped and as they decompose, the plant derives its nutrition from the remains.Stay on the boards to avoid damaging the arctic tundra plants.Another interesting carnivorous plant found out here is the round-leaf sundew.This plant, which also survives in nutrient-depleted soils or bogs, has tentacles with tips of sticky nectar. Bugs get stuck in it and they use the nutrients to survive over long periods of time.The Philbrick-Cricenti bog is surrounded by wetland and forested upland natural communities.May and June are considered very good months to see the flowering plants in bloom but they remain in bloom now and are beautiful to see and photograph.Directions:1.) From exit 12 on I-89, take Newport Rd (old Rte. 11) east towards New London for 1 mile. Park at the small turnout on the right (south) side of the road. Look for the trail sign partly hidden in the trees. There is currently parking here for several vehicles.2.) From the center of New London, take Newport Rd (old Rte. 11) west about a mile (or half a mile past the hospital). Park at the small turnoff on the left (south) side of the road. Look for the trail sign partly hidden in the trees. There is currently parking here for several vehicles.Sabrina Stanwood, administrator of the Natural Heritage Bureau within the state Division of Forests and Lands said the Philbrick-Cricenti bog is an great example of New Hampshire's biodiversity."Despite its small size, New Hampshire has natural areas that range from the seacoast to the tallest mountain in the Northeast, supporting communities from salt marshes to upland forests to alpine tundra, including the largest and most diverse alpine zone in the eastern United States.She said at the bog, visitors can find a species of the natural community called Sphagnum rubellum. It is a small cranberry moss carpet. You can also find plant species, such as Labrador tea (Rhododendron groenlandicum) and black spruce (Picea mariana).These can only be found both in highly-acidic bogs in lowland settings and in alpine and subalpine habitats.For more information visit https://www.nhdfl.org/library/pdf/Natural%20Heritage/Philbrick2.pdf.