On May 4, 2002, the Merrimack Valley Group of the New Hampshire Sierra Club held an outing on the Hackett Hill property. The event was open to the public.

The group met in the parking lot near French Hall the former UNH-Manchester building, and discussed how it would be highly appropriate for environmental education purposes. They proceeded up the trail to the Atlantic white cedar-giant rhododendron swamp. Since most of the broad-leaved trees had not "leafed out" at this time, it was possible to see the ledges, wetlands and uneven terrain that mark the property. Unfortunately extensive trail damage was observed, the result of ATVs which enter the property's trail system via 2 PSNH powerlines. (The damage was subsequently reported to the Manchester Housing and Redevelopment Corporation, the owner of the land comprising the powerlines, but no response was received.)

The trail followed by the group crossed a PSNH power line and passed through the south portion of the property owned by The Nature Conservancy - "The Manchester Cedar Swamps Preserve." The hikers followed the trail past the point where it crossed a powerline and observed a portion of a new visitor's trail system which is being constructed by TNC. As shown in the above photo, an area alongside the trail proved appropriate for a lunch stop. (State Rep. Peter Sullivan is shown in the photo - third person from left.)

At this point in time trees on the trail had not yet been marked with trail signs. However red markers on certain trees indicated where the trail would eventually lead into an Atlantic white cedar swamp and the group followed these indicators.The Atlantic white cedars are particularly dense and beautiful at this location, and although the swamp's characteristic cinnamon ferns had not yet appeared, some shrub greenery was present. The group also observed a flying squirrel on a tree near the swamp's periphery.

A boardwalk will shortly be constructed at this point by TNC and everyone agreed that a highly appropriate location has been chosen for this project. The boardwalk will enable visitors to the ecological preserve to walk for a short distance into the swamp, but will prevent the sensitive vegetation from being trampled.

The hike ended with a climb to the "phantom parking lots" on the portion of the property owned by the City of Manchester. The parking lots, remnants of a failed 1970's expansion by UNH-Manchester, serve as a warning that the Hackett Hill property should be left "as is" for hiking, nature photography and the like, as well as for environmental education, and that any future plans for its development as an industrial park by the City are highly inappropriate.

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