NEW HAMPSHIRE—The slightly damp, warm morning air hung over the gravel parking lot at the trailhead to West Rattlesnake Mountain in New Hampshire. A few cars and trucks dotted the lot—typical for this time of year. Then, just after 10 a.m., a yellow school bus pulled in, offloading three dozen people.

These hikers were refugees, all of whom had recently resettled in Manchester, New Hampshire. Through a unique program called Welcome to the Woods, these travelers had come to embark on a new experience—a hike amidst the natural beauty of the White Mountains. The group included Afghan, Haitian and Ukrainian refugees, brought together through an offer to explore the outdoors just two hours from their new home.

Welcome to the Woods is a partnership consisting of the Forest Service’s Northern Research Station and White Mountain National Forest, Hubbard Brook Research Foundation and Building Community in New Hampshire. The idea for this collaborative effort originated with Amey Bailey, a forest technician at the Northern Research Station’s Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest. During the early days of the COVID pandemic, she pursued a grant with the Forest Service’s Urban Connections program. Her goal was to connect urban residents with natural areas. Partnering with Building Community in New Hampshire, an organization that works closely with immigrants to New Hampshire, seemed like a perfect fit.

“Some of the refugees come from war regions, while others are victims of persecution,” explains Vijay Bhujel, deputy director at Building Community in New Hampshire. “Helping to coordinate this trip was truly a pleasure, as the feedback from participants has been that it was a great opportunity for these refugees to socialize and meet one another.”

After the trip, several individuals said visiting the forest made them feel as though they were back in their own country’s forests. “Some of them asked afterwards for more information about camping and picnicking in the national forest,” Bhujel adds.

The logistics of transporting a large group to the forest for the day presents some obstacles. “The Urban Connections grant provided funding for five trips spread out over a few years,” says Bailey. “Hubbard Brook Foundation proved instrumental in arranging for lunch for participants while I was able to work with White Mountain National Forest staff to pick out accessible hikes for people who might not have hiking boots or extensive experience in the woods.”

Rick Minard, executive director at Building Community in New Hampshire, couldn’t be happier with the Welcome to the Woods program. “It has been a pleasure to work with the Amey and the Forest Service,” he says. “Most of the people who use and love the national forest are native-born Americans. It has been rewarding to see people displaced from other parts of the world find shared connection with this wonderful resource.”

The success of the program has been a motivating force for Bailey, spurring her to begin thinking about future grant opportunities. “I’d really like to target smaller groups for more in-depth day hikes,” she shares. “Additionally, my passion is sharing the science going on at the Northern Research Station, so I’m looking at ideas of connecting with urban students to expose them to the research happening at Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest.”