New Hampshire has the most tree cover of any of the lower 48 states. Eighty-nine percent of the state is forest (at least as of 2012). Some of the trees in those forests are impressively large.

Epping resident Kevin Martin has a written guidebook on finding, measuring, and appreciating our state’s biggest trees. His book, Big Trees of New Hampshire: Short Hikes to the Biggest Trees in New Hampshire from the Seacoast to the North Country, was published by Peter E. Randall in 2014.

Martin describes many of the tree species found in our state, including Shagbark Hickories, Red Pines, Douglas Firs, and Black Tupelo (also known as Black Gum). For each species, he offers a short, guided tour to the largest specimen in the state.

Several the trees he describes are here in Epping, including a magnificent Northern White Cedar in Central Cemetery across from Watson Academy, and a nearly ninety-foot-tall Black Tupelo in the newly conserved Mast Road Natural Area off Mast Road and north of Route 27.

The book should be of interest to biologists, hikers, and nature lovers.

Kevin has been a wooden boat builder for over thirty years, and has served on both the Epping Conservation Commission and the Lamprey River Advisory Committee.

Kevin’s book is available from Water St. Books in Exeter, from Barnes & Noble in Newington, and from Amazon.com.