RINDGE — With more than 80 different species of birds, 21 species of mammals and nearly 1,400 acres of natural habitat, town officials have identified Annett State Forest and Wayside Park as a hidden jewel in the Monadnock region.

Wayside Park is part of the state forest and primary access for both is off of Cathedral Road in Rindge. The forest extends into Sharon and with approximately 1.5 acres in Jaffrey.

At a public presentation hosted by the Rindge Conservation Commission at Wellington Park Saturday, ecologist Jeffry Littleton of Moosewood Ecological of Chesterfield shared with more than 40 attendees the results of his 16-month long ecological inventory of the forest. The environmental study — commissioned by the Rindge Conservation Commission in April of 2010 — focused on rare species, wildlife habitats and ecologically significant natural communities at the state forest.

A 2009 draft plan by the State Park System Advisory Council proposed the sale or transfer of some state property, including a 10-acre tract of the Wayside Park to save money, and spurred the study by town officials, according to Richard Mellor of the Rindge Conservation Commission.

While the state has since abandoned the draft plan, its initial consideration prompted a heightened level of concern among community members over the future of Annett, Mellor said in an interview with the Ledger-Transcript Monday. As a result, Mellor said the commission contracted with Littleton last spring in an effort to increase awareness about the park, its value and vulnerability in the Monadnock region.

“We had neglected for some time at Annett [doing] a natural resources inventory because we thought it was safely in state hands,” Mellor said. “We felt a study was important and that it would be useful to know what assets the park has to offer.”

During Saturday’s presentation, Littleton and representatives from the state’s Division of Forest and Lands, Division of Historical Resources and Department of Environmental Services Dam Bureau discussed the past, present and future of Annett.

Annett State Forest, which includes Hubbard Pond, has a diverse forested ecosystem that includes hemlock, beach, pine, red oak and maple trees, as well as wetland areas that promote strong wildlife habitat, Littleton said. With more than 30 confirmed vernal pools on the property, Littleton said Annett is home to a number of critical breeding areas for amphibians.

During his study, Littleton found over 200 wood frog egg masses, plus spotted salamander eggs, indicating a high level of productivity in the vernal pools, he said.

Osprey, blue herons, blue jays, hermit thrushes, brown creeper and a wide-range of birds were also discovered. The diverse bird species is accompanied by a number of mammals, including moose, deer, coyote, gray fox, chipmunks, weasels, red squirrel and snow shoe hair. Snapping turtles, green, bull and wood frogs, American toads and other reptiles were also documented.

Also at the meeting, state officials discussed construction work planned in 2012 at the 175-year-old Hubbard Pond dam located at Annett. The dam has suffered damage from four-wheelers and off-road traffic, resulting in a need for new concrete blocks to strengthen it, according to Mellor.

Travis Shattuck of Jaffrey, who attended the event, said in an interview Monday that Annett has been a critical part of the region’s history and that its future preservation is vital. What’s noteworthy about Annett, she said, is its position in the region near a huge block of conservation land, some of which is under easement with the state.

The state acquired the majority of acreage at Annett between 1922 and 2011, with the most recent addition of a 41-acre parcel purchased earlier this year.

Reflecting on Saturday’s presentation, Mellor said he believes the inventory was a great success and that everyone in attendance gained a greater understanding of what the park has to offer.

“We knew the park had a lot of exciting features,” Mellor said, “but what’s important is that those things have been documented and that the inventory will serve as a baseline for future studies.”

This article appears in the Dec. 8, 2011, edition of the Ledger-Transcript.