Forest Society Acquires Conservation Easement on 137-Acre <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /??>Goshen Property<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /??>

The Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests has expanded the conservation mosaic in the Sunapee Region with an easement on 137-acres in Goshen, NH. The parcel was recently purchased by Northwoodlands, Inc. to be managed along with the rest of the company’s conserved lands in Newbury and Goshen totaling approximately 3,700 acres. Of these, 1,100 acres are subject to an easement with the Forest Society and the balance are conserved under the Land and Community Investment Program with the State of New Hampshire. 

Northwoodlands, Inc. is headed by Don Clifford and his son Andy, two well-known foresters who work in the Sullivan County area.  Last year the Forest Society acquired the 845-acre Pillsbury-Sunapee Ridge Forest Easement from Northwoodlands, Inc. under similarly circumstances.

This newly-conserved property slopes down to a stream that features several small open beaver meadows that enhance the forest habitat. The parcel is located within a large in holding of unprotected lands within the conserved land surrounding Pillsbury and Sunapee State Parks.  

“This property has long been a high priority for the Forest Society in our effort to conserve land around Sunapee and Pillsbury State Parks,” said Forest Society President/Forester Jane Difley. “It is an excellent addition to the Quabbin-to-Cardigan Land Conservation Initiative.

“We are especially grateful to Tom Elliott of the Friends of Mount Sunapee, who was instrumental in introducing the Forest Society to this opportunity.  If it wasn’t for his persistence, we may have missed our chance to conserve this land.”

The Forest Society’s history of land conservation in the Pillsbury-Sunapee area dates back to 1911, when the organization purchased the land that now forms Mount Sunapee State Park.  Since 2000 the Forest Society has conserved more 6,000 acres in the area, with many more projects in the works.