Forest Society Conserves 180 Acres of Waterfront Land in West Milan
The Forest Society recently accepted a conservation easement from Dr. Christopher Glenney on two remarkable tracts of land in West Milan, NH.
The northern tract straddles a pristine reach of the Upper Ammonoosuc River after it leaves the White Mountain National Forest and before it bends west to the Connecticut River. These 46 acres contain some of the best riverine habitat in the state, according to the NH Fish and Game Department’s Wildlife Action Plan. The river’s gravel bed, pools, and riffles look as inviting to anglers as they do to the trout. The river has left a fertile floodplain on the west bank, and several uncommon floodplain species have been observed near the property.
The 134-acre southern tract is less than two miles from the northern tract, but it has a much different character. Rather than protecting a wild, youthful river, it embraces the quiet waters of Nay Pond—a fact deeply appreciated by the loons that nest there and by the mergansers that drop in on their way to and from open water on the coast. The land also fronts the floodplain of the North Branch of the Ammonoosuc River shortly below its headwaters, thus protecting its water quality as it joins the Upper Ammonoosuc a few miles away.
Not only is this project about water quality and aquatic habitats, but it is also about the commitment of its owner, Dr. Glenney, to conservation, to keeping land in its natural state for the values and benefits that it provides.
“Dr. Glenney is a hunter and an angler as well as a surgeon, but before any of these, he is a conservationist,” said Mike Speltz, the Forest Society land agent who worked with Dr. Glenney to conserve his land. “He patiently assembled these two tracts of land over a number of years, extending himself financially to do so. He then took steps to ensure that the fruits of his labor would remain undeveloped by conveying a conservation easement to the Forest Society.”
As the easement holder, the Forest Society is obligated to ensure that the terms of the conservation easement are upheld in perpetuity, guarding against future development.
Founded in 1901, the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests is the state’s oldest and largest non-profit land conservation organization. Supported by 10,000 families and businesses, the Forest Society’s mission is to perpetuate the state’s forests by promoting land conservation and sustainable forestry. For more information, visit www.forestsociety.org.