Forest Society Conserves 218 Acres in Lancaster
Imagine a place where, despite the best efforts of all the neighborhood bears and birds, there were so many blackberries and raspberries left on the canes that there is simply no need to pack a lunch in berry season. Imagine a mile-long ridge facing the Kilkenny Range that could have been the site of several lovely starter castles with killer views, but will now remain a scenic backdrop in its own right. Imagine not being able to walk a quarter mile without scaring up yet another grouse—not surprising on land rated some of the best habitat in the state and in the North Country.
This is the land that Elizabeth and Edward Campen have forever preserved through a conservation easement. Elizabeth is the daughter of Sam Bartow, who assembled the land over his lifetime.
“The Campens’ actions are a great example of how landowners can protect important natural resources while preserving their family’s heritage on the land,” said Forest Society President/Forester Jane Difley. “We are honored to join them in continuing their tradition of good stewardship by receiving this conservation easement.”
Northern hardwoods dominate the higher terrain, with spruce and fir along the slopes and in the lowlands. Connecting other protected areas, this land has real conservation importance in terms of its scenic, wildlife, forestry, and water supply values. The majority of the land lies on the north side of Grange Road in Lancaster next to the town forest, which contains some of the best habitat in the state, according to the NH Department of Fish and Game. The land south of Grange Road is maintained as open fields, creating a picture-postcard roadside view of the western slopes of the Kilkenny Range.
The land is a mere three quarters of a mile from US Route 2 and about a mile from downtown Lancaster. However, to the north and east lie thousands of undeveloped acres leading to the White Mountain National Forest and the 2,000-acre Cape Horn State Forest. The Campens’ land has now become a buffer to preserve and extend this large, unbroken landscape.
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.