Forest Society Helps Fill Gap in White Mountain National Forest
The Forest Society recently purchased 35 acres of land in Hart’s Location from Verlene Hamilton. Ms. Hamilton inherited the property from her father, Verland Ohlson, a district ranger for the White Mountain National Forest (WMNF) for some 23 years. Abutting the White Mountain National Forest’s scenic railroad, the land fills a gap in WMNF ownership.
“Ms. Hamilton would like this land to become part of the White Mountain National Forest in honor of her father,” said Forest Society President/Forester Jane Difley. “The Forest Society intends sell the land to the federal government in accordance with her wishes.”
She was willing to sell the land to the Forest Society at a bargain sale of $90,000. The Forest Society used its Environmental Loan Fund (ELF) to facilitate the purchase and resale of the property. The ELF was established by the Forest Society to acquire, protect, and preserve open space.
Highly visible from Route 302, the property includes nearly two-thirds of a mile of frontage along the Saco River, providing excellent access to the river for anglers and boaters. With several wetlands and a small brook draining into the Saco River, the entire property is ranked among the best habitat in the state by the NH Department of Fish and Game’s Wildlife Action Plan.
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.