February 1, 2005

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Jim Graham (603) 224-9945;
or Kelly Whalen, (603) 431-0816

FOREST SOCIETY PURCHASES CONSERVATION EASEMENT IN HENNIKER
Peter and Gail Beckett Help Conserve 296 Acres

HENNIKER – Bear Hill in Henniker provides its beneficiaries with a panoramic view over the Contoocook River Valley. Now that view will be protected for generations to come. The Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests recently bought, with the generosity of an anonymous donor, a 293-acre conservation easement from Peter and Gail Beckett.

The Becketts approached the Forest Society about protecting their land shortly after the Forest Society completed the purchase of the Young Forest, the nearby property that protects more than 70 acres in Henniker.

“We liked the idea that our land would be a part of a larger block of protected lands,” said Peter Beckett. The property is also near the Audubon Society of New Hampshire’s 600-acre Deering Wildlife Sanctuary. The Forest Society is part of a cooperative effort being conducted by Audubon and the Deering Conservation Commission to protect lands in Deering, Hillsborough and Henniker.

Located in the southwest corner of Henniker and abutting the town lines of both Hillsborough and Deering, the Beckett property is dominated by white pine and oak trees with lesser amounts of mixed hardwoods. The land contains about 30 acres of open land that is hayed by a local farmer and has an active grass landing strip. The property also encompasses a medium size beaver pond that further enhances its importance to wildlife habitat.

“With the ongoing support of the community, this area will continue to conserve open spaces, outdoor recreation, and the small town character of New Hampshire we all cherish,” said Paul Doscher, vice president for land conservation for the Forest Society. “We are very grateful to the Becketts and to our partners in the Henniker area.”

The Audubon Society of New Hampshire, a nonprofit statewide membership organization, is dedicated to the conservation of wildlife and habitat throughout the state. Independent of the National Audubon Society, it has offered programs in wildlife conservation, land protection, environmental policy, and environmental education since 1914. Visit www.nhaudubon.org for more information.

The Deering Conservation Commission is committed to the active protection of all Deering's water resources on behalf of its current and future residents.

Founded in 1901, the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests is a 10,000-member, nonprofit organization that has helped protect more than one million acres across New Hampshire. Visit www.forestsociety.org for more information, or call (603) 224-9945.

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