Popular recreation spot in Warner now protected

WARNER – Those who enjoy hiking, skiing, hunting and other outdoor pursuits can rest assured knowing some of their favorite local haunts will forever remain intact and open to the public.

Thanks to the generosity of one family and a partnership between Warner’s conservation commission, the State of New Hampshire, and the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests, 745 acres in Warner’s Mink Hills are now under a conservation easement.

Andy Duncan and Laurel Horne purchased the newly protected land, dubbed the Badger property, from a timber company for forest management and recreation. Andy and Laurel also wished to protect the land and assist the Town of Warner in its conservation efforts. They offered to sell a conservation easement on the property for considerably less than its appraised value.

The town contributed approximately $50,000 toward the easement purchase. The State of New Hampshire, through the Land and Community Heritage Investment Program, contributed a $98,000 grant. The Forest Society worked with all parties to develop the terms of the easement and will be responsible for monitoring and enforcing the easement.

The Badger property provides a critical link between the town’s 1,440-acre Chandler reservation and 347 acres of conservation easements, bringing the total protected acres in the Mink Hills to more than 3,000. The property’s critical wildlife habitat includes two significant wetlands, several vernal pools and three historic rock foundations.

The terms of the easement keep the property in private ownership and on the tax rolls while limiting future development to only two home sites on the entire 745 acres. The terms also ensure the protection of the property’s habitat while allowing sustainable timber management and public access for recreation.

For more information on the Badger property, please contact Land Protection Specialist Brian Hotz at (603) 224-9945 or .

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. Visit www.forestsociety.org for more information, or call (603) 224-9945.

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