The Conservation Commission is hoping to contribute funds to conserve two Lyndeborough land parcels.

On July 19, the Conservation Commission will hold a public hearing to take feedback on a proposal to use up to $50,000 to contribute to the purchase of a 25 acre property off Lyndeborough Road, and a 66 acre property off of Mountain Road, according to Conservation Commission Chair Sharon Akers. Both would be sold to the Piscataquog Land Conservancy.

The funds would come from a land use change tax fund – taxes resulting from taking land out of current use, which are used to purchase easements of conservation properties. 

The 25-acre parcel is landlocked, said Akers, but is abutting other conservation land, which includes Cold Brook and the Rice Preserve, which includes Centers Falls. While the new parcel itself doesn’t have any falls, said Akers, it does have several tributaries to Cold Brook.

“They can support fresh water trout, and they’re pretty important to us to preserve and keep pristine,” said Akers.

The 66-acre parcel also has a portion of Cold Brook running through it, said Akers, and preserving it could help prevent logging from affecting the waterway.

“It’s in an area where a lot of logging has been happening,” said Akers. “Cold Brook has been threatened by the overstory being removed.” 

When trees that have been providing shade for a waterway are removed, it can raise the water temperature, changing the ecology of the stream or encouraging algea growth.

The 66-acre parcel, while not adding to other conserved land, is part of a wooded cooridor that’s important for wildlife, added Akers. 

“Both of these pieces are high priority according to what Lyndeborough’s natural resources inventory is looking to preserve,” said Akers. “We would in no way be able to afford either parcel by ourselves.”

The Conservation Commission funds would be added to a pool of funds raised by the PLC, as well as possibly additional contributions from New Hampshire Fish and Game or the Moose Plate grant. 

Using the funds requires a majority vote of the Lyndeborough Select Board. The board will be present at the public hearing on Wednesday, which will be held immediately prior to the Select Board meeting, where the board will likely make a desicion on the matter.

The Conservation Commission had previously wanted to use the funds for the preservation for the Woodmont Orchard, in a similarly collaborative project, but other funding sources didn’t come together. The Conservation Commission will be asking to unencumber those funds in order to use them for the newly proposed conservation project. 

The Conservation Commission’s meeting’s agenda also includes planning the Community Day hike, which will include a trip to the Centers Falls property. 

The Conservation Commission’s public hearing will be held at 6 p.m. at the Lyndeborough town offices. The Select Board will meet in the same location at 6:30 p.m.

 

Ashley Saari can be reached at 924-7172 ext. 244 or asaari@ledgertranscript.com. She’s on Twitter @AshleySaariMLT.