The Town of Antrim, in partnership with the Antrim Conservation Commission and the Monadnock Conservancy, has recently completed the Campbell Pond Forest Expansion Project, adding 134 acres to the conserved land around Campbell Pond in northwest Antrim.
“The Antrim Conservation Committee has been working diligently and actively on this project for nearly 24 months, since the end of 2023,” said Peter Beblowski, chair of the Antrim Conservation Commission. “We are very grateful for the support of everyone who has participated in this project, in both large and small ways, and worked hard to to make this happen.”
The Town of Antrim, working with Conservation Commission, purchased the 134-acre parcel in first week of August and recently completed the process of putting the land into conservation easement with the Monadnock Conservancy.
“We are honored to be working with the Antrim Conservation Commission to help them meet their town’ s conservation goals. Building on the existing conservation easement, this effort will expand the block of conserved forestland and protect valuable wildlife habitat. Thank you to the Town of Antrim for seeing the value and making this commitment to conservation,” said Amanda Littleton, executive director of the Monadnock Conservancy.
The Monadnock Conservancy, founded in 1989, serves 38 towns and the City of Keene. The conservancy has protected more than 24,000 acres of forest, farmland, shoreline, wetlands, wildlife habitat and recreation trails.
The Campbell Pond Forest Expansion parcel, formerly owned by Monadnock Paper Mills, is on the southern side of Riley Mountain in a part of Antrim not easily accessible by motor vehicles. It completes an area of nearly 500 acres of undeveloped land south of Pierce Lake and around Campbell Pond.
Beblowski said Monadnock Paper Mills reached out to the Conservation Commission when they decided to deaccession the land.
“They decide they didn’t they needed to own these forest lands anymore, and they wanted to be sure it would go to a group that would conserve the land,” he said. “Someone told them they should connect with the Conservation Commission, and we started the process of making sure this land was conserved.”
The new parcel provides access to the Campbell Pond trail via a Class 6 road. Previously, the trail was accessible only by a right-of-way across private land.
“Two years ago, the Conservation Commission established a formal trail around Campbell Pond, and a lot of local people utilize the trail. We are intending to expand that trail system onto the new property,” Beblowski said. “This easement makes the block of conserved land near the pond larger; formerly, there were 312 acres around and including the pond, and this new parcel will enlarge it to 445 acres.”
Karen Bennett of the Antrim Conservation Commission calls the property “a gem.”
“It’s growing a healthy forest and has diverse wildlife habitat. The many stone walls tell a story of past homesteading and farming. My favorite place is a small, but special, rocky ravine with old sugar maples. The Conservation Commission worked hard with our funders and town staff to protect this land, and we are grateful for the Monadnock Conservancy’s help,” Bennett said.
The bulk of funds used to purchase the land from the paper mill came from grants, including from LCHIP, Moose Plate, the Hurlin Fund at the New Hampshire Society for the Preservation of Forests and the Massachusetts based Field Pond Fund, administered by the Field Pond Foundation.
“It has been a long haul securing all the grants needed to purchase the land,” Bebloswki said. “The town, including the Select Board and all the town office staff, have provided very good support. Grants are always a very competitive process and you need a whole lot of supporting information; and we are so thankful for all the town’s help.”
Beblowski noted that no town funds were used to pay for the purchase of the land, other than from the Conservation Fund.
For information about the Monadnock Conservancy, go to monadnockconservancy.org or call 603-357-0600.
