A new 141-acre property has been added to Mason’s collection of permanently preserved property, forever conserving a new forest preserve along the Massachusetts border.
The Piscataquog Land Conservancy, a New Boston-based land trust dedicated to conservation, completed a purchase last week of a piece of property belonging to Judy and Jerry Anderson.
The Andersons had originally purchased the property with the intention of one day making it permanently preserved. When they began looking for a partner to do just that, they selected the PLC.
“I was pointed towards the Piscataquog Land Conservancy and found our values and goals closely aligned,” Judy Anderson said. “I am grateful for the conservation team at the PLC who listened closely to our needs and desires and crafted a viable plan.”
The parcel is part of a top-ranked wildlife habitat and is adjacent to the 3,000-acre Townsend State Forest in Massachusetts.
PLC Land Protection Specialist Jonathan Beck said the large size of the property and the fact that it borders another large, protected parcel made it ideal for conservation.
“Truly, that’s one of the biggest issues in conservation — getting that larger acreage,” Beck said. “The fact that this is a large parcel, and adjacent to the Townsend State Forest, is, in itself, a big deal.”
It’s also a matter of the quality of the land, Beck said. The state’s Fish and Wildlife Service uses a three-tier system to qualify land based on its suitability for wildlife habitat, with tier 1 being the best.
“This property has a significant amount of tier 1, and a significant amount of tier 2, which is indicative of the amount of wildlife on the property,” Beck said.
It also has a significant amount of water habitat, including several named brooks, including Black Fly Brook and Skeeter Brook, and identified vernal pools, which are critical breeding habitat for amphibians.
There are also recreational opportunities already present on the property, including an existing trail that connects to the Townsend State Forest and is about half a mile from the Mason Railroad Trail. The PLC plans to cut additional trails on the property, and hiking, hunting and fishing are allowed on PLC conservation properties. The PLC does not allow the use of motorized vehicles on its properties.
The Andersons agreed to sell the property to the PLC for significantly less than its market value, with the total budget for the acquisition about $580,000. The purchase funds were raised through several grants and a local donor. About half of the cost came from a $285,000 grant from the state’s Land and Community Heritage Investment Program, or LCHIP.
“LCHIP is proud to support projects like the Anderson Forest that bring together landowners, conservation organizations, municipalities and private donors to achieve lasting conservation outcomes,” LCHIP Executive Director Paula Bellemore said. “The Anderson project demonstrates how strategic public investment can leverage substantial private and local contributions to protect resources of statewide significance.”
The town of Mason was also a major contributor to the project, with $40,000 from its conservation fund toward the project.
“The Mason Conservation Commission was excited to be part of the Anderson land acquisition by the Piscataquog Land Conservancy. The property’s location, next to the Townsend State Forest, will provide an enormous area for Mason residents to enjoy recreational trails and scenic views.”
Funding also included a $32,250 New Hampshire State Conservation Committee Moose Plate Grant and $27,000 from the privately funded Merrimack Conservation Partnership. An anonymous donor covered the balance of the project’s funding.