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by SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION OF NEW HAMPSHIRE FORESTS

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Project Details

The Forest Society has an exciting opportunity to create a new forest reservation near the Seacoast and save a beautiful historic property along the Oyster River from getting divided into house lots.

We are working to buy a 195-acre parcel in Madbury, Lee and Durham as well as a conservation easement on an abutting 32-acre parcel from the Goss family. The Goss family would prefer a conservation outcome and has offered the property to the Forest Society first before putting it on the open market. This is a high priority conservation project, supported by the Great Bay Partnership. Here’s why:

PUBLIC RECREATIONAL RESOURCES

The Oyster River flows through the property, located in a focus area for the Coastal Watershed Conservation Plan.

This property hosts a popular trail system for horse-back riding, hiking, wildlife watching and hunting, snowmobiling and fishing. It provides the wooded backdrop to Madbury’s playing fields and for the Madbury Elementary School, offering many educational possibilities. It also provides the forested viewscape for the “scenic”-designated Cherry Lane and for NH Route 155. Located in a focus area of the Coastal Watershed Conservation Plan, the property is central to the efforts of Madbury, Lee and Durham to connect nearby conservation lands into a regional greenbelt.

WATER QUALITY

The Oyster River travels a half-mile through the property, which is located within a Source Water Protection Area and overlies an aquifer. The Oyster River is the drinking water source for the town of Durham and for the University of New Hampshire. Part of the Great Bay Estuary watershed, it feeds into the Piscataqua River, which leads to the Atlantic. Protecting the wetlands and uplands near the river is critical to keeping this important water source clean.

HISTORIC RELEVANCE

Miles of walking trails meander through the property. Both Native American and Revolutionary War history are represented on this land. It was once used as the “planting ground” for Chief Moharimet, who controlled much of the land in the area in the late 1600s. “Council Rock,” a large boulder, still marks the gathering spot for various tribes and the spot where Chief Moharimet met with early European settlers. During the Revolutionary War, the land belonged to Maj. John Demeritt, who became known as the Powder Major after he stored gunpowder in his barn to keep it from the British and brought it by oxcart to the Continental Army for use in the Battle of Bunker Hill. The Demeritt homestead, now home to members of the Goss family, is on land abutting the proposed easement.

WILDLIFE HABITAT

The N.H. Natural Heritage Bureau has documented two state-listed species on the property. The Oyster River corridor is home to 12 more rare, threatened or endangered plants and animals in need of protection.

WORKING FORESTS AND FIELDS

About 30 acres of the property are farmed as hayfields; most of the rest of it consists of forests of oak, pine and hemlock managed for timber.

THREAT OF DEVELOPMENT

The Forest Society must raise $2.25 million in order to acquire the property and easement and to care for the land into the future. We must be successful in our efforts, since the property will be sold on the open market if no conservation outcome can be reached. A plan already exists for the land to be divided into 81 housing lots accessed by new roads. The Forest Society is seeking grants through public and private funding sources and asking members and supporters to help provide matching funds. Please consider providing a gift that will result in a new forest reservation protecting this important natural and historical resource for future generations!

Photo by Jerry Monkman / EcoPhotography.



Tuesday, Jan 31, 2017

https://www.forestsociety.org/project/conserve-powder-majors-farm-and-forest-seacoast-region

54 Portsmouth St,
CONCORD,
New Hampshire 03301-5486
United States.

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