Hartland's Lamb Farm Conserved with the Upper Valley Land Trust

On November 18, during a special meeting of the Hartland Conservation Commission, Anna Lamb signed documents that will ensure that the scenic open fields of the Lamb Farm remain undeveloped forever. The Upper Valley Land Trust will uphold the conservation easement restrictions, while the family will continue to own and farm the land, and care for its many resources. Visible to travelers exiting Interstate 91, this land was preserved with funds from the federal Transportation Enhancements program through the Vermont Agency of Transportation. In addition, the Hartland Conservation Commission served as a critical partner, providing the matching funds needed to keep this working agricultural land available for future generations to enjoy.

The Lamb Farm is situated west of Route 5 in Hartland, VT in the Connecticut River Valley. It is a picturesque hillside farm along the lower eastern slopes of Tinkham Hill. More than 41 acres of open land on the property are among the first farm fields seen as travelers approach the Hartland Three Corners. Used for hay production and grazing cattle, the fields contain valuable agricultural soils considered to be of statewide significance.

Portions of the Lamb Farm also lie within an area identified as an Ecological Hot Spot by the Vermont Biodiversity Project. These Hot Spots are identified based on the density of rare, threatened and endangered species within a given area. A wetland nearby on Tinkham Hill supports a Red Maple – Black Ash Seepage Swamp, and is host to a rare plant species. While rare, endangered, or threatened species have not been identified on the Lamb property, its protection will add valuable supporting habitats to help maintain biodiversity in the region.

The Upper Valley Land Trust has conserved approximately 420 acres of land within two miles of the Lamb Farm, which is in addition to more than 300 acres of other conserved or public lands. The Lamb Farm fields are part of Hartland’s historic landscape and are an important representation of the contribution farming has made to the growth and sustenance of the town. The recent conservation easement will ensure that these fields will continue to be a part of Hartland’s working landscape for generations to come.

Town of Grantham Conserves Property with Upper Valley Land Trust

As of Wednesday, November 11th, a 30-acre parcel of land owned by the Town of Grantham, on Miller Pond Road will be protected from development forever. The Upper Valley Land Trust (UVLT) now holds a conservation easement on the land, known as the Lucius Smith Lot, which will ensure that the parcel remains undeveloped and open to the public for low-impact recreational activities. This conservation project is UVLT’s first in Grantham, and represents the successful partnership with the Grantham Conservation Commission to see this land preserved.

The Lucius Smith Lot is adjacent to the expansive Flewelling Sherwood Forest, which includes over 820 acres of land protected by the Town of Grantham. Also nearby is the Grantham Town Forest, which is made up of more than 445 acres of forest land. Combined with these parcels the Smith Lot adds to the largest contiguous area of protected and public land in the town of Grantham. In addition, the newly conserved parcel is part of a larger unfragmented forest block of 43,570 contiguous acres, identified by the State of New Hampshire in the 2007 Wildlife Action Plan.

The Lucius Smith Lot is mostly forested with some wetlands, a stream, a small historic cemetery and a 10 foot cliff near its half mile of road frontage. The upland forest of the Lucius Smith Lot provides habitat and acts as a wildlife corridor to surrounding forests and a buffer to meandering streams. Nearby, Miller Pond, Skinner Brook, and a large wetland of over 15 acres, provide habitat to wildlife including white-tailed deer, moose, beaver, native brook trout, muskrat, otter, loons and many other mammal, bird (migratory song birds as well as water fowl), amphibian, and reptile species.

As well as important ecological value, this property has significant historic resources. Foundations, cellar holes, and a small cemetery area within the Smith Lot represent the range of these cultural sites. According to Dick Hocker, Chair of the Grantham Conservation Commission, historic land records indicate that the owner of the property in 1860 was H.S. Clement who was married to Julia Fisher. “Fisher Cemetery,” likely named after Clement’s wife, includes five grave markers and fencing protecting the vicinity around the markers. The remnants of the Clement house site are discernible northwest of the cemetery. An additional foundation can be found along Miller Pond Road. This foundation is thought to have been a barn or perhaps affiliated with the nearby dam on the Flewelling Forest Property.

Through the recently signed conservation easement, ecological, historical and recreational values of the Lucius Smith Lot will be protected in perpetuity.

Upper Valley Land Trust Recognizes Local Land Stewards

The Bradford Conservation Commission was recognized at the Upper Valley Land Trust’s Volunteer Appreciation Open House on November 10th. The Conservation Commission received an award from the Upper Valley Land Trust (UVLT) for the dedication they bring to their work as stewards of the Wright’s Mountain and Devil’s Den trails. In addition to giving UVLT the opportunity to recognize standout volunteers, the event gave the regional land conservancy’s volunteers, staff and trustees a chance to discuss experiences from the field while sharing a warm meal and some of Jasper Murdock’s Ale brewed by Patrick Dakin at the Norwich Inn.

The event recognized UVLT’s more than 55 stewardship volunteers, who assist in activities such as trail maintenance, campsite upkeep, and conservation easement monitoring across the 44 towns that comprise UVLT’s region. Volunteers who help UVLT to monitor conservation easements walk around conserved properties and document any changes to the landscape. These walks are performed annually on the nearly 400 parcels that have been conserved with UVLT. In addition to the time and energy that stewardship volunteers contribute, dozens more volunteers assist UVLT with events, advocacy, various committees, photography and a variety of in-kind donations.

According to UVLT’s President, Jeanie McIntyre, “UVLT was created and is sustained by volunteers, who are rolling up their sleeves, lacing up their boots, sharing their time and ideas to make a greener future for our region. We are so glad to recognize all they accomplish and happy to invite more people to get involved.”

At this year’s Volunteer Appreciation Open House, UVLT chose to honor the Bradford Conservation Commission. The Commission is responsible for the maintenance of the Wright’s Mountain and Devil’s Den trails, owned by the Town of Bradford and conserved with UVLT. Under their stewardship, trails have blossomed into a well-loved community resource.

Monica Erhart, UVLT’s Stewardship Coordinator, remarks “I have been extremely impressed by the time, energy, and care that the Bradford Conservation Commission puts into their trails. Their dedication to the Wright’s Mountain and Devil’s Den properties is a model among town efforts. The few members of the Conservation Commission not only put incredible amounts of time into the trails themselves, but their ability to recruit volunteers has been remarkable.” Chair of the Bradford Conservation Commission, Nancy Jones, said that the work of stewarding Wright’s Mountain and Devil’s Den is dependent on more than the eight individuals who make up the Conservation Commission; community volunteers are essential to the Commission’s success.

The 15-year anniversary celebration of the conservation of Wright’s Mountain this June recognized the many people who have been recruited by the Commission over the years. During this event, members of the Commission hung photos of volunteers along a newly-opened trail. “There must have been several hundred photos,” Erhart remembers, “and members of the Conservation Commission could tell a story of each of the various helpers from the past.”

Especially noteworthy is the Bradford Conservation Commission’s innovation in their encouragement of responsible use of the property. “The Bradford Conservation Commission never runs into an obstacle and simply decides that their efforts cannot be accomplished,” Erhart says. “Instead, they pull their resources together, get people rallied up, and find solutions that are suitable for everyone.” The Commission has rallied together to restore the old cabin at the summit of Wright’s Mountain, which provides a comfortable shelter. Along the trails are a number of benches, each with a name engraved. These serve the dual purpose of thanking contributors to the Commission’s conservation and stewardship efforts while also giving hikers places to rest.

In order to join the Upper Valley Land Trust as a volunteer on a trail team, as a campsite steward, or a conservation easement monitor, please contact Peter Helm, Vice President Stewardship at peter.helm@uvlt.org or (603) 643-6626 ext. 104. Spring monitor training dates will be posted at http://www.uvlt.org/ in early 2009. To assist UVLT with events or other outreach activities, please contact Nora Doyle-Burr at noradoyle-burr@uvlt.org or (603) 643-6626 ext. 102.

Award-Winning Vermont Children's Author to Visit Hanover

On November 14, The Hanover Inn at Dartmouth College, Everybody Wins! Vermont (EW!VT), and the Upper Valley Land Trust (UVLT) will host a presentation by Natalie Kinsey-Warnock, an award-winning children’s author from the Northeast Kingdom region of Vermont. The event will take place from 1 – 3:30pm in the Hanover Inn’s Daniel Webster Room. It is free and open to the public, with a suggested donation of $5 per family going to offset the costs of the event.

Kinsey-Warnock grew up on a Vermont dairy farm in the Northeast Kingdom, where her Scottish ancestors settled almost two hundred years ago. Her mother, a teacher, instilled in her a love of books and reading, and a curiosity about everything, while her father encouraged her interest in the natural world, whether it was identifying birds, trees and wildflowers, or pointing out constellations on a starry night. Kinsey-Warnock’s book, As Long As There Are Mountains, is based on her childhood and love of her family’s farm, the land, and the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont.

Everybody Wins! Vermont is a statewide mentoring and literacy organization, which matches elementary school children with mentors at 21 schools across the state, including two in New Hampshire. The pairs read together one-on-one during lunchtime once a week throughout the school year. EW!VT has come together with the Upper Valley Land Trust, a regional land conservancy based in Hanover, to bring Kinsey-Warnock to the area for this all-ages celebration of literacy and localness.

Kinsey-Warnock’s two loves, land and reading, are the themes running through the November 14 event. The program will include a presentation for all-ages and book signing by Kinsey-Warnock, a family tree craft activity for children, and snacks made from fresh, local ingredients provided by The Hanover Inn at Dartmouth College. In addition, the Norwich Bookstore will be on-hand with a selection of Kinsey-Warnock’s books available for purchase.

Local Groups Host “KING CORN” Screening in Canaan

The Upper Valley Land Trust, Vermont Earth Institute, and Cardigan Mountain School will host a screening of the film, “King Corn” on October 27, 6 – 8pm in Cardigan’s Humann Theatre. “King Corn” is a 90 minute documentary film about America’s food system, which illustrates the interdependence of the environment, human health, economic growth, and the wellbeing of communities.

In the film, two friends, Ian Cheney and Curt Ellis, return to a rural area of northern Iowa where their great-grandfathers at one time lived just a few miles apart. Their plan? To plant an acre of corn and trace it as it flows in to the food system. Throughout the course of the film, the friends follow the corn plant from genetically modified seed and federal subsidies to hamburgers, high fructose corn syrup, and Type II diabetes. Though food is cheaper now than it was in the 1970s, the film explains that low prices come with hidden costs to the environment, human health, and society as a whole.

The 2007 film has received numerous awards. The Washington Post called it, "Lively, engaging and visually arresting . . . 'King Corn' should be required viewing by anyone planning to visit a supermarket, fast-food joint or their own refrigerator. Funny, wise and sad, it suggests that being well-fed has nothing to do with being well-nourished.”

The three local nonprofit organizations hosting the October 27 screening all have an interest in encouraging sustainable agriculture in the Upper Valley region, and beyond. “King Corn” brings attention to the large-scale systemic challenges faced by local, community-based agriculture. The groups also hope to bring attention to the value of small-scale, local agriculture in the Upper Valley. UVLT President Jeanie McIntyre says, “We are fortunate to live in a rural landscape where many of us know the people and the land that grow our food. As our region and our planet face changes and challenges, we see the importance of supporting local farmers and protecting the land we all need to have a healthy food system.”

More information about “King Corn” can be found at http://www.kingcorn.net/. Driving directions to Cardigan Mountain School can be found at http://www.cardigan.org/. There will be signs directing visitors from the entrance of the school to the Humann Theatre for the film screening. For more information contact Nora at noradoyle-burr@uvlt.org or (603) 643-6626 ext.102.

Debby Crowell Donates Postcards to UVLT

Longtime UVLT friend, Debby Crowell, has generously donated thousands of postcards she produced for her former business “Petal Power.” Debby is a wildflower expert and made cards from 23 lovely photos. She and her husband, Jim, conserved their woodland in Canaan, NH in 2004 (see picture at left). Now retired and downsizing, Debby contributed her entire inventory of postcards as well as a display rack for the cards.

You can support land conservation in the Upper Valley by purchasing Debby’s postcards: $.25 each, or 25 for $5.

To pick up your "Petal Power" cards, stop by UVLT's office at 19 Buck Road in Hanover, call us at (603) 643-6626, or email us at contactus@uvlt.org.

Town of Orford Donates Conservation Easement

The Town of Orford recently donated a conservation easement to the Upper Valley Land Trust (UVLT) in order to protect 11.13 acres of town-owned riverfront land from future development. The New Hampshire Charitable Foundation’s Upper Connecticut River Mitigation and Enhancement Fund provided key funding to complete the transaction and contributed necessary funds to UVLT’s stewardship endowment to which supports the land’s protection in perpetuity. The conservation easement on this parcel ensures that the land will remain available for agriculture, wildlife habitat, and public enjoyment.

In 2004, Mrs. Hilda Richmond gave the Town of Orford a small parcel of land just north of the village. She consulted with the Conservation Commission about her gift, and gave it as a memorial to her late husband, Gould S. Richmond, for the enjoyment of the citizens of Orford and as a place for wildlife. Bry Beeson, Chair of the Orford Conservation Commission played a lead role in the Town’s commitment to permanently conserve this parcel of land.

As is his way, Beeson proceeded carefully and thoughtfully, researching statutes that might apply and looking for examples of similar initiatives. He talked with Orford residents and outlined the necessary steps. He wrote an article and petitioned that it be placed on the warrant for vote on Town Meeting Day 2008. His proposal was not universally popular; however, Beeson continued to talk patiently, and with passion, about the conservation values of the property, the role of the Town in land conservation, and the wishes of Mrs. Richmond when she gave the land to the town. Eventually, the public consensus emerged. At their Town Meeting in March of 2008, the citizens of Orford voted to have the Town explore options for permanently protecting the parcel with the Upper Valley Land Trust through a conservation easement.

The Orford Conservation Commission spent the year following the vote educating themselves about the legal structure and terms of a conservation easement deed. They visited the property and documented its natural resources and current condition, and developed management objectives. At a series of public meetings they talked about the Richmond parcel and the easement that would protect it. Similarly, the Orford Select Board carefully reviewed the terms of the conservation easement. Overall, says UVLT President Jeanie McIntyre, “the conservation of this property included lots of different people with different skills and interests. I think it was a great learning opportunity for people to be engaged in establishing the legal instrument that will permanently protect a place that means a lot to the community.”

The Richmond parcel is in an area of Orford previously targeted for protection by the town and UVLT. With frontage on the federally recognized Connecticut River Scenic Byway, and Route 10, a state and locally recognized scenic byway, the conservation easement on this parcel provides scenic benefits to travelers in the area. Other features of the property include open farmland, woodland borders, and approximately 563 feet of Connecticut River frontage. In addition, the parcel has frontage on the marshland at the outlet of Jacobs Brook. The property will continue to be used for agriculture and low-impact recreational activities, such as walking, picnicking, or wildlife viewing. “The Richmond land is a really neat place to get some great views of the Palisades, and take a walk down to the river,” said Sara Cavin, a Project Manager at UVLT. “It is a wonderful accomplishment by the Town of Orford to honor the wishes of Mrs. Richmond and preserve this special piece of land for the enjoyment of everyone.”