Kearsarge Mountain Road
121 acres of agricultural fields, wildlife habitat, and water resources
Public access, no formal trails
November 2022

The Vegetable Ranch has grown certified organic produce of exceptional quality for more than twenty years. In 1988, Larry Pletcher’s 125-acre home on the slopes of Mt. Kearsarge became a successful, diversified farm melding traditional organic methods with contemporary knowledge to carry sustainable agriculture forward to new generations.

“Conservation of The Vegetable Ranch helps keep a working farm growing food while protecting critical wildlife habitat and conserving water quality,” said Liz Short, Executive Director of Five Rivers. “We’re honored to have worked with Larry Pletcher and have been nothing short of amazed by his daughter Jenn’s commitment to carrying forward her father’s deep respect for the land after his passing last year.”

The predominantly forested land is part of a 10,000+ acre expanse of unfragmented habitat that stretches to Mt. Kearsarge. This conservation easement will buffer four headwater streams of the Willow Brook and Stevens Brook watersheds, valued by the Warner Conservation Commission. The farmers of Vegetable Ranch grow organic vegetables and livestock products for Concord Farmers’ Market, Concord Food Co‐op, Warner Public Market, and more.

The Vegetable Ranch has become a local legacy for the Pletchers continuing Larry’s vision for easy access to nutritious, organic produce. Five Rivers and the Pletcher family worked together in pursuit of an easement since 2019. The conservation easement will ensure that the land is not subdivided or developed and will make it available for habitat, farming, and forest management for generations to come.

“My father created a space where his organic practices and conservation‐mindedness could live on,” remembers Jenn, “and it’s with these values the farm continues today in his physical absence, but always with his spirit.”

This project is the culmination of several years of work with the Pletcher family and our partners to raise the funds and finalize purchase of the conservation easement after the Pletcher’s offer to donate part of its value. Grant funding for this project was awarded from NH Land & Community Heritage Investment Program, the Thomas W. Haas Fund of the NH Charitable Foundation, NH State Conservation Commission Moose Plate Conservation Grant Program, the Davis Conservation Foundation, the Quabbin‐to‐Cardigan Partnership, and the NH Farm Future Fund. The community also rallied in support of conserving the Vegetable Ranch, raising $5,000 from the Warner Conservation Commission and over $35,000 in private donations.

Wyman Road
48 acres
No public access
August 2022

Jim Polley grew up on the fields of Wyman Farm in Loudon. His mother, Judith Wyman Merrow, was the sixth generation of their family to own the property since the original King’s grant in 1780. The fields have outstanding farmland soils, which have been rid of rocks over years of cultivation. Farming has taken place here in various forms for centuries.

“When I was growing up,” Jim reminisced, “we had horses, took care of an occasional calf to keep the pastures well mowed, and a garden which provided us with fresh vegetables. The fields have been hayed for as long as I can remember.” Previous generations raised cows, chickens, sheep, turkeys, and more. Jim’s third great-grandfather’s diary stated that he supplied Shaker Village with oats.

Judy ran a bed and breakfast out of the 1790s farmhouse as her ancestors had in the late 1800s. Complete with hand-hewn beams, the house and barn speak volumes about the property’s history, accompanied by sweeping views across the fields to distant hills in the south. This 48-acre property has over 4,500 feet of undeveloped scenic frontage on three different town roads. About 10 acres of the property is in fields, and the remainder is forests of red oak, hemlock, and pine, plus a forested wetland in the center of the property.

“There has always been abundant wildlife here, from turkeys and foxes to bobcats and bears,” Jim recalled. It’s a combination of habitat types that makes the property a haven for wildlife. The nearby “hunting swamp,” which is partially conserved by the Town of Loudon, affirms the historic abundance of wildlife in the area.

Conservation runs deep in the family: having been a cultivated value handed down to Jim, it was Judy’s wish that the farm be conserved. Bidding a final farewell to the land is certainly bittersweet, though Jim’s family is hopeful that the next owners will continue the tradition of farming the land as they so diligently have. After Judy’s passing in early January, conserving Wyman Farm was a natural way for Jim to honor his family’s longtime stewardship for the land and ensure its integrity is upheld in perpetuity.

West Road
37 acres in agricultural use
No public access
January 2022

The 37-acre Sloping Acres Farm has been owned and operated by the Glines family for five generations and is currently run by Peter and Eric Glines. It is entirely in agricultural use, growing corn and hay while also providing pasture for the adjacent 140 cow dairy.

“Five Rivers Conservation Trust is grateful to the Glines family and Canterbury community for the conservation of this historic and scenic farm,” says Sarah Thorne, a Five Rivers board member and the organization’s primary point of contact during the conservation process. “We were convinced to become perpetual stewards of this conservation easement because of the highly productive agricultural soils, farming tradition, and strong community support.”

The completion of the Glines conservation easement is a long-awaited victory after spending four years working towards the project’s fruition. Sloping Acres Farm sells their milk wholesale, providing locally sourced dairy to communities across New England. They also sell their sustainably and ethically raised Angus beef directly from the farm to consumers.

“Conserving Canterbury’s best agricultural soils and working farms are high priorities for the town,” said Conservation Commission Chair Ken Stern. “The pandemic has reminded us just how critical it is to have local food sources, and the Glines easement protects a property that has been farmed for generations. The town is grateful to the Glines, to people who donated to the project, to Five Rivers Conservation Trust, and to everyone who made this project possible.”

The Town of Canterbury’s Conservation Commission made a significant contribution to fund long-term stewardship costs. This easement enables farming to continue under the Glines’ ownership, while protecting the land from future residential and commercial development. Five Rivers’ long-term role is to monitor the conservation easement annually to assure the perpetual conservation of the land.

Stark Highway North
131 acres of forest and streams
Public access, no formal trails
November 2021

The Koerber Family Forest contributes to a large block of approximately 650 acres of conserved land nearby, including the Stone Farm and the Farley property, which were conserved by Five Rivers in 2017 and 2013, respectively. In addition to protecting three headwater streams and providing important wildlife habitat, conserving the land creates opportunities for future pedestrian trails and use as an outdoor classroom for the neighboring Dunbarton Elementary School.

“I am thrilled that this land will remain a farm in perpetuity for the public to enjoy, and that wildlife will have a secure home here, thanks to Five Rivers and their many generous donors,” said Ken Koerber. Ken and his wife, Susan, raised their three children on the land, and the couple owns and operates Chanticleer Gardens, dedicated to producing organically-grown cut flowers for local florists and retailers.

“The Koerber’s farm is located right in the center of Dunbarton and preserving it as open space is crucial in maintaining the rural character of our town,” said Brett St. Clair, chair of the Dunbarton Conservation Commission.

Conservation of the Koerber Family Forest is the culmination of a multi-year effort by Five Rivers to raise the necessary funds and finalize the purchase of the conservation easement, after the Koerbers’ initial offer to donate half of the value of the easement. The project was made possible by several critical state and community funding partners, including New Hampshire’s Land & Community Heritage Investment Program (LCHIP), which awarded a $100,000 grant to the project; the Dunbarton Conservation Commission; the Merrimack Conservation Partnership; the New Hampshire State Conservation Commission “Moose Plate” Conservation Grant Program; the New Hampshire Drinking Water and Groundwater Trust Fund Grant; as well as over $19,000 in private donations.

Tyler Road
477 acres of fields, forestland, and stream frontage
No public access
June 2020

The Janeway Conservation Area has many attributes that make it a conservation priority. The Blackwater River, one of the “Five Rivers,” flows along ¾ of a mile of the Conservation Area’s southern boundary. Rich Cook, Five Rivers Project Manager for the project says, “For paddlers, this part of the river feels like wilderness.”

The property represents an extraordinary gift by Harold and Betsy Janeway of their home and 477 acres of land in Webster and Hopkinton to Five Rivers Conservation Trust.

On the north side of the property lies 1¼ miles of frontage on Deer Meadow Brook and its associated wetlands, an important water filtration system that slows frequent heavy rains.

Included in the Conservation Area are hayfields managed by Bohanan Farm, producing Contoocook Creamery milk products locally and pastureland used by the Drown Farm’s heifers each summer. Combined with hundreds of acres of forestland and frontage on Chase Pond, the Conservation Area is a haven for wildlife – songbirds and hawks, foxes and bears, salamanders, snakes and fish all use the habitat provided by these 477 acres.

The donation of the Janeway Conservation Area ushers in a new era for Five Rivers, conserving land by ownership in addition to its use of the conservation easement as a conservation tool. This is the third and by far, the largest property where Five Rivers will own and manage conserved land. The others are the Sweatt Preserve in Hopkinton and the Armstrong Forest Preserve in Concord. The Janeways’ remarkable gift is the largest property conserved by Five Rivers Conservation Trust.

Trail Map and Directions
Stickney Hill Road/Millstone Drive
24 acres of pine, oak, and hemlock forest
Public access
December 2019

Thomas M. Armstrong and his family donated the 24-acre Armstrong Forest Preserve to Five Rivers Conservation Trust. Mr. Armstrong entrusted the forestland to Five Rivers with these words, “encourage active public observation, learning and enjoyment…for the study and wonder of nature, forests in particular, outdoor recreation, and the recharging of our minds, bodies and spirits.”

Located on Stickney Hill Road, the Preserve enhances, connects, and is in close proximity to St Paul’s School land and conserved land. Land to the east, is owned by St. Paul’s School. City of Concord land and the West End Farm Trail extend to the north. Three expansive fields and farms conserved by Five Rivers Conservation Trust lie to the west. If you want to visit the Preserve, it is directly across Stickney Hill Road from the botttom of the Exit 3 ramp from I-89 North.

Towering white pines and oaks cloak the new Preserve. Perimeter trails beckon walkers, runners and cross-country skiers to explore this lesser known, less crowded part of Concord.

The Armstrong Forest Preserve is a gateway to an inviting trail network of scenic discontinued town roads along the southern boundary of the property. The trail begins on Millstone Drive, passes the historic Stickney Cemetery and connects to NH Snowmobile Corridor 11.

If you want to explore the untrailed interior, you may find the vernal pool in spring and a small forested wetland. The forest has not been harvested in over 40 years and is maturing into venerable pines, oaks, and hemlocks. In winter, explore on snowshoes to learn which critters leave tracks in the snow. At other times of the year, step gently and you will discover hidden wildflowers, mosses and ferns.

Tom Armstrong, now of Scarborough, Maine, purchased this forestland in 1953, after he worked at Fox State Forest in Hillsborough. He donated the Preserve to Five Rivers in memory of his wife, Rachel Franck Armstrong, and in honor of his forestry mentors and friends Henry Ives and Birgit Baldwin, and Frances and Larry Rathbun.

Main Street, Contoocook
55 acres of farm fields and river frontage
Public access
July 2019

Five Rivers Conservation Trust and the Hopkinton Conservation Commission collaborated to permanently protect a 55-acre farm field in the center of Contoocook Village from future development.

The Houston family owns the field, located behind Dimitri’s restaurant and Colonial Plaza, as part of its Pine Lane Farm. The family has a long history of farming in Contoocook. Rich Houston, the third-generation of the family to manage Pine Lane Farm, has seen many acres of farmland lost to non-farm uses, so he wanted to permanently protect this prime agricultural land along the Contoocook and Warner Rivers. Houston says, “The viability of the farm depends on having enough good farmland to grow the corn silage and hay needed to feed our 450 milking cows.”

The Houstons’ goal of protecting their farmland meshed perfectly with the goals of Five Rivers and the Hopkinton Conservation Commission. Both organizations prioritize protecting working farmland and river frontage. This 55-field has the added benefit of being in the center of Contoocook village, across from the town’s Riverway Park and next to Contoocook’s iconic covered bridge. Keeping this agricultural land open is important to maintaining Contoocook’s rural character.

Five Rivers’ Executive Director, Beth McGuinn, said, “Conservation of this property means that this highest quality farmland will remain available for farming. Nearly a mile of undeveloped frontage along the Contoocook and Warner Rivers will continue to be a feature of Contoocook Village for those who live nearby, paddle the rivers, shop at the farmer’s market or visit the covered bridge.”

Rich Houston, co-owner of Pine Lane Farm, is committed to the continuing viability of his family farm – his children are already working on the farm. Rich would like to permanently protect all of the farm’s 180 acres of prime riverfront land.

Rob Knight, Five Rivers’ project manager, said, “It was great working with Rich Houston. He is so clearly committed to protecting his farmland for the future.”

Rich and his mother Edith will continue to own the farm field under conservation restrictions that prevent future development and require best management practices for agriculture. Five Rivers role continues into the future, monitoring the property each year, and working with Rich and future owners of the land to ensure that the conservation restrictions are honored.

Funding for the conservation project came from the Hopkinton Conservation Commission, the Thomas W Haas Fund, the NH State Conservation Committee’s Conservation License Plate Program and private local donations. Five Rivers is still accepting donations to cover the final costs of the project, with a goal of an additional $3500.

Pumpkin Hill and Bartlett Loop Roads
9 acres of forest, stream, and wetland habitats
Public access, no formal trails
January 2019

In Warner, a 50 year tradition of taking children outdoors each spring at the Warner Fishing Derby indicates that the location of the derby is a special place in town. Willow Brook, also known as Children’s Brook, has always been the Derby location. Families come with their children, fishing poles and bait to help their kids learn the thrills of spending time outdoors and taking a chance at bringing dinner home. The faces of children and their parents express the importance of this event. It is a bonding experience for everyone.

So, when Scott and Joan Warren and the Warner Conservation Commission asked Five Rivers Conservation Trust to help conserve land along Children’s Brook, we were excited. “Community Conservation is about conserving the places important to the people in the Community,” says Beth McGuinn, Executive Director of Five Rivers Conservation Trust. After two years of working toward the goal, the project has been completed, with the Town and the Warrens each conserving the land they own along the brook. Now, nearly ½ mile along the brook is conserved and will always be open for children who want to take a chance at catching the big one.

Nancy Martin, Chair of the Warner Conservation Commission, says her boys Chip and Andy participated in the derby from ages 5 to 16, back in the 60’s and 70’s. “We hope to instill a love of fishing in our grandchildren, beginning just like their Dads did, with the Warner Fishing Derby.”

In an era when the lure of technology means children (and parents) spend less time outdoors, Children’s Brook is a very important place for introducing children to the inspiration of nature. With the area conserved, future generations of parents and children will have access to this special place – Children’s Brook.

Five Rivers Conservation Trust guided the Warrens and the Town of Warner through the Conservation process. The Town and the Warrens generously donated conservation easements, which limit the use of their land and allow future generations of children to fish on this section of the brook. The Town donated funds to cover all transaction expenses. Five Rivers will monitor the property to ensure that it is used only for conservation purposes in the future.

Meadow Pond, Loon Pond, Stockwell Hill Roads
164 acres of forest, stream, and wetland habitats
Public access, no formal trails
December 2018

Approaching the four corners of Meadow Pond, Loon Pond, and Stockwell Hill Roads in Gilmanton is like experiencing “The essence of rural character in Gilmanton.” Now these 164 acres of scenic lands are conserved permanently, thanks to landowners Graham Wilson and Virginia Sapiro who donated a conservation easement to Five Rivers Conservation Trust on December 20.

The landowners have carefully managed their pine-oak forestland, and allow a neighbor to tap their sugarbush. Waterfowl and other terrestrial and aquatic life find productive habitats along over 3/4 of a mile of Academy Brook. Vernal pools, beaver ponds, mill ponds, and the surrounding expanse of forest augment the value of this land for wildlife. Gina tends fertile gardens on the property and her produce and bread are available at “Gilmanton’s Own Market”.

Old timers know this property as the former location of a thriving 19th century Gilmanton landmark, Jones Mill. Millers used the power of Academy Brook to grind grain, manufacture clothes dryers, and make 73,000 shingles per day!

The landowners generously donated the conservation easement to permanently protect their land from development, subdivision, and mismanagement, no matter who owns it in the future.

Five Rivers Conservation Trust guided the conservation process and is responsible for ensuring the terms of this conservation easement are upheld forever. To do that Five Rivers will monitor the property at least annually, work cooperatively with all future landowners to determine appropriate land uses and take action if future activities are not compatible with the conservation easement.

The Gilmanton Land Trust and private donors provided crucial financial assistance for transaction costs. Five Rivers is still accepting donations to cover these costs.

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Kast Hill Road
27.5 acres
No public access
September 2018

In September, 2018, Five Rivers completed conservation of 27.5 acres of prime agricultural land on Kast Hill Road in Hopkinton, thanks to the generosity of Francis M. Hart and the Town of Hopkinton.

The property includes fields that are ranked among the best wildlife habitat in the biological region. Mrs. Hart has conserved the field she cherishes — it will never be developed and will always remain available for hay production or other agricultural uses. She will continue to own the property, and manage it for conservation purposes, including agriculture.

Mrs. Hart is only the third owner of this field in over 100 years. Massachusetts Governor Frank Allen raised Guernsey cows here from 1915 until 1950. Fran’s parents, Harold and Christine Albin, bought the farm, attracted to the magnificent field and its acres of prime agricultural soils. Harold was retiring from the U.S. Department of Agricultural and he knew good farmland. Fran (Albin) Hart has owned the farm since 1975, and her conservation ethic will keep this field undeveloped in the future.

In July, 2018, Five Rivers Conservation Trust announced the conservation of 77 acres of the Currier-Sanborn Conservation Area (Tioga Marsh 2), a significant parcel of land purchased by the Belmont Conservation Commission (BCC) for conservation purposes. The property is located between Silver Lake, the Winnipesaukee River, and 178-acres of conserved land known as Tioga Marsh. The BCC purchased the property from the Sanborn Family Trust, descendants of the long-time owners of the property, and donated a conservation easement to Five Rivers.

Highlights of the property are its half-mile frontage along the Winnipesaukee River, a significant marsh/flood-plain forest that ranks as “most significant wildlife habitat in the state”, a portion of the Tioga River, and it abuts another conservation parcel – the Tioga River Wildlife and Conservation Area previously purchased by the Town and conserved with an easement to Five Rivers. The property is a mixture of woodlands, marsh, and floodplain-forest. The BCC will manage the property and it is open to passive recreation, hunting, and fishing.

The BCC used monies from the town’s Conservation Fund, as well as grant funding from the Land and Community Heritage Investment Program (LCHIP), the New Hampshire Dept. of Environmental Services Aquatic Resource Mitigation Program (ARM), and a State Conservation Committee Conservation Grant (Moose Plate) to purchase the property and cover the costs of the conservation easement.

Five Rivers is grateful to the BCC for their commitment to conservation of the Tioga Marsh and their efforts to raise funds to purchase this property for conservation.

Five Rivers holds a conservation easement on both of these parcels, collectively known as The Tioga Marsh, ensuring their undeveloped, protected status forever. As the easement holder, Five Rivers will monitor the property annually to ensure that the property remains undeveloped in the future.

LCHIP awarded Belmont a grant for the property’s protection. LCHIP is an independent state authority that makes matching grants to NH communities and nonprofits to conserve and preserve New Hampshire’s most important natural, cultural and historic resources.

The ARM grant was awarded based on the protection value of the wetland and contributing upland on the property. The ARM fund is collected from applicants who have impacted significant wetlands where on-site mitigation is not possible and have made an in-lieu fee.

The Conservation Commission received a Moose Plate Grant to offset the administrative costs of the conservation easement. The NH Conservation License Plate (Moose Plate) Program supports the protection of critical resources in New Hampshire, including scenic lands, historic sites and artifacts, plants and wildlife.

The BCC Conservation Fund receives 100% of the Land Use Change Tax, the 10% market value penalty when land is converted from Current Use. The Commission has used the Fund to protect a number of significant properties throughout town since it was established. The BCC manages just about 700 acres of property that has either been purchased or given to the Town. Properties fronting on the Tioga River have special significance to the BCC’s conservation priorities.

130 Hutchinson Road
120 acres of forest
Public access, hiking trails
March, 2018

Five Rivers and the Town of Chichester teamed up to enhance the level of conservation for the Chichester (Spaulding) Town Forest in March 2018, Five Rivers’ first property conserved by easement in Chichester! This 120-acre working forest is located on the Chichester/Pembroke Town Line, off of Hutchinson Road in the southern part of Town. The easement adds to the Town’s other easement holdings which total nearly 400 acres.

The Town has owned most of the Town Forest parcel since the 1950s, and has carefully managed it under the professional guidance of licensed forester Charlie Moreno. Forest Management has improved the quality of the forest overall and is encouraging future growth on the best quality trees on the property. In addition to sustainable forestry, the Town’s forest management goals include preservation of wildlife habitat and promotion of passive recreation.

NH Fish and Game ranks this property among the best wildlife habitat in the state, and includes habitat suitable for creatures ranging from large mammals to amphibians. The property abuts the Humphrey Forest, conserved by the Society for the Protection of NH Forests. These properties, plus other nearby conserved land, provide over 400 acres permanently protected for wildlife to roam. Additional unprotected open spaces create a contiguous block of 1300 acres.

The property is open to the public and currently has three trails of varying length and difficulty. The highest terrain on the parcel provides some exceptional views to the east.

Many New Hampshire towns have designated Town Forests, and some people believe that these properties are conserved by that designation. However, the Town Forest designation can be removed by a vote at town meeting. The Chichester Town Forest is protected by a conservation easement, which limits its use to forestry, outdoor recreation, wildlife habitat management and conservation – forever.

Five Rivers will continue to work with the Town and the Conservation Commission to ensure that the property’s conservation values are always protected for the public benefit.

Cogswell Hill Road
56 acres
Public access
June 2017

In June 2017, Five Rivers completed conservation of 56 acres on Cogswell Hill in Canterbury, thanks to the generosity of Howard Moffett and the Canterbury Conservation Commission.

The property includes 15 acres of hay fields at the top of Cogswell Hill; hardwood and softwood forest on the southern and eastern slope of the hill; and a brook, wetland and recreational trail at the bottom of the eastern slope. The combination of wildlife habitats host everything from toads to turkeys and Barred Owls to bobcats.

The recreational trail is part of a local trail used by snowmobiles, walkers and cross country skiers.

The Canterbury Conservation Commission helped make this conservation project possible with a contribution to Five Rivers’ Stewardship Fund. This fund helps Five Rivers cover the costs of monitoring the easement, working with landowners in the future to ensure that planned activities comply with the conservation restrictions placed on the land.

Stone Road
237 acres of farmland, fields, and forest
Public access, no formal trails
January 2017

The rich history of Stone Farm goes back to the 1780’s when the first Stone ancestor farmed this land and is evidenced by spectacular foundations and cellar holes that tell the story of two centuries of life and farming in this corner of Dunbarton. Generations of the Stone Family raised agricultural crops from hops to apples to dairy cows. Today, hay from the farm feeds beef cattle. Logs and firewood are harvested sustainably. Visitors can see relics of buildings from long ago. Wildlife roams freely through the Stone Farm and surrounding conserved lands – now over 600 acres in all.

To learn more about the history of the farm, click here.

The Dunbarton Conservation Commission plans to create a public trail on the property in the near future, exploring some of the remarkable stone foundations and stone walls that speak to the land’s past use.

Geological Center of New England

Stone Farm is also significant because, according to several geographers, it is the geological center of New England. From science.answers.com: “The geological center of New England is located at 43.117199 degrees latitude and -71.593498 degrees longitude, at the intersection of Guinea and Stone roads in Dunbarton. The person to officially answer that question was Suchi Gopal, professor in Boston University’s Department of Geography and Environment. Gopal used the center of gravity, or “centroid,” method. “A mathematical calculation that uses a digital representation of the six New England states is the most accurate because it’s based on a math algorithm that the computer uses to calculate the center based on the boundaries,” Gopal said. Her calculation, she added, also took into account the irregular coastline of Maine and the islands off the coast of Massachusetts.

In fairness, there are other methods for determining the geographic center of New England and other towns also make the claim: Norway, Maine; Wakefield, NH; and Sanford, Maine.

Corn Hill Road
81 acres of wetlands, stream, and mixed forest
No guaranteed public access
December 2016

Congratulations to John and Barbara Keegan, who in December 2016 fulfilled their dream of conserving 81 acres of wetlands, forests, and field on their Boscawen property with Five Rivers Conservation Trust.

The Keegans manage the property for sustainable living and as a tree farm, producing maple syrup, firewood and wood products from the land. Conserving this land is an extension of the Keegans’ sustainable living ethic.

John and Barbara built their home on the property in 1980 from trees harvested from their certified Tree Farm. The area around their home provides fresh garden produce, eggs and meat from chickens, ducks and geese; and maple syrup from sap collected in their woodland. The field is managed for wildlife and is filled with flowering plants which attract pollinators. The woodland is an actively managed, certified Tree Farm that provides maple sap, sustainably harvested firewood.

The Keegan land is adjacent to the already conserved Woodman Forest, owned by the Forest Society, creating a block of nearly 200 conserved acres. The property is primarily forested with a large wetland, making it a magnet for wildlife.

New Hampshire’s wildlife action plan identifies this land as among the highest ranking habitats in the state. The Keegans have observed moose, bear, coyote, bobcat, nesting red-shouldered hawks, turkeys, red and gray foxes, otter, barred owls, pileated woodpeckers, weasels, beaver, and fisher and have at times experienced wildlife contemplating or taking a free meal of domestic poultry!

The Keegan easement is Five Rivers’ first conservation project in Boscawen. “The 81-acres around the Keegans’ homestead will never be subdivided or developed and the property will be sustainably managed, providing valuable wildlife habitat and abundant water resources. The Keegans will continue to own the property and can transfer it to another owner in the future. Five Rivers will monitor the land and ensure that conservation restrictions placed on it keep the land undeveloped in the future,” states Beth McGuinn, Executive Director of Five Rivers.

Special thanks to the Keegans for their dedication to land conservation and to the Boscawen Conservation Commission for providing funding to make it possible.

557 Buck Road
46.3 acres
Public access, no formal trails
April 2011

The Hillman family owned these lands for over a hundred years and farmed them until the 1960s. Since then Stan Grimes and his family have been leasing the fields and growing corn. In 2008, the Hillman children, now in their seventies, were forced to put the property on the market. Initially a developer was the top bidder but after the deal fell through, Stan Grimes and the Hillmans reached out to the community for help in preserving it.

Ammy Heiser and the Pembroke Conservation Commission had protected small parcels in the past but the amount of money needed to do this deal was much bigger than anything they had faced before. Ultimately, they learned about the Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. But in order to get a grant for matching funds from the government they had to demonstrate the farm’s historic significance. State historian James Garvin stepped in and wrote a letter documenting that the area had been farmed since it was first settled in 1755 and has always had prime agricultural soil. The USDA agreed and in 2011, the Town of Pembroke put the issue to the voters and between the federal money and money from the local conservation fund, it bought the land. Shortly thereafter, the town placed an easement on the land under the stewardship of Five Rivers. This fulfilled the desire of Marilyn Hillman and her siblings to honor the memory of their parents.

The Grimes continue to lease the land from the Town of Pembroke and it remains a working farm. There are trails along the perimeter of the corn fields stretching back to the Suncook River but, during the growing season, access and ease of walking may be limited. The best time to visit is after the harvest and during the winter when the fields are cleared and there is no risk of damaging the crops. With the fields cleared there is plenty of space to walk around and, in the winter, to snowshoe and cross-country ski. Be advised that hunting is also permitted on the property so it is important to wear bright clothing and stay alert while visiting during hunting season.

On Loudon Ridge Road and Page Road
92 acre farm consisting of fields, pasture, mixed forest, and wetland
No public access
October 2007

Perched alongside Loudon Ridge Road in Loudon, with a sea of New Hampshire’s hills and valleys stretching to the horizon, the Sleeper farm has been continuously owned by the Sleeper family for six generations.  The farm will remain undeveloped thanks to a 93-acre conservation easement that the family donated to Five Rivers Conservation Trust.

After the death of Edwin Sleeper in 1999 and Katherine Sleeper in 2006, the farm was owned by the Katherine Sleeper Trust.  The Sleepers held a strong conservation ethic and wanted to ensure that the property remain intact for future generations.  Family members worked with Five Rivers to make sure that their parents’ wishes were honored, and in 2007 they placed a conservation easement on the property.  The easement ensures that the farm’s open space will never be subdivided.

Extensive fields and forests grace this magnificent acreage.  Crops are grown on prime agricultural soils, sheep graze on rich grassy slopes, and a large woodlot is carefully managed for its harvestable timber.  With frontage on both Loudon Ridge Road and Page Road, the farm has distant vistas upon the broad valley of the Merrimack River Watershed to the south and the White Mountains to the northwest.  “It’s a very special place,” noted Eileen Sleeper, Edwin and Katherine’s daughter.  “It’s a farm that has meant a great deal to my family over the decades and generations. Our parents would be pleased to know that the land that they loved will forever stay the same.”

It’s an honor for Five Rivers Conservation Trust to have played a role in helping the Sleeper family realize their conservation vision on this remarkable New Hampshire farm.

Sanborn Road
38 acres of outstanding wildlife habitat, with half a beaver pond surrounded by wetlands and upland forest
No public access
July 2016

Thanks to the conservation commitment and generosity of Colin Cabot, a critical parcel of land has been conserved. The property includes half of a beaver pond surrounded by wetlands and upland forest. The easement conserves 3,500 feet of water frontage of the pond. It also conserves 1,250 feet of undeveloped frontage on Sanborn Road, an undeveloped road which is used for outdoor recreation year round.

The property abuts other conserved land including the 730 acre Osborn Wildlife Management Area which includes the other half of the pond and road frontage across from the Cabot land. The easement ensures continued public access to this outstanding natural area.

“The conserved property has outstanding wildlife habitat due to the combination of water, wetlands, vernal pools, upland forest and adjacent conserved land,” observed Lee Carbonneau, a nearby resident, wetland scientist and wildlife biologist. Over many years of walking the property, Ms. Carbonneau has seen the following wildlife either on the property or nearby including moose, deer, coyote, fisher, otter, gray fox, painted turtle, great-blue heron, wood duck, pileated woodpecker, yellow-bellied sapsucker, barred owl, broad-winged hawk, hermit thrush, veery, a variety of wood warblers and many other species.

Currier Road
91 acres of fields, forests, and large beaver pond
No public access
December 2007

Thanks to the conservation vision of Loudon resident Colin Cabot, a spectacular 91-acre spread of productive fields and woodlands, coupled with a beautiful hidden pond set deep amidst the forest, has now been protected in perpetuity.

Perched along the side of Clough Hill on Currier Road, the property includes a 20-acre field, a remnant of New Hampshire’s agrarian past.  Located near an active, working farm, the open field commands sweeping views of distant hills and valleys. A pathway through the property’s forestland leads to Holt Pond, a large waterbody of about 45 acres.

This undeveloped jewel plays host to a variety of species of ducks and other waterfowl. It is a still and silent place, an unspoiled part of the New Hampshire countryside.  This is an outstanding piece of central New Hampshire land, and the donation of a conservation easement in 2007 has provided the community of Loudon with a legacy of its natural and cultural heritage that will be increasingly valued in the years ahead.

Near Kenney Road
50 acres of mixed forest
No public access
August 2004

In the summer of 2004 The Nature Conservancy (TNC) generously donated to the Town of Loudon a beautiful 50-acre tract of land near Bumfagon Brook. The land was originally owned by Bear Paw Timber Company, which decided to donate it to TNC with the hope that it would be kept in an undeveloped state. The Nature Conservancy subsequently negotiated an easement on the property with Five Rivers, and thus the protected land was donated to the town.

Wildlife abounds at this land-locked parcel, with common species including deer, fox, coyote and numerous birds species. Commercial forestry is allowed, although restrictions in the easement ensure that it will be performed in such a way as to protect and maintain the natural resources of the property. The Town is actively pursuing land protection on other nearby parcels, which it hopes will ultimately result in a large block of contiguous protected open space in this part of Loudon.

Off of NH Route 106 and Currier Road
79 acres of softwood forest with frontage on the Soucook River
Public access
August 2004

The Nature Conservancy donated an easement on 79 acres of highly productive forest in Loudon in 2004. The easement was crafted to allow commercial forestry while guaranteeing that the productive capacity of the property is maintained and protected. Subsequently Jack and Mary Bronnenberg purchased the property with the intention of practicing sustainable forestry and habitat conservation on this spectacular pine lot. Jack Bronnenberg and his son Jake have a reputation for excellence in forestry, and they will bring their expertise to bear in the sensitive forest management of this property.

The property has 1,200 feet of frontage on the Soucook River, as well as significant frontage on Rte. 106. and both sides of Currier Road in Loudon. Numerous vernal pools and other pocket wetlands dot the property. Two existing trails cross the property, which has an extensive glacial formations known as an eskers, which is a long ridge of sand and gravel left by the melt water pattern of the last glacier. Nearby eskers have been mined or eliminated for use as construction material, but this esker will remain intact thanks to the easement restrictions.

Franklin Road/Rte. 127
19 acres of scenic views & fields
No public access
2004

Almost 50 years ago, Fredric and Harriet Lake fell in love with an old country house and barn with open hay fields in the small village of Salisbury. The Lakes purchased the Fellows Farm in 1956 and made an annual summer pilgrimage from Chicago to lovingly restore the house over many years to its original Federal-period charm.

In 2004, unable to continue their annual eastward trek, the Lakes decided to sell the property to a new owner who would love and maintain the house and property as they had done for almost five decades. Before selling the property, the Lakes donated an easement on almost 19 acres of open space to Five Rivers, so that the property would be preserved intact for future generations. Shortly after the easement was recorded, a prospective buyer was identified. The buyer welcomed the easement, and decided to purchase the property.

Although relatively small, the farm offers scenic views from Rt. 127 of open fields bordered by sugar maples and provides wildlife habitat for the animal life that abounds in the wooded portion of the property and in the extensive wetland system nearby. It is situated at the gateway to Salisbury Village, just a few doors down from the former home of an uncle of Daniel Webster and just a few miles from Daniel Webster’s birthplace.

Off Loverin Hill Road
139 acres of fields and forest
Public access
April 2012

The 139 acres on Loverin Hill Road has a long, rich farming history and a bright future, thanks to Joseph Schmidl and Cynthia Owen. From the 1760s into the early 1900s, this land was home to Fairview Farm. However, over the following fifty years, most of the fields returned to forest.

In 2010, the land went up for sale and a developer came forward with a proposal to build thirty houses. When Joe and Cynthia heard about the potential development, they decided they couldn’t let that happen and brought together the resources to buy the property. As Joe Schmidl pointed out, the proposed development would have more than doubled the number of houses in their corner of Salisbury. Their bid was accepted and immediately after, they entrusted the easement to Five Rivers.

The family plans to build a house on a lot next to the easement and put the land back into production on a small scale. Joe has a sugar shack and taps the maples on the property and there is already a cleared field that can be turned into pasture. There are plans for the sustainable harvest of white pine and red oak and the Schmidl-Owens also make blackberry and raspberry jam from the fruit bushes that line some of the property’s trails. The bushes are for the family’s use and so you should refrain from picking the berries during your visit. The basic rule is, a few for tasting is fine, but not for taking home.

The family wishes to share the land with the public; there are trails on the property that Joe periodically clears and are available for recreation, with the exception of motorized vehicles. Currently the trail on the western edge of the property is in the best condition. Walk about 10 minutes on this trail and you can make out a stone formation that is believed to be the cellar of the original farmhouse. Some of the other trails that run behind and alongside the field have deep skidder ruts that can fill up with water after a heavy rain. Joe says that the best time of year to visit the property is after the trees have lost their leaves in the fall and there are clear views of Mount Kearsarge and the surrounding landscape. The trails are perfect in the winter for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing and are nice for walking throughout the year. Some of the neighbors ride their horses on the trails so don’t be surprised if you happen to come across them.

The property is in its early stages of development and, with all it has to offer already, it has great potential. With plans to further develop recreational access and production on the property the Schmidl-Owens hope to see the return of the Fairview Farm.

Little Tooky & Penacook Roads
46.7 acres
Public access, no formal trails
November 2011

Sloping down from Penacook Road is an overgrown meadow of what used to be a chicken farm. The remains of old chicken coops can still be found on the property. At the base of the hill there is an overgrown railroad bed, part of what was the Concord and Claremont line. The Town of Hopkinton purchased the property using an Open Space Bond and passed the easement on to Five Rivers in 2011.

The field is part of what defines Contoocook as a rural area and the town preserved it before there was even a chance for development. Power lines cut across the field but do not take away from its beauty. Far and away the highlight of the property is its magnificent view of the New Hampshire landscape. Mt Kearsarge stands to the north and you can make out its summit fire tower on a clear day. There is a provision in the easement that the field will regularly be mowed to maintain the view.

There is no parking along Penacook Road but it is possible to pull over near the intersection with Gould Hill Road for pictures. However, there is also no designated lookout area so please use caution if you do step out of your car.

Maple Street
210 acres
Public access, no formal trails
November 2011

The Rice easement is largely forest that lies between Maple Street and the Contoocook River in Hopkinton. It was purchased by the Town using an open space bond. Hopkinton then went to Five Rivers in 2011 to place a conservation easement on the property.

A corn field lies along the northern edge of the woods. An old farm road cuts through the property to give a local farmer access.

There is no easy way to get to Rice, nor are there any trails once you reach the property. However the land is popular with hunters. Its wetlands and vernal pools attract deer, turkey, and other small game. The Town plans to hire a forest manager and sustainably log sections of the forest. If you just want to see the Rice lands, the best view would be from a boat on the Contoocook River.

Jewett Road
24 acres of fields and woodlands with stream. Abuts ASNH Chase Sanctuary
No public access
October 2005

Five Rivers Conservation Trust received a new conservation easement in Hopkinton, thanks to the generosity and vision of Hope Butterworth. Hope donated an easement on 24 acres of land which is directly adjacent to NH Audubon’s Chase Sanctuary on Jewett Road in Hopkinton. The land is now owned by Ken and Cindi Hayden and will be incorporated as a portion of Contoocook Valley Farm. Currently the mainstay of Contoocook Valley Farm is sheep dog training, but the farm also supports a growing number of sheep, horses, cows, goats, llamas, ducks, and a donkey.

The property is about half woodland and half fields that have been fallow for a few years. There are beautiful white pines, and a mix of stately ash, oak and beech trees throughout. A small stream courses through the middle of the wooded portion and the associated hemlocks provide wonderful cover for deer and other wildlife. The property also shares 1,600 feet of common boundary with the NH Audubon Society’s Chase Sanctuary, contributing to what is now a large block of open space of over 785 acres.

Trail Map
Dustin Road
35.8 acres of forests, wetlands, and farmland
Public access
November 2014

The Dustin easement is almost completely forested. One area near the road was most recently pasture and is now a nearly pure stand of white pine. Most of the property is upland forest consisting of a mixture of scattered larger white pines with some red oak above an understory of smaller oak, red maple, beech and birch. There is a flood plain forest near the river consisting of silver maple with some elm and abundant shrubs. There is a hemlock stand near the stream.

The property has outstanding wildlife habitat value due to its varied habitats and proximity to the river. The NH Wildlife Action Plan shows this property as abutting and supporting some of the highest ranked habitats in the region.

Wetland areas are near the river and include over 1,600 feet of frontage on the Contoocook River. The property has over 825 feet of scenic frontage along Dustin Road. Trails connect to the Bohanan Farm Trail network.

Click here to access the Hopkinton Conservation Land website, which includes a full description of all Bohanan Farm trails and access to trail maps.

Farrington Corner Road
35 acres of forests and wetlands
Public access
June 2006

The Carson Property is a 35-acre parcel located along Farrington Corner Road in Hopkinton. It is owned by the Town of Hopkinton, which signed the property’s conservation easement in June of 2006.

A former pasture, the Carson Property now consists of extensive forest stands, notably red oak, hemlock and other species. A small brook courses its way across an undulating terrain of glacial deposits. Beneath the property the bedrock is both Concord Granite of Devonian age and a Silurian age schist of the remarkable Smalls Falls Formation.

The property is located next to New Hampshire Audubon’s Brockway Nature Preserve, a parcel with some delightful walking trails. The newly-protected Carson Property creates an additional forest buffer around that preserve, thereby serving to expand the conserved acreage in this part of Hopkinton while enhancing the experience for those who enjoy the nearby Audubon preserve.

Trail Map (West)
Trail Map (East)
Contoocook Creamery website
Contoocook Creamery Facebook page
Penacook Road
413 acres of farmland
Public access
June 2010

Bohanan Farm has been in existence since Lester Bohanan bought the land in 1907. From the 1930s on, the farm became primarily a dairy farm and has grown with every new generation. Lester’s great-grand-daughter, Heather, married Jaime Robertson, who currently manages the over 400-cow operation.

In 2008 the family decided the best way to ensure the land remained unaltered for future generations was to place an easement on it. However the cost to do so was quite substantial and Jaime asked the Town of Hopkinton if they were interested in purchasing the development rights. Hopkinton’s Open Space Committee began building support for the idea among the voters while Five Rivers got involved and raised money through state and federal grants as well as generous private donations. The State of NH and the National Resource Conservation Service through its Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program also provided valuable assistance.

In the largest town meeting in the town’s history, Hopkinton residents overwhelmingly voted to preserve the farm. After the land was under easement, Jaime decided to widen the scope of the farm. He created the Contoocook Creamery and you can find their milk in traditional glass bottles in many local grocery stores. The Robertsons also sell eggs and have started raising cattle for beef, not just milking. Blueberry and raspberry patches are also in the works and should be ready for the public in a couple of seasons. Logging has always brought in extra income for the farm but is done in a sustainable manner. There are large cornfields on the property that produce about 50% of the cow’s feed over the course of the year.

For years there have been trails on the property that were open to the public but now that Hopkinton maintains them, there is a designated parking area and they are clearly mapped and marked. Click here to access the Hopkinton Conservation Land website, which includes a full description of all Bohanan Farm trails and access to trail maps.

The Courser Hill Loop trail is a 2.3 mi round trip and starts from the parking area. It heads along the Contoocook River past a canoe and kayak launch, around a field and then cuts inwards towards Courser Hill. Once in the woods the trail divides into the loop portion. The trail has a long stretch through the woods and another sizeable stretch that cuts through Courser Hill pasture and over the top of the hill. At the top of the field there is a small grove of trees with an old cellar hole at the center. You should be aware that at certain times of the year there may be cows grazing in the pasture.

Across the road from the main farm, along Burrage Road, there is the 1.5 mi Blackwater River Loop trail. It cuts in past a cornfield and leads into the woods. There is a lookout point over the Blackwater River on the north-west part of the trail. The path also leads past several vernal pools. This trail is ideal for cross-country skiing and biking in addition to being a nice walking route.

The newly added Contoocook Overlook Trail (conserved by the Town of Hopkinton and owner Donelda Horne and not Five Rivers) leaves the Blackwater River Loop at the half way point, adding ¾ of a mile to the Blackwater Loop (2.2 miles total with the overlook trail). The trail follows a bluff above the Blackwater River before turning toward the Contoocook River where an overlook provides beautiful views where the two rivers converge. The trail climbs a short hill to a bluff along the Contoocook River, follows through mature woodlands with views over Bohanan fields, and rejoins the Blackwater River Loop. Click here to access the Hopkinton Conservation Land website, which includes a full description of the Contoocook Overlook Trail and access to trail maps.

After your hike, don’t forget to say hello to the cows. They’ll appreciate it.

Bound Tree Road
111 acres of forests and wetlands in both Hopkinton and Warner
Public access
June 2006

The Bermuda-Harris Property, which is owned by the Town of Hopkinton, is an attractive 111-acre landscape that straddles the Hopkinton-Warner town line. It fronts on both Bound Tree Road and Pleasant Lake Road, both in Hopkinton. The Town signed a conservation easement for the property with Five Rivers Conservation Trust in June of 2006.

This preserve is particularly well suited for recreational trails that allow public access to some wonderful natural features. Mature stands of hemlock, pine, and hardwoods, as well as a large black gum tree rare to this northern environment, are just a few of the property’s attributes. Also, in addition to a delightful brook, once used in the 1700s to power a small, long-since-disappeared mill, the forested landscape is graced by a remote, hidden, beaver pond. Along with a number of surrounding vernal pools, this isolated wetland, as well as the rest of the forestland, is frequented by deer, turkeys, hawks, songbirds, and other wildlife. The Bermuda-Harris Property also exhibits some interesting glacial formations, as well as old cellar holes and other legacies from a bygone era.

Route 107, Loon Pond and Meetinghouse Pond Roads
85 acres of fields and forests
No dedicated public access
December 2013 and September 2017

The four protected properties, formerly owned by long-term Gilmanton resident George Twigg, III, have been conserved for agriculture and public enjoyment, under conservation easements held by the Five Rivers Conservation Trust. Gilmanton Land Trust, a local organization, undertook the project, in cooperation with Five Rivers, to raise the nearly $1.2 million needed to secure the future of four key properties owned by Mr. Twigg, including the views long admired by residents and travelers through the town.

The land conserved includes four parcels:

1. The 15-acre tract on the top of Frisky Hill (Route 107) with views to the north and east over fields, hills and the Belknap Mountains
2. A 21- acre parcel, also on Rt. 107, looking northerly over Loon Pond to rolling hills and Mount Kearsarge beyond
3. An 8-acre field on Loon Pond Road providing access to a cemetery once used by the Osgood family
4. A 41- acre tract of fields and forests with extensive frontage on Meetinghouse Pond across from the historic Smith Meetinghouse complex. This parcel includes a flax retting pond, where farmers prepared flax for weaving into cloth in the early 19th century. The extensive stone structure built across the pond’s bottom for processing flax is the only known example of such a feature in the State of New Hampshire.

The Frisky Hill view toward the Belknaps and the Meetinghouse Road parcels are now owned by the Town of Gilmanton (subject to conservation easements held by Five Rivers) under the stewardship of the Conservation Commission.

Tibbetts Road
25 acres
No public access
January 2009

This 25-acre property is located just east of the village of Gilmanton Iron Works and is bordered by a dirt road (Tibbetts Road) on one side and Rt. 140 on the other side. Stone walls form the other boundaries of this rectangular-shaped land. Mike and Muriel Robinette donated a conservation easement on the land to Five Rivers Conservation Trust in 2008.

Along Tibbetts Road, the land is characterized by a striking open field of over thirteen acres, comprising about half of the property. Since the property is on an elevated rise, with open areas across the road, there are attractive distant views of the hills to the south and the Belknap Moutains to the west. The field itself serves as pastureland for horses owned by the Robinettes. Also, the field contains some orchard trees. The house and nearby barn are not part of the conservation easement.

The other half of the land consists of an open forest of mature mixed hardwoods and softwoods, including birch, red oak, hemlock, and pine. Ground vegetation consists of trillium, partridge berry, and other plants. Bisecting the forest is a small brook. Deer and other animals are common throughout the property, and moose are sometime visitors.

Perkins Road
30 acres
Public access, no formal trails
May 2009

The Perkins Farm, a 30-acre property consisting of two parcels, is located off of Perkins Road in Gilmanton. The property was trusted to Five Rivers in May of 2009. Prior to its conservation, the landowner cleared the property. The parcel on the NE side of the road (Area One) was clearcut about 15-20 years ago, in anticipation of making a new field that never happened, and now consists of brushy, young growth. The SW parcel (Area two) is more mature forestland, albeit heavily logged a while back.

Area one has direct access to a dirt road leading back to Perkins Road. A woods road runs through Area Two and is used as a snowmobile trail in the winter. The trail is used and maintained by the Gilmanton Snowmobile club. The woods road connects Area Two with three nearby conservation easement lots (Skantze CE, John & Ursula Allen CE, and Frank Allen CE).

The property has undeveloped frontage on Perkins Road allowing for partial, seasonal distant views of the Belknap Mountains. The Wildlife Action Plan stated the property to be a supporting landscape to the existing conservation area. The property also contains productive soil for agriculture as well as forestry; it also guarantees public access for outdoor recreation and education.

Perkins Road – Gilmanton Iron Works
25 acres of field and forests on two parcels near Crystal Lake in Gilmanton Iron Works
Public access, no formal trails
December 2007

The Howe/Thorne Easement Property, protected in 2007, is a 25-acre landscape located in the town of Gilmanton, or, more specifically, in Gilmanton Iron Works. Near the scenic waterbody of Crystal Lake, this property has been owned by Tom Howe and Sarah Thorne for more than twenty years.

It consists of a wonderful, undulating field alongside and behind their historic farmstead, a field that serves as pastureland for their neighbor’s farm. A well-maintained walking trail extends from the field’s edge, allowing hikers to stroll past acreage conserved by the Gilmanton Land Trust and which was transferred to Five Rivers Conservation Trust in 2008.

Another distinctive feature of Tom and Sarah’s property lies across the dirt road from their home, a forest they have tended with great care over the years. Selectively and skillfully harvested so as to preserve the woodlands’ value and attractiveness, the forest contains a trail system that is graced with stately red oak and other trees, interesting glacial features, and a necklace of vernal pools, so important for wildlife. Moreover, the property contains an old foundation and cellar hole from a long-ago resident…one who no doubt would have been pleased with the love and care that Tom and Sarah have shown to the property over their years of land stewardship.

Situated adjacent to and near several other conserved properties, the Howe/Thorne property, straddling both sides of Perkins Road, serves an integral role in a complex of protected lands in this section of the Town of Gilmanton. This expansive landscape holds abundant benefits, including both wildlife habitat protection and recreational opportunities.

Route 140
20 acres & 14 acres
Public access, no formal trails
2007 & 2009

Two Conserved Properties

Christie Forest

As a community-oriented land trust, Five Rivers was extremely pleased on this conservation project in the heart of Gilmanton village. Nancy Christie approached Five Rivers with a long-held dream…to preserve the land that her parents once owned, a landscape that she has known intimately since childhood, a landscape that she loved dearly.

Consisting of an interesting mix of well-tended field, a mature forest, a pretty brook that meanders through a small ravine, and, most significantly, a 5-acre beaver pond, the property enjoys one additional special feature – its proximity to the town center, a picture-postcard New England village.

Tucked just behind the Gilmanton town offices (the former Gilmanton Academy building) and located within walking distant of the town church and general store, Nancy’s land holds special value for community residents. The beaver pond itself is particularly appealing. Home to an abundance of songbirds, ducks, and other wetland wildlife, the pond provides a perfect opportunity for townspeople, and others, to explore.

Nancy placed a donated conservation easement on her land in 2007. Subsequently, she plans to give the property to the Town of Gilmanton for management by the Gilmanton Conservation Commission. What a generous present! And what a wonderful natural asset it will no doubt prove to be for the people of Gilmanton in the years ahead.

Christie Forest

On the north side of Peaked Hill, near the heart of Gilmanton village, lies a 20-acre mixed-hardwood forest frequented by deer, bear, and other wildlife. Thanks to the vision and conservation ethic of its owner, Nancy Christie, it will forever remain intact, a legacy to its former owner, Nancy’s father Walter Steenstra.

Protected via a conservation easement donated to Five Rivers Conservation Trust in 2009, Nancy’s land is the second Gilmanton property that she conserved in as many years. This hillside property, lined by stone walls, rises 400 feet in elevation to a point with extensive westerly views.

The land will remain as is, with no timbering, save for the creation of nature trails that would be used for all to enjoy.

North Road
67 acres of forest, field, and large wetlands
Public access, no formal trails
November 2007

Working with the Hillsborough Conservation Commission and the landowner, Five Rivers Conservation Trust became an executory interest holder of this attractive, 67-acre property near Hillsborough Center. The Conservation Commission holds the primary conservation easement, donated to the town by Olivia St. John Smith in 2008. Five Rivers holds executory easement.

This acreage, along North Road, has a wonderful mix of forest, fields, and wetlands. Of particular note is the property’s large wetlands, a beaver pond complex that exhibits extensive plant and wildlife diversity. This wetlands and forest is blessed with a host of wildlife that, in addition to beaver, include moose, bobcat, deer, bear, turtles, porcupine, and many species of birds.

Pancake Hill Road
105 acres of farm, fields, and forests
Public access, no formal trails
October 2006

A scenic 105-acre rural property in Gilmanton was conserved in 2006 through a conservation easement donated to Five Rivers Conservation Trust. The owners of this farm and forest landscape, Peter and Carolyn Baldwin, made the generous decision to forego the potential for its future development in order to protect it permanently.

The conservation easement deed that the Baldwins conveyed to Five Rivers ensures that the property will forever remain undeveloped, while also allowing for continued farming and timber harvesting. The Baldwins will continue to reside on their cherished land, and whenever it gets passed on to others, the property will remain as is, a perpetual open space asset for future generations.

Located on Pancake Hill Road, the property has been enjoyed by the Baldwin family for over half a century. It consists of attractive fields and farmlands graced by a distinctive wooden barn, as well as an extensive mix of mature softwoods and hardwoods. In addition to stately maples, the forest includes an immense ash tree that has a base diameter of over five feet. The property is also noted for its views of distant countryside and for its undulating topography. A clear brook tumbles its way across a forest landscape frequented by deer, grouse, and other native wildlife.

Gleason Falls Road
113 acres of forests and a marsh and abuts the scenic Gleason Falls conservation area owned by the town
Public access
July 2012

In the 1970s, Hope Thomas and her husband purchased a large tract of land across from her house on Gleason Falls Road in Hillsborough. The sheep she raises pasture in the first field but behind that, stretching back for many acres, are the woods that make up the bulk of the easement.

In the south-east corner of the property is a large pond that Hope affectionately calls the “swamp.” Herons and beavers live here; you can see the gnawed and felled trees left by the beavers near the banks. The pond itself empties into a stream that tumbles down through the property until it joins with Beard Brook.

To the west, down the road from Hope’s house there is an old woods road that takes you to the pond. Watch out for trails that seem promising but peter out. The woods road forks at one point and the right fork leads to the brook. Today, it has become overgrown with no clear path forward. The left fork leads up a hill and eventually to the pond. In the winter, you can snowshoe the trails.

Hope has hired a forest manager and there is ongoing logging activity. Some trees are marked with paint to be harvested, don’t assume that they mark a trail. Hope wants people to use the trails; all she asks is that you check in when you start and take all your trash when you leave.

The easement placed on Hope’s land has the additional benefit of connecting to land already conserved by the Society for the Protection of NH Forests, assuring that a valuable woodlands and water resource remain untouched by development.

Warner Road and Brown Brook
75 acres of wooded property, marshes, and a well-used recreational trail
Public access
November 2012

The Watman Conservation Area is made up of three separate lots of land already owned by Henniker that the town Conservation Commission decided to preserve through a conservation easement. The Conservation Commission gave Five Rivers the money to purchase the easement from the Town of Henniker and assume stewardship over the land. During the yearlong process, Selectman Thomas Watman passed away. He had been closely involved with the project and the town named the area in his honor. The north-east lot was already preserved as the Preston Memorial Forest but has been incorporated into the larger conservation area.

The tract of land on the west side of the road has a path that runs back from the road to a small clearing and Brown Brook. The mossy-banked stream comes down from the north and passes through a marsh that lies to the west of the clearing. 

Throughout the entire property there are boulders, ledges, and vernal pools that give the land a special character. The southern-most lot is the only one that allows motorized access due to a provision to let ATVs continue to use an old woods road that connects to a larger ATV trail system to the east. The Watman Conservation Area lies just south of lands conserved by the Town of Warner and north of forests preserved by the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests. Wildlife frequently pass through these forests, leaving tracks in the mud. The forest is also known for being a good location for spotting raptors.

There are provisions in the easement agreement that allow for forestry and agriculture if the town chooses but this is not likely in the near future. There is also the possibility of using the conserved area for educational purposes and creating a network of official trails. Development however, is no longer an option.

Western Avenue
11.36 acres
Public access and boat launch
August 2013

This conservation area serves as a memorial to Cliff Eisner, a kayaker, as well as a local teacher at John Stark Regional High School, who died in a kayak accident on the Saco River in 2006.

The easement also serves as an important launch point for whitewater paddlers enjoying the popular section of the Contoocook river that runs from Hillsborough to Henniker. This section of the Contoocook River contains rapids ranging in difficulty from Class II to Class IV.

The forest that makes up the 11 acres is a mixture of white pine, red maple and red oak with a mixture of shrubs and wetland vegetation. There are numerous vernal pools, one wetland that is larger and deeper, and a small perennial stream also crosses the property. There is approximately 838 feet of scenic unimproved frontage on Western Ave. There is approximately 1,000 feet of scenic unimproved frontage on the Contoocook River. There is the trace of an old path leading to the larger wetland.

There is a wooden bench overlooking the river and a small dilapidated wooden foot bridge. The canoe launch is an unimproved area where people carry (or slide) boats into the river. The old road at the northeastern boundary is now a grassed pathway.

Flanders Road
61 acres
Public access, no formal trails
January 2009

Five Rivers’ Chase Brook Easement is located south of the Henniker town center. This 61-acre wooded conservation area includes a portion of Chase Brook, which is a tributary of the Contoocook River. There is a 0.6-mile main trail that runs roughly north to south through the property and is maintained by the Henniker Trail Travelers snowmobile club. The trail ascends gradually from the access point on Flanders Road and continues off the easement onto private property.

The forest consists of a diverse mixture of coniferous and deciduous trees. Sunlight trickles through the canopy, and ferns and wildflowers cover the forest floor. When you go, keep an eye out for Jack-in-the-Pulpit flowers whose clustered green berries turn bright red in late summer and fall.

Off-trail explorations will lead you to hills and boulders to the east and Chase Brook to the west. The brook is easy and fun to explore for both adults and children. Follow the brook upstream and you will find deeper pools to sit by in quiet contemplation or just for a good foot soak! This is a wonderful place for all to enjoy! Parking is along the road near the junction of Flanders and Craney Hill Roads.

Grapevine and Guinea Roads
256 acres of fields, forest, and wetlands
No public access
December 2013

In 2013, Anne Farley donated a conservation easement on 256 acres in Dunbarton to Five Rivers Conservation Trust. Anne, who has lived on the property for 36 years, refers to it as the “Lord Farm” in recognition of the family that farmed the land for generations.

Located on Grapevine Road and Guinea Road, the property includes a combination of fields, forests, and a large vegetated wetland associated with Bela Brook, a town conservation priority that originates just beyond the property and flows through it. Anne’s land rises 440’ from the wetland to the east boundary, and the change in vegetation reflects this change in topography.

Over the years, Anne has raised sheep, goats, chickens, and horses on the property to which she and her husband Earl retired. Although Anne no longer has chickens, a bobcat visits the farm regularly in search of remembered prey. She has carded, spun, dyed and knitted the wool into many fine pieces cherished by those who now wear a piece of our agricultural heritage.

Black Brook Road at the Goffstown town line
67 acres of forest with extensive wetlands and brook frontage
Public access, no formal trails
May 2000

The Burack-Cathcart easement in Dunbarton has 1,000 feet of road frontage, providing scenic views of an open-water beaver marsh and the abundant wildlife it attracts, including moose, beaver and migrating waterfowl.

The property supports a wide diversity of both wetland and upland habitat. The upland portions are dominated by knolls forested with mature mixed hardwoods, hemlock and mixed softwoods.

In the 1990’s the property was nearly developed as a residential subdivision. Two abutters, assisted by the community were able to purchase the property from the developers. They subsequently established a conservation easement with Five Rivers Conservation Trust to protect wildlife habitat, while allowing recreation and limited forestry.

Trail Map (Winant Trails)
Trail Map (Winant/Swope Connector)
Fisk Road
85 acres of forest and trails
Public access
February 2009

In 2009, this scenic 85-acre city park astride one of Concord’s highest hills was created in honor of former New Hampshire Governor John Winant and his wife Constance. The park is a gift to the City of Concord from the late governor’s son, Rivington Winant, and his wife Joan. The transfer and conservation of the property was made possible through collaboration among the Winants, the City, St. Paul’s School, and Five Rivers Conservation Trust.

The City owns and manages the public park, subject to a conservation easement held by Five Rivers Conservation Trust that ensures the property will be protected in perpetuity. Rivington and Joan Winant generously donated the conservation easement to Five Rivers and then conveyed their property ownership to the City. St. Paul’s School, through a separate easement conveyed to the City with an executory interest to Five Rivers, graciously allowed construction of a parking area, trailhead, and an access trail from land the school owns along Fisk Road to the landlocked Winant property.

Former Governor Winant attended, taught at, and is buried at St. Paul’s School and served for three terms as Governor of the State. He cared deeply for both, noted his son Rivington Winant in announcing the gift to the City, and with views of both the school and the capitol, it serves as a fitting memorial.

Rivington Winant grew up on the Winant property near what is now Concord Hospital. The 85 acres is the remnant of a larger estate on Pleasant Street. The land encompassed by the new park is dominated by pine-oak forests, and includes the former estate’s bridle trails. Over the years, nearby residents have privately maintained and used the property’s extensive trail network for hiking, cross-country skiing, and mountain biking.

Construction of an official park entrance on St. Paul’s land off Fisk Road included an off-road parking area, a foot bridge across Miller’s Brook, and an informational kiosk recounting the history of the park and a biography of Governor Winant. The Unitarian Universalist Church, located on Pleasant Street, also kindly provides user access through its driveway across an existing right-of-way.

As set forth in the conservation easement developed by the parties, the park is intended solely for non-motorized recreational uses such as hiking, skiing, and bicycling. The intent of the gift is to preserve the wild nature and native habitat of the park; no park buildings, sport facilities, or other formalized structures or fields will ever be built there.

In addition to the land gift and easements, Mr. and Mrs. Winant generously funded the initial construction costs for the parking lot and clearing the trails, the kiosk, and trailside benches. The city assumes responsibility for maintaining trails and the parking area, and for other park management. Five Rivers has responsibility for monitoring and enforcing the terms of the two easements.

Winant Park provides a special open space resource for Concord, with its forested lands, trails, and open summit with views of Concord and distant countryside. It is an island of peacefulness, located right in the heart of our state’s capital city, enriching the fabric of this community.

A Brief Biography of John Winant

John Gilbert Winant was born in New York in 1889 and attended St. Paul’s School, graduating in 1908. He attended Princeton and returned to St. Paul’s, where he taught history. He left to serve in World War I, then returned to St. Paul’s to teach. While there, he became interested in politics, served in the State Legislature, and in 1925 became the country’s youngest governor. After Winant completed his governorship, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt appointed him as the first chairman of the Social Security Board. In 1937 Roosevelt asked Winant to go to Geneva as the senior US member of the International Labor Organization, of which Winant later became director-general.

As World War II loomed, Roosevelt appointed Winant as the American ambassador to the Court of St. James in London. Winant and Prime Minister Winston Churchill became close friends. On Sunday, Dec. 7, 1941, Winant was in the room when Churchill turned on the radio and heard that the Japanese had attacked Pearl Harbor.

Throughout the war, Winant frequently traveled throughout England and is still remembered for his likeable and reassuring nature. He was presented with the ceremonial keys to a number of English cities, and at the end of the war King George VI presented him with the Order of Merit, Great Britain’s highest civilian honor.

After the war, Winant retired to Concord to write his memoirs. He is buried in St. Paul’s School cemetery off Hopkinton Road.

Hopkinton Road adjacent to Dimond Hill Farm
24 acres of farm fields
Public access
September 2012

The original owner of Dimond Hill Farm, Newton Abbott, sold these fields to one of his employees in 1932. Ever since, the land has been owned by the Triacca family and for decades, they grew corn and other crops on it.

In 2011, the Triacca family wanted to put their land up for sale and approached the City of Concord and Five Rivers about the possibility of buying it. Five Rivers led a successful fundraising campaign to save the fields. Help came from the National Resource Conservation Service, the Russell Piscataquog River Watershed Foundation, and individual donors.

In 2012 Five Rivers closed on the deal to purchase the fields and donated them to Equity Trust, the non-profit that owns Dimond Hill. In the process, a conservation easement was put on the property, making Five Rivers the steward of both Triacca and the adjacent fields of Dimond Hill.

The soil is rich in nutrients and Dimond Hill uses the land primarily to grow corn. Those ears of corn generate solid sales that make the Dimond Hill operation more viable. There is a section of the property that is wooded with the trees surrounding a small marsh. The fields can be seen while passing along Hopkinton Road and, from the top of Dimond Hill, you can look out over them with a beautiful mountain vista in the background.

Locke Road and West Locke Road
Three parcels comprising 3 acres
No public access
September 1992

An easement on West Locke Road, Concord was donated to the City of Concord in 1992. An executory, or back-up interest in the easement was accepted by Five Rivers. In effect, this allows Five Rivers to enforce the easement terms in the event that the grantee, the City of Concord, fails to do so.

The easement protects an area between some commercial development and a large wetland complex. It provides protection to the edge of this wetland, owned by the City of Concord, which has been shown to provide valuable wildlife habitat.

Subsequent to this donation, significant additional acreage was placed under easement in this general area near the Merrimack River. Multiple conserved parcels now combine to protect a variety of wetland and flood plain habitat, as well as expansive river frontage and productive agricultural lands.

Weir Road
21 acres
No public access
April 1993

In March of 1993, Robert Stickney Reno and Nancy Jackson Reno elected to preserve the physical and visual attributes of their three lots in the Horse Hill area of Concord by donating a 21-acre conservation easement to Fiver Rivers Conservation Trust.

The easement protects 14 acres of mature hemlock and white pine forest and 6 acres of productive hayfield, which continues to be maintained. The Renos have enjoyed sightings of deer and bear on the property, and their generous donation also preserves scenic views from the height-of-land.

Stickney Hill Road
18 acres of open fields
No public access
August 2016

The Pierce property is a key part of the “Stickney Hill Agricultural Neighborhood”, as defined by a 2008 report by New Hampshire Division of Historical Resources for the Concord Heritage Commission. The report states the neighborhood retains “an exceptionally high degree of integrity of location, design, materials, setting, workmanship, feeling, and association.” It is very unusual to have such an intact historical agricultural area, especially one within the city limits of a major city. The neighborhood has been a conservation priority, in part because it provides a unique window into the City’s agrarian roots.

The Pierce farm is one of three farms with open fields that define the Stickney Hill Agricultural Neighborhood. In 2012 Five Rivers Conservation Trust and the City of Concord purchased a conservation easement on Maplewood Farm, which lies immediately east of the Pierce farm. In 2013 Hope Butterworth donated a conservation easement on her farm, to the west of the Pierce farm.

The Pierce farm is very visible in the center of the agricultural fields and was the last, critical piece to be protected.

Stickney Hill Road is located in an isolated part of Concord, cut off from the rest of the city by Turkey Pond and Route 89. Access is by Exit 4 off Route 89 and also by the bike path and bike bridge beside Route 89. The area is heavily used by cyclists, walkers, and runners due to the open, scenic landscape and rural, 19th century feel of the neighborhood. The Pierce field is highly visible from Stickney Hill Road.

Trail Map (Marjorie Swope Park)
Trail Map (West End Farm Trail & Carter Hill Connector and Rossview Trails)
Long Pond Road
77.2 acres
Public access
December 2011

For many years John and Marjory Swope lived on Long Pond Road and the area that was their backyard is now the park. Back then there were a few woods roads and rough trails that the family and their neighbors frequently used for walking, jogging, and cross-country skiing. When Marjory passed away in 2007, John decided to donate the land to the City of Concord to create a place that people could enjoy as a memorial to her. Marjory was a long time member of the City Council and served as the chair of the Concord Conservation Commission. The city welcomed the offer.

John Swope entrusted the easement of the park to Five Rivers to ensure that the land would be properly maintained. The park was dedicated and “officially” opened in June 2012.

The City of Concord worked with the Swope family, Five Rivers, and St. Paul’s School to create the park that can be visited today. There are three connecting trails that are open for non-motorized recreation such as walking and biking. There is a loop trail (1.45mi) up Jerry Hill, marked in blue, leading to one of the best views of Penacook Lake. The yellow trail (0.56mi) cuts through the park from north to south and goes past the foundation of an old observation tower. From the center of the yellow trail cutting west to the blue trail is the orange trail (0.18mi) that will take you past a large granite outcrop called Gilfillan Rock.

Marjory Swope Park serves as the gateway to an already considerable area of land conserved by the State, City of Concord, Society for the Protection of NH Forests, St. Paul’s School, and Rossview Farm. There is a plan to someday connect these properties to create many miles of uninterrupted hiking. John hopes that as people walk through the park, they appreciate the uniqueness of our state capital — to be able to enjoy a downtown with restaurants and a movie theater and, not five miles away, find trails to get out and explore the natural world.

Stickney Hill Road
78 acres of open fields
Public access, no formal trails
December 2012

Situated at the top of Stickney Hill, on land first settled in 1807, Maplewood Farm has been in the Bunten family for three generations. The now elderly owners, Bill and Wayne, grew up milking cows and haying the fields as part of the dairy operation run by their father. Although the Buntens no longer have a working farm, their land is still part of the local farm scene.

Bohanan Farm (another Five Rivers conservation property), which is nearby, hays the Maplewood fields to feed its dairy herd. Stickney Hill Road runs through an historic agricultural district on the border of Concord and Hopkinton that has remained tranquil and undeveloped.

Bill and Wayne planned to retire after selling the farm but wanted to honor their father’s wishes to preserve the fields. Five Rivers worked with the neighbors, City of Concord, and the National Resource Conservation Service to raise the necessary funds to buy an easement. Under the terms of the conservation easement, Maplewood’s fields can never be developed or subdivided.

The easement protects the land on both sides of the road. Across from the farmhouse there is a large hay field with a view of the mountains to the west. Behind the house is another large field flanked by forest stretching back to I-89. There is also a small wetlands area in the northeast corner of the parcel. Currently, there are no trails on the property because the fields are still in use. However, Stickney Hill Road is just off of Concord’s walking/biking trail that runs parallel to the highway and Maplewood Farm is a beautiful sight for those passing by – as it always will be.

Both sides of Josiah Bartlett Road
10 acres of meadows and woods
No public access
June 1991

The Lang family donated an easement on their property on Josiah Bartlett Road in 1991. Having moved to Concord in 1970 after years in urban and suburban areas, they felt they had found their true home in this rural corner of Concord. As a tribute to their connection to the land, this easement will preserve the land that had become so special to them.

A mixture of meadows and woods on both sides of the road will be retained in their natural state, providing scenic enjoyment to those driving by. The fields are mowed only once late in the year to encourage the growth of wildflowers. The Langs have also planted numerous shrubs and trees to attract songbirds and other wildlife.

Stickney Hill Road
19 acres of open fields
No public access
June 2013

In the fall of 2011 Hope Zanes Butterworth sat before the Concord City Council and promised that if they approved funding for the Maplewood Farm Conservation Project, she would donate to Five Rivers Conservation Trust, a conservation easement on her neighboring 15 acre farm also on Stickney Hill Road.

This property is an historic farm property of 15.67 acres. The conservation easement that is now held by Five Rivers covers the portion of Hope’s property that is mostly hay fields. These fields are actively mowed and baled and provide food for local livestock farms. Hope’s farm joins with Maplewood Farm in preserving the open space and majestic views of the Stickney Hill Historic Farm District.

With the conclusion of the Stickney Hill transaction, Hope became a member of Five Rivers’ double donor club because in 2005 she donated a conservation easement on a 24 acre property in Hopkinton. “This is a proud and happy moment for me”, she shared, as documents were signed on an outside picnic table, under an apple tree at her Stickney Hill homestead.

On the North and South side of Elm Street
11 acres and 16 acres of woodland
No public access
October 1996 and March 2002

Two Protected Properties

Hardy #1, Penacook, 11.5 acres
Russell Hardy donated his first easement on 11.5 acres of the back portions of 3 lots on Elm Street, Penacook to protect the open space portion prior to their sale. The easements abut the Boscawen Town line, and the Boscawen Town Forest. The land is forested with a mixture of dry-site oak species, and expands on the block of protected space in Boscawen and other undeveloped land nearby.

Hardy #2, Concord, 16 acres
A property near the Contoocook River in north Concord has been protected from development by an easement donation from Russell Hardy. Known now as the Hardy Memorial Forest, the land is a mix of forest and meadow areas, which are a haven for wildlife such as deer, grouse, turkey and songbirds. Cellar holes and boulder piles are a testament to the agricultural past of this area which was known by the old road that intersects the property, Horse Hill Carriage Road. The 16 acre property was conveyed to the City of Concord after the placement of the easement.

26 Penacook Street
14 acres of forest and wetlands with existing trails
Public access, no formal trails
March 2005

A variety of natural habitat, as well as early New Hampshire history have been preserved with a conservation easement on land in Penacook. Carol Foss and her husband Flip Nevers’ dream of protecting the land became reality on March 18, 2005 when Five Rivers accepted an easement on 14 acres of land near her home in the intervale of the Merrimack River in Penacook, a village in the north part of Concord. As a child growing up in Penacook, Carol spent many hours wandering the bluffs, woods and wetlands, and acquiring over time a deep love of the natural world.

Carol and her husband Flip Nevers have made numerous wildlife observations on the land. It has supported nesting pileated woodpeckers and broad-winged hawks, as well as a fox den. The varied habitat is attractive to many species of migratory songbirds, including scarlet tanager, sandpipers, ovenbird, rose-breasted grosbeak, warblers, grouse, thrushes and flycatchers. Moose, deer, turkey and even the occasional bear have been spotted there as well.

Two springs on the property that run year-round in even the driest years were utilized by the earliest European settlers in the area, who built granite boxes to collect the water. These stone boxes are still visible today.

The property has undeveloped frontage on both Cross and Penacook Streets, and expands an existing network of conservation lands that abut to the south. Trails crossing the Foss/Nevers property connect to trails on City land, providing a connection from Penacook Street to the Rolfe Park lands.

Oak Hill Road
26 acres
September 2010
No public access

The Fournier easement, which sits just north of Turtle Pond in East Concord, comprises what remains of the original family farm, purchased back in 1924. Ray Fournier grew up on the farm. He and his wife Kathleen turned to Five Rivers to keep the land wild and undeveloped.

What used to be a chicken farm, with its share of fields for other livestock, is now largely overgrown meadows and new forest growth. However, it is still possible as you walk the grounds to come across the old stone walls and barbed wire fences that marked the edges of the fields. The old pastures on the hill behind the house remain, and in the winter, when the trees have lost their leaves, the top of the hill offers a lovely view of Turtle Pond. Along the southern border of the property there are wetlands that run all the way down to the water.

The rest of the property consists of woodlands that are frequently traversed by a variety of wildlife. The Fourniers have seen moose, bears, and a bobcat, along with plenty of deer and turkeys. The proximity of the property to Turtle Pond has been invaluable to the well-being of this little ecosystem as turtles often leave the pond to lay their eggs within the boundaries of the easement.

With his donation, Ray actually follows in the footsteps of his father who, years ago, gave a section of wetlands right on the water to the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department. The Fourniers have cemented their place in the city of Concord’s history by ensuring that the property that came into the family nearly a hundred years ago will remain intact well past the next one hundred years.

Trail Map (Dimond Hill)
Trail Map (West End Farm Trail)
Dimond Hill Farm website
Hopkinton Road
Farm easement: 74.8 acres of fields, forests, and wetlands – with recreational trail
Forest easement: 34.3 acres of forest and brook – with recreational trail
Public access
June 2006

Dimond Hill Farm is one of the premier farm landscapes in the region. A working farm since the late 1700s, it consists of large open fields, both north and south of Hopkinton Road in Concord. Sitting atop a sloping hillside, the farm has panoramic views, and it serves as a visual milestone for travelers entering and leaving the city.

Under special conservation easements signed in June of 2006, the farm will remain a working farm, with Equity Trust serving as the owner and NH Preservation Alliance serving as the Historic Easement holder for the farm buildings.

Five Rivers Conservation Trust holds conservation easements for both the 74.8 acre Farm Easement portion and the 34.3 acre Forest Easement portion of the property.

The farm consists of open fields, an historic barn, and several greenhouses. Located on the Farm Easement is a wetland with nesting ducks, as well as a hidden, very-attractive field of wildflowers near the south border. On the north side of Hopkinton Road are pastures, a clearing with nice views, and forests of pine.

Also on the north side is the property’s 34-acre Forest Easement. It consists of a mixed hardwoods and softwoods, graced by a huge old ash tree near one of the property’s many stone walls. Traversing this Forest Easement section is Ash Brook, a hemlock-lined stream that tumbles its way downhill. A unique structure is an old ice pond dam of granite slabs, a structure used to collect ice in the winters which was sawed, stored under sawdust in a barn, and used during the summers.

Traversing the entire property is an attractive trail used by walkers, snowmobilers, skiers, and horseback riders. A variety of wildlife abound throughout this interesting property, including deer, fox, and many species of birds.

Broad Cove Road
15 acres with wetland, forest, and frontage on the Contoocook River
Public access, no formal trails
November 1993

In 1993 Eunice Clark donated a conservation easement on 15 acres of land on the Contoocook River to Five Rivers Conservation Trust. The land was subsequently given to the City of Concord, which manages the property for timber and allows public recreational use. The easement, which remains in effect, protects 825 feet of frontage on the Contoocook River and 800 feet of frontage on Broad Cove Drive.

The sandy soil is excellent for growing white pine and oak. Beavers have created a wetland on the brook that flows through the property into the river. The river frontage, with its majestic pines and overhanging silver maples, will remain an unspoiled scenic and ecological feature for all to appreciate.

Rt. 127 and Pearson Hill Road
12 acres of fields and forest
No public access
August 2013

The Phelps property contains productive forest, supports a habitat for migrating barn swallows and provides a scenic view from both Route 127 and Pearson Hill Road, gathering enough natural resources criteria to be a protected area, and borders the State-designated Currier and Ives Scenic By-Way.

Divided between field and forest, there are a few very old stately oak trees in the mowed area, a small pond and plenty of grassland used by migratory birds for feeding and resting. The property also abuts conserved land, some of which is privately owned and some of which is owned by the town and is also under a conservation easement. Much of the area was owned by Phelps’ extended family for many years, including the Mock Forest.

This easement was possible through a generous donation of Ms. Phelps and the strong support of the Webster Conservation Commission. Five Rivers and the town of Webster are especially pleased to have completed their first project together. The Phelps easement brings the number of properties protected by conservation easements, which are held by Five Rivers, to 52.

Bog Road
50 acres with a stream, two meadows, and mixed forest in close proximity to Farrar Wildlife Management Area
Public access, no formal trails
May 2012

When Ken and Vicki Coffin bought their house on Bog Road in 1989, the accompanying land and its future development value was part of their retirement plan. Then, on an overcast, rainy night in April of 2000, Ken was reading Swampwalker’s Journal by David Carroll. He came across a chapter describing the mating habits of spotted salamanders which happened to occur on nights like that one. Out of curiosity, Ken decided to go outside. Spotted salamanders are a rare sight because they spend most of their time underground, only emerging after a rain to forage or mate. So you can image Ken’s surprise when he saw hundreds of the salamanders, just as Carroll had described. Ken and Vicki realized how important the marsh was to so many species and figured out that what they wanted to do was preserve the land, not sell it.

It took more than a decade to make that plan happen. Ken and Vicki contacted several groups but were limited by their desire to keep hunters and trappers off of the land. Eventually they attracted the attention of the Humane Society Wildlife Land Trust and Gordon Russell from the Russell Foundation. It was Russell who dedicated funds to the project and first brought Five Rivers out to the marsh. With additional support from the Hillsborough Conservation Commission, Five Rivers closed on the easement in May, 2012 with a cover easement for wildlife going to the Wildlife Land Trust.

The easement protects a large section of wetlands, fed by Sand Brook and spring water coming down from the mountains, and the nearby woods. To the north, on the eastern side of Bog Road, is the large, state protected Farrar Marsh and to the south lies Fox State Forest. The Coffin’s property in between has helped create a largely uninterrupted wildlife corridor. There are several active beaver lodges in the marsh and Ken and Vicki have reported seeing bobcats, moose, and all kinds of songbirds and raptors. There are no trails on the property but at the southern end of the easement, you can get a clear view, from the road, of the marsh and a couple beaver lodges.

Trail Map (Carter Hill)
Trail Map (West End Farm Trail)
Trail Map (West End Farm Trail & Carter Hill Connector and Rossview Trails)
Carter Hill Orchard website
Carter Hill Orchard Facebook page
West side of Carter Hill Road
155 acres, including 45 acre orchard, forest, trails and observation platform
Public access
July 2001

The former owners of Sunnycrest Orchard also owned an orchard in Londonderry, and they needed to consolidate their operation. Rob Larocque, who had managed the orchard for many years decided he wanted to own it. Through a collaboration between Five Rivers Conservation Trust, the City of Concord, the Friends of the Orchard, the Trust for Public Lands, the NH Land and Community Heritage Investment Program (LCHIP), and the Federal Farmland Protection Program, this 155 acre property and its agricultural, forestry and recreational resources was preserved.

The orchard project exemplifies the goal of protecting not only open space but a quality of life that is rapidly disappearing. From picking berries in the spring and apples in the fall, to skiing the trails in the winter, to taking in the spectacular views from the top of the hill, the orchard offers something for everyone throughout the year.

On Hoit Road
33 acres comprising wetland, forest, and a certified tree farm with frontage on Hackett Brook
No public access
April 1990

This conservation easement on Hoit Road in Concord was the first property protected by Five Rivers Conservation Trust. Bois de Brodeur is the name given to this property by the Brodeur family as a tribute to their father.

The property provides them with forest products from standing timber of white pine, hemlock and mixed hardwoods. It protects 1,270 feet of undeveloped road frontage on Hoit Road and 1,100 feet of frontage on an old Class 6 road in an area that is facing increasing development pressure.

Portions of an extensive wetland and a section of Hackett Brook are protected by this Five Rivers easement. Wildlife benefits from the property’s widespread lowbush blueberries. Bois de Brodeur also enhances the other protected lands in the immediate area, including the Hoit Marsh Wildlife Management Area, which is held by NH Fish and Game.

Off of the northwesterly side of Via Tranquilla
18 acres of field, forest and beautiful views
No public access
December 1996

Patricia Bass placed a conservation easement on 17.7 acres of her property on Via Tranquilla in 1996. This property, which adjoins watershed protection land owned by the City of Concord, helps to maintain the water quality of Penacook Lake, Concord’s primary water supply. It also helps achieve the goals of the Concord Open Space Plan, which identified this property as a priority for conservation.

The easement, which allows agriculture and forestry, will protect open hayfields and hardwood forest from development in an area that is seeing increasing pressure from residential subdivisions. It will enhance the wildlife habitat value of nearby protected lands such as Walker State Forest by maintaining open space corridors. It also protects the scenic view of the property from Lakeview Drive.

Thanks to this easement donation, Via Tranquilla will continue to live up to its name as a tranquil place.

Off of Fisk Road
54 acres of mixed forest
Public access
December 2003 & September 2019

Trail Map (Winant Park with Backwoods Loop)

The Backwoods Preserve is a landlocked 54 acres that abuts Walker State Forest and Winant Park in Concord, NH. A ridge runs through the land making it unsuitable for building houses but the terrain does make for excellent wildlife habitat. Moose, deer, bear and coyote use this land as part of their territories.

Backwoods 1 (28 acres)

In 2002 a group of neighbors (the Backwoods Group) began the process to preserve this open space which is ideal for low impact recreational uses such as hiking, cross country skiing and mountain biking.

In 2003, with donations raised by the Backwoods Group along with funds from the City of Concord’s land use change tax fund, the property title was acquired by the city of Concord and the easement was placed on the land.

Backwoods 2 (26 acres)

“Backwoods 2” is a 26-acre addition to the original Backwoods property of 28 acres. This latest addition was purchased by the city in September 2019, who donated a conservation easement on the property to Five Rivers Conservation Trust.

This property is the missing piece, connecting Five Rivers-conserved Winant Park to Walker State Forest, creating nearly 200 acres of contiguous conserved land behind Concord Hospital and the Unitarian Universalist Church. Winant Park and Walker State Forest have been connected for years by a network of trails used by hikers and bikers, but there was no guarantee of continued access under private ownership. Now, thanks to the City’s foresight and commitment to conservation, this property will remain open to the public.

Ames Road
117 acres of forests and ponds
Public access with trails
September 2013

This Five Rivers’ easement, in Canterbury, has 117 acres of outstanding wetlands, ponds, streams and forest and is owned by Ned and Jean Therrien.

This property sits within the headwaters of the Soucook River and has numerous high value conservation attributes including a diverse, productive and well managed forest complete with a network of internal woods roads; varied habitat which supports a diversity of plant and animal species, and a variety of outstanding water resources including two ponds, streams and vernal pools.

On Old Gilmanton Road
Easement property crosses into the Town of Northfield
56.8 acres of mixed forest and field
No public access
December 2004

This Canterbury property is part of the Nathan Whidden Homestead which dates back to the early 1800’s. Jan and Craig Briggs moved to the unoccupied farmhouse in the 1970’s where they raised their family. The permanent protection of this property by the Briggs’ in 2004 demonstrates their belief in land stewardship and protection. The property is in close proximity to other conservation land along Shaker Road, promoting wildlife corridors and rural character preservation for future generations.

The property includes both hard and softwood forests, interesting topography and many old farm and logging roads as well as fields used for grazing and hay production in years past.

On Shaker Road, North of Shaker Village
63 acres of forest and field with a brook traversing property
Public access, no formal trails
February 2003

This property, which is part of one of the oldest farms in Canterbury dates back to 1785, and was once part of the extended Canterbury Shaker Village. The protection of this property by Dave Emerson in 2003 was the fulfillment of a long time family goal. This property abuts other former Shaker land that was protected by the neighbors in the 1980’s as part of the Land Conservation Investment Program.

The property includes several secluded scenic fields that have been grazed or have been in hay production for many years. Behind the fields the property is wooded with pocket wetlands and a small scenic brook that traverses the land. This area is a known wildlife travel corridor that has been popular with local hunters for generations.

Hackleboro Road
15 acres of wetlands, brook, and mixed forest
No public access
September 2007

Thanks to the generosity of a Canterbury family, a scenic fifteen-acre forest with a remarkable wetlands has been permanently protected through the donation of a conservation easement in 2007 to Five Rivers Conservation Trust.

The former owner of the Canterbury land, Joan Blackmer, passed away in 2006. Appreciating how much she loved the natural world and her Canterbury property, her family felt that the land’s long-term protection would make a fitting tribute. Therefore, they created a conservation easement on the land and donated the easement to Five Rivers which now serves as the easement holder. Through its deed restrictions, the easement places permanent limits on the land’s development, ensuring that the land’s conservation values remain in perpetuity.

The property has a large wetlands. Along with a stream, meadow, and surrounding forest, the protected property provides rich habitat for a variety of wildlife. Located along Hackleboro Road, it serves to complement other town conservation lands nearby. The vision of the Blackmer family to ensure a fitting legacy of land stewardship for their loved one has truly been accomplished through the permanent protection afforded by their generous donation of a conservation easement.

On both sides of Dunbarton Center Road
166 acres of original farmland, fields, forests, ponds, wetlands, and trail network
No public access
December 2007

Likely the last intact colonial era farm acreage still left in the town of Bow, the 166-acre Hallinan Property has now been conserved forever, thanks to the generous donation of a conservation easement to Five Rivers by longtime owner Stan Hallinan, whose father purchased the property over half a century ago.

Over the years, Stan has been a wonderful steward of his land. He developed a very attractive network of trails, which he maintained assiduously. And where do these trails take the fortunate visitor?

• Through a landscape blessed with stately mature hemlocks, pines, and hardwood species
• Past fields that provide views all the way to Mount Sunapee and Monadnock
• Across brooks tumbling over boulders left millennia ago by the retreating glaciers
• Along stone walls left by hardworking farmers from a bygone age
• And, perhaps most impressively, to two of the prettiest ponds anywhere

One pond, uphill from Dunbarton Center Road, which passes alongside this natural wonderland, conveys a sense of seclusion and remoteness more associated with mountainous lands far to the north. Yet here it is in southern New Hampshire, not twenty minutes from the state capitol building.

It is little wonder that Stan loved his gem of a property and wanted to see it remain intact and unfettered for future generations. How fortunate we all are now for Stan’s conservation ethic and for his far-sighted act of land conservation.

Route 140
188 acres of wetlands with frontage along the Tioga River
Public access
May 2012

In 2004, the Town of Belmont stepped in to rescue Tioga Marsh. The owner had been filling in sections so he could develop the property, ignoring multiple wetlands protection rules. The area is one of the highest ranked wetlands in Belmont and as such is an invaluable habitat for many flora and fauna. When the town saw what was happening, it offered to buy the land and the owner agreed. Since then, with new growth in the damaged areas, you would be hard pressed to spot the where the harm was done.

Despite being safe from development the wetlands face another problem; an infestation of the invasive plant, glossy buckthorn. This woody shrub was brought here from Europe and Asia by landscapers about a hundred years ago who thought its dark berries and thick leaves made it a fine ornamental shrub. But it likes marshes, grows quickly and keeps its leaves late in the season, all of which combine to squeeze out local plants.

Rick Ball, Belmont’s Land Use Technician has led the conservation efforts from the beginning to remove the glossy buckthorn. The Aquatic Resource Mitigation Fund approved a grant for the town to combat the infestation under the condition that the land was placed under easement. Belmont chose Five Rivers as a third party to handle that easement. Rick has enlisted the help of local high school students to help pull out the plants but it is likely that they will need a more efficient, mechanized approach to get the problem under control.

Tioga Marsh can be seen while driving along Route 140 and if you want to explore the land further there is a designated parking area and a walking trail that loops around the uplands portion of the property. The trail is not regularly maintained and can be hard to follow because of overgrowth. Parts of the trail also become washed out during periods of heavy rain. The best views of the marsh are from the road.

Trail Map
Briar Hill Road and Route 103
Two parcels totaling 68.5 acres of fields, forests, and brook
Public access
October 2006

The 68-acre Ransmeier Woods property has two trails, offering both a field and woodland hiking experience within just a short drive of Hopkinton Village. The shorter trail circles a large hayfield and passes Smith Brook near an old dam. The longer trail continues through a mature woodland with views of the brook at the base of a steep ravine. The Ransmeier Woods trails connect to the Hopkinton Village Greenway from the longer loop trail.

Both trails start at the Police Station, skirting the right hand edge of the hayfield, then entering the woods and following Smith Brook along the edge of the woods close to the field. The trail passes near a now-broken dam/road across the brook that once provided access for farm vehicles. Shortly before a footbridge, the orange trail turns uphill to the left and returns to the field, circling the edge of the field back to the parking area. The Blue trail continues across the footbridge, with nice views of the brook, especially at times of high water, passing through mixed woodlands with some steeper pitches, crossing through some old stone walls and returning back to the bridge.

Click here to access the Hopkinton Conservation Land website, which includes a full description of the Ransmeier Woods trails and access to trail maps.

Bean Hill Farm Facebook page
Bean Hill Road
88 acres of farmland, fields, and forest
No public access
December 2015

Through the Conde Easement, Five Rivers conserved Bean Hill Farm, a historic farm located on both sides of Bean Hill Road in Northfield. Eliza Conde donated an 88 acre conservation easement on the farm that she and her late husband John Conde have carefully managed since 1972. Eliza’s generous donation of the conservation easement carries out a plan the Condes had for the farm, ensuring the Bean Hill Farm will never be developed and will continue to be available for farming and forest management. Five Rivers accepted the conservation easement and responsibility to keep the land conserved forever.

Eliza and John raised three sons on the farm, and together the family raised cows, chickens and pigs. Today, Bean Hill Farm produces raspberries and blueberries for pick your own harvest by the public, plus quality hay, maple syrup and timber products.  The property has been a certified tree farm since the early 1950’s when the program began.

Wildlife, including deer, moose, bear, foxes, coyote, porcupine, woodchucks, hawks, great blue heron and many turkeys find valuable habitat on the farm’s fields, forests, wetlands and stream. The property straddles both sides of Bean Hill Road and conserves 3,500 feet of scenic road frontage.

John, who died in 2015, was the Merrimack County Forester from 1970 to 1988 and later worked as a consulting forester, helping landowners throughout our region manage their forest land.  He managed his forest for sustainable production of timber, firewood and maple syrup. Eliza was named Northfield’s Citizen of the Year in 2012 and has served as Secretary of the Northfield Conservation Commission.

Conservation of Bean Hill Farm is Five Rivers Conservation Trust’s first conservation project in Northfield, a town added to our service area just this year. Northfield is a natural geographic fit for Five Rivers, as we already have conserved land in Belmont and Canterbury.

Bean Hill Farm is a great example of a family farm providing fresh local products to the local economy and improving the forest resource through good management. Eliza’s donation of a conservation easement is a generous gift that will benefit future generations as well as all who know and love the farm today.

The conservation easement ensures that Bean Hill Farm, which remains privately owned, will never be developed. Five Rivers takes responsibility to conserve the land through regular monitoring and a commitment to ensure that all future owners honor the conservation commitment made by Eliza in conserving this farm.

Clough Pond Road
15 acres of forest with a tumbling brook
Public access, no formal trails
December 2009

Tumbling through the property from north to south is Pickard Brook. The stream attracts a wide range of wildlife at all times of the year. Herds of deer are the most common, although bear and moose visit as well. Judy Nelson also keeps bird feeders at her house which bring a variety of birds to the property from woodpeckers to hummingbirds. At night she often hears owls.

In the warmer months it is possible to walk along old logging roads that can be reached from the driveway. Just south of the house the road splits, with one path leading along the stream, and the other continuing south and eventually connecting to trails maintained by the Sno-Shakers Snowmobile Club on Clough Pond Road. In the winter the logging roads make for nice snowshoe trails. Judy Nelson lives on the premises so if you visit the property, it is important to be respectful of the land and to keep noise levels to a minimum.

At just under 16 acres, the Nelson easement is one of the smaller easements Five Rivers holds,  but is no less important to our conservation efforts. As Judy saw more and more houses popping up nearby, she made the decision to place an easement on her property in order to preserve the tranquility of Clough Pond Road.

Trail Map
73 acres of mixed forest
Public access
November 2003

The Sweatt Preserve Nature Trail is located alongside Old Stagecoach Road near Hopkinton Village, a dirt road that rises from Briar Hill Road up to Gould Hill. Consisting of a 2-mile pathway marked by a roadside sign, the trail leads hikers and snowshoers deep into the forest, over brooks, up a slight hill, around a loop, and back to the start. Nature trail brochures are available at the trailhead, providing an overview of the property’s history and natural features.

This woodland trail is a great one for kids, with its two footbridges over a brook, hidden away in a hemlock grove at the bottom of a steep ravine. After the stream and a short climb, the trail loops back through thinly wooded former pasture land edged with stone walls.

The Sweatt Preserve was generously given to Five Rivers Conservation Trust in 2003 by Nancy N. Sweatt in loving memory of her husband, Robert A. Sweatt. Robert was a decorated veteran of World War II. During his many years in the service, he lived in various locations around the globe. His love for his boyhood town of Hopkinton and his land on Old Stagecoach Road never diminished. He and his wife were committed to preserving this land as a preserve for all to enjoy. The trail was built and maintained by volunteers from Five Rivers Conservation Trust.

Click here to access the Hopkinton Conservation Land website, which includes a full description of the Sweatt Property and access to trail maps.