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.

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 to ensure the property will be protected in perpetuity. 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 responsibly stewarded this land for nearly 20 years until he was ready to transition its ownership.

In June 2023, the property was purchased by Michael R. Boisvert and Jon D. Normand for active public outdoor recreation; for the study and wonder of nature; and for the conservation of open spaces, particularly the conservation of productive forest land, wildlife habitat and ground water quality. Mike and Jon have generously funded construction of an official entrance on Currier Road with an off-road parking area, informational kiosk, trails network that includes trail map, signage, and foot bridge. Future plans include installing benches and building a pollinator garden.

Located on the corner of Route 106 and Currier Road, the Nature Preserve is dominated by towering pine-oak forests, and includes three hiking trails: Soucook Sanctuary, Esker, and Pollinator Gardens trail. The nature preserve is intended solely for non-motorized recreational uses such as hiking, skiing, and mountain biking. The intent is to preserve the wild nature and native habitat of the property. The new owners will continue sustainable forestry practices and sustain membership in the Tree Farm Program with a forest management plan.

The Soucook Sanctuary Trail leads to the Soucook River; the preserve has 1,200 feet frontage on the Soucook River. The Esker Trail leads to an extensive glacial formation known as an esker, a long ridge of sand of gravel left by the melt water pattern of the last glaciers; this trail also leads to numerous vernal pools. The Pollinator Garden leads to a garden constructed in the previous logging yard. There also is an extensive woods roads network for snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, and mountain biking. The preserve is open to public access and school groups and organizations may use it for field studies and workshops.

If you want to visit the Nature Preserve:

From the north, look for Currier Road on the right after the traffic lights for the intersection of Route 129. From the south, it’s about 3 miles south of the Motor Speedway. Look for Currier Road on the left.