Five Rivers Wins $118,000 LCHIP Grant Award to Conserve Blue Moon Berry Farm
December 14, 2022 – Five Rivers Conservation Trust has been awarded a $118,000 grant from the New Hampshire Land and Community Heritage Investment Program (LCHIP) to support the conservation of Blue Moon Berry Farm. This property, perched on Waldron Hill in Warner, has been in continuous operation as a u-pick berry farm since the 1960s. It is a treasured local resource, well-known and loved by residents and surrounding communities.
“We are thrilled that LCHIP funded Five Rivers for the conservation of Blue Moon Berry Farm,” said Jeff Evans, Director of Conservation, about the vital step toward the project’s success. “This land has been a conservation priority for many years. We’re grateful to our funding partners at LCHIP, the Warner Conservation Commission, NH Farm Future Fund, and the property owners for helping make this a reality.”
Governor Sununu today announced projects being funded by $4.3 million in matching grants from LCHIP to support 34 land conservation and historic preservation projects. The grants will assist municipalities, nonprofits, and community groups in rehabilitating 17 historic structures and permanently conserving more than 2,700 acres of farm, timber, and ecologically significant land in all ten counties of the state.
The project will conserve 109 acres, including approximately 5 acres of highbush blueberry, 7.5 acres of other crop and hay fields and agricultural buildings, and 90 acres of mixed hardwood forest. With 95% of the funding to purchase a conservation easement now committed, including the landowners’ offer to donate part of the easement’s value, funding for this project is nearly complete.
Landowners Jan Gugliotti and Barbara Dieckman purchased the farm in 2000 to preserve its agricultural resources and ensure it would remain a working farm. The farm also has livestock, a small orchard, crop fields for vegetable production, and a space to sell farm products and crafts. Five Rivers is now accepting donations from the community to bring this project to fruition and protect this local treasure from future development.
