Land Protection
We conserved four new properties totaling 133 acres during the year, including:
• Proctor Preserve, Lyndeborough – thanks to the generosity of many people, PLC successfully purchased two properties totaling 112 acres in Lyndeborough owned by the Proctor family. The first to close was a 41-acre parcel located next to our Rice Preserve that features dramatic glacial eskers and supports a wild brook trout population. PLC later purchased a nearby 71-acre tract with half a mile of frontage on Cold Brook. The property had been listed for sale before PLC stepped in to acquire the land.
• Nissitissit River CE, Brookline -- PLC and the Town of Brookline completed the second phase of our joint conservation project along the Nissitissit River. The Town of Brookline conveyed a conservation easement to PLC on 14 forested acres (in five parcels!) that protect another third of a mile of frontage on the Nissitissit River, and almost a mile of a popular rail trail. Brookline and PLC had previously protected two properties totaling 75 acres along the Nissitissit in June 2017.
• Brennan Confluence CE, Francestown -- our long-time partners the Francestown Land Trust (FLT) conveyed a conservation easement to PLC on a small but strategic parcel located at the confluence of the South Branch of the Piscataquog River and Brennan Brook in Francestown. FLT had purchased the 7.5 acre property earlier in 2017, and the PLC easement reinforces its permanent protection.
With these latest additions PLC has protected 108 properties totaling 6,995 acres.
Land Stewardship
On the stewardship front, dedicated PLC volunteers and staff monitored every one of our conservation properties, built trails, marked boundaries, and installed gates and property signs. We fielded numerous issues and inquiries on our lands and easements, but once again had no major violations requiring enforcement action. In a first for PLC, we ran timber harvests on our Ferrin Pond and Tuthill Preserves, which generated income to the organization and provided an opportunity to educate our members and the public on sustainable forestry practices.
Outreach and Education
PLC ran eighteen public walks, paddles and rides attended by about 330 people. We also launched a completely revamped website in the fall of 2017, and moved more of our communications in 2018 online (e.g. fewer print newsletters and more frequent and timely e-newsletters).
Organizational Development
Culminating two years of work, PLC was awarded national Land Trust Accreditation in August 2017. The accreditation program independently verifies that land trusts are operating in accordance with national standards and practices set by the Land Trust Alliance (LTA). PLC also once again balanced our operating budget, and continued to grow our long-term funds for land and easement stewardship and legal defense.
Everything the Piscataquog Land Conservancy achieves, we achieve together – whether as volunteer or professional staff, lifelong member or enthusiastic newcomer, hiker, hunter, biker or bird-watcher, modest contributor or major donor. PLC is a community, and for all our diversity we know we share common ground. These days that is something to celebrate. We hope you will come enjoy the company of your friends and fellow PLC members at PLC’s 48th Annual Meeting on Saturday, November 3rd at the Community Church of New Boston! Our featured speaker will be state and national conservation leader and longtime PLC trustee Paul Doscher, who will give a talk on the history of land conservation in New Hampshire.
Martha Sunderland Chris Wells
Chair, Board of Trustees President
To learn more, click on the links below:
Chris Wells' presentation at the Annual Meeting on November 3, 2018
FY18 Financial Report (July 1, 2017 to June 30, 2018)