On August 5th, 2021 the Town of Deering and Piscataquog Land Conservancy signed a conservation easement on three properties, totaling just under 25 acres.

The three lots are on the northeastern side of Deering Reservoir - the source of the North Branch of the Piscataquog River. These properties include 1,800 feet of frontage on two streams that empty directly into the reservoir.

The best known of these properties is Gregg Hill, home to one of the earliest rope tow ski hills in the state. The ski hill is no longer in operation, but the 1,300-foot hill overlooks a wildflower meadow with a view of the other two parcels protected by PLC’s easement. The view from the top of the slope features Deering Reservoir, with Crotched Mountain and Rose Mountain on the horizon. Deering's Conservation Commission is working to develop a pollinator garden with walking paths, and hopes that the property will become an educational and recreational destination for residents. 

A fourth parcel, part of the initial project in Deering, remains in process. The 65-acre Ferris tract (named for Edward Ferris, Jr., who donated the land to the town of Deering for conservation purposes in 2005) contains 57 acres of habitat-rich forested peatland and is part of a larger corridor of conserved forest that is nearly five miles long and spans two watersheds.