The Monadnock Conservancy

Land protection the organization secured a permanent conservation easement on 46 acres of farmland. It also amended a conservation easement to add 133 additional acres to an existing 312-acre conservation easement. These easements provide the following public benefits protection of significant wildlife habitat as identified by the n.h. Wildlife action plan protection of wildlife corridors expansion and connection of existing conserved land conservation of highly productive soils that are suitable for both farming and forestry conservation of land identified by their towns as being important for protection and protection of water resources, including streams, wetlands, and groundwater aquifer. The organization acquired fee ownership of two properties totaling 105 acres. These properties provide the following public benefits public access protection of water resources, such as streams wetlands protection of land within a wellhead protection area for public water supply protection of significant wildlife habitat and wildlife corridors continued on schedule o

Conservation easement stewardship the organization supported and coordinated 14 volunteers and four staff members to monitor 236 conservation easement-encumbered and deed-restricted properties totaling over 21,000 acres. Staff resolved one significant conservation easement violation involving a landowner replacing a stone wall they had removed from the easement boundary and eight minor violations including dumping, noncompliant structures, timber trespass, and camping. Staff reached out to landowners to arrange monitoring visits, confirm contact information and discuss changes in land management and other uses, offering to meet with them on their land and, where appropriate, pointing them toward land management resources such as trainings, grants, and other professional advisors. Staff worked with landowners on 18 requests related to interpretation of easement terms, exercise of reserved rights, and land management approvals. Continued on schedule o

Land management and recreation staff and volunteers monitored and managed lands owned by the monadnock conservancy fee-owned lands and increased recreational opportunities during the 2025 fiscal year. Staff monitored 28 fee-owned lands, totalling over 2500 acres. Staff, including one part-time seasonal employee, worked alongside 53 community volunteers to maintain fee lands. Community volunteers included individuals, a local business, a charter school, and a summer camp. Projects included removing an old ice shack, clearing fallen woody debris from parking areas and trails, removing invasive plant species, and planting native shrubs to prevent soil erosion. Volunteers assisted in creating new hiking trails at one property, adding one-half mile of trail through two towns and incorporating historical and natural features. Staff planned and marked the route for a future trail-building project that would add a half-mile skiing and winter sports trail to a property bordering a reservoir. Continued on schedule o