Conservation easement in Dover protects 58 acres

The City of Dover, through the efforts of the Open Lands Committee (OLC) and Conservation Commission has added another significant property to the list of permanently protected lands. The process involved working closely with the landowners, Kathie Forbes and Anne Parks, to place a conservation easement on 58 acres located off of Long Hill Road. The project was officially completed on Feb. 15, 2012, after many months of work.

“This property is a beautiful oasis of forestland located in an area that has seen quite a bit of residential development in the past,” said Open Lands Committee Chair Anna Boudreau. “We are pleased to have been able to work cooperatively with the owners to protect this unique parcel.”

Funding for the conservation easement came from the Dover Conservation Fund. The fund is comprised of fees charged to landowners who remove land from the current use program. When a willing landowner grants a conservation easement on a property, the landowner retains ownership of the property while agreeing to permanently limit development activities that may be harmful to the natural resources on the property. The conservation easement runs with the land, regardless of any ownership changes in the future and will provide permanent protection of the property’s conservation values.

Although she recently sold the property, Kathie Forbes said, “My family and our neighbors have enjoyed living near this beautiful space for many years and my sister and I were happy to be able to preserve it forever.”

The property is part of the Blackwater Brook Watershed and is part of the Cotton Well groundwater protection area. The Parks family has had the property designated as an official “Tree Farm” through the UNH Cooperative Extension. The property contains a mix of hardwoods and softwoods and is home to many species of wildlife.

The OLC was established by the City Council in 2000 as a subcommittee to the Conservation Commission and has successfully completed 16 projects, protecting almost 800 acres.

Landowners who would like information about conservation options for their property are encouraged to contact City Planner Steve Bird at 603-516-6008 ors.bird@dover.nh.gov.