Southeast Land Trust Of New Hampshire

FARM AND RANCH LANDS PROTECTION PROGRAM

FARM AND RANCH LANDS PROTECTION PROGRAM

BIRCH RIDGE COMMUNITY FOREST

BIRCH RIDGE COMMUNITY FOREST PHASE 2

CREATION OF THE BIRCH RIDGE COMMUNITY FOREST PHASE THREE UNDER THE COMMUNITY FOREST PROGRAM

FARM AND RANCH LANDS PROTECTION PROGRAM

THE SOUTHEAST LAND TRUST (SELT) OF NEW HAMPSHIRE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH GREAT BAY RESOURCE PROTECTION PARTNERSHIP, NEW HAMPSHIRE CHARITABLE FOUNDATION, AND THE STATE CONSERVATION COMMITTEE PROPOSES TO PROTECT A TOTAL OF 709-ACRES WITHIN 8.6 MILES OF THE PAWTUCKAWAY HIGHLANDS AND 12.5 MILES FROM THE GREAT BAY IMPORTANT BIRD AREAS, AND WITHIN 15 MILES OF STUBBS POND ON GREAT BAY NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE WHICH IS UNDER CONSIDERATION AS A SEPARATE IMPORTANT BIRD AREA. THE PROJECT AWARD WILL INCLUDE THE NEW ACQUISITION OF THE 410-ACRE BEDFORD-AYERS POND WEST PROPERTY IN BARRINGTON, STRAFFORD COUNTY, NH WHICH IS 12.5 MILES EAST OF THE GREAT BAY. GREAT BAY IS ONE OF THREE ATLANTIC COAST JOINT VENTURE AND NH FISH GAME DESIGNATED FOCUS AREAS FOR WATERFOWL HABITAT CONSERVATION UNDER THE NORTH AMERICAN WATERFOWL MANAGEMENT PLAN. THE PROJECT INCLUDES ACQUIRING AND PERMANENTLY PROTECTING 146-ACRES OF HIGH QUALITY FRESHWATER EMERGENT, POND, SCRUB-SHRUB, VERNAL POOLS, FORESTED AND RIVERINE WETLAND TYPES, AND 563-ACRES OF BUFFERING UPLAND HABITAT. THE AREA PROVIDES CRITICAL HABITAT FOR BREEDING NATIVE AND MIGRATORY WATERFOWL SPECIES, WHICH INCLUDE MALLARDS, AMERICAN BLACK DUCK, WOOD DUCKS, COMMON MERGANSER, AND RESIDENT CANADA GEESE, ALSO PROVIDES AN IMPORTANT FEEDING, LOAFING, AND RESTING AREA FOR OTHER WATERFOWL SPECIES DURING SPRING AND FALL MIGRATION. THESE SPECIES INCLUDE GREEN-WINGED TEAL, RING-NECKED DUCK, AMERICAN WIGEON, BUFFLEHEAD, GADWALL, AND NAP CANADA GEESE. THE PROJECT AREA REPRESENTS A NETWORK OF REGIONALLY SIGNIFICANT HABITAT AREAS AND CORRIDORS NECESSARY TO MAINTAIN OPPORTUNITIES FOR WILDLIFE ACROSS THE LANDSCAPE, ESPECIALLY IN THE FACE OF CONTINUING HABITAT LOSS AND A CHANGING CLIMATE. THE PROPERTIES ARE WITHIN 8.4 MILES OF THE NORTH AMERICAN WETLANDS CONSERVATION ACT NATIONAL PRIORITY AREA FOR WATERBIRDS, BUT WITHIN THE NATIONAL PRIORITY AREAS FOR WATERFOWL, SHOREBIRDS, AND LANDBIRDS IN THE COASTAL ZONE PRIORITY AREA, THE ATLANTIC COAST JOINT VENTURE WATERFOWL FOCUS AREA, THE CONSERVATION PLAN FOR THE BLANDINGS TURTLE AND ASSOCIATED SPECIES OF CONSERVATION NEED IN THE NORTHEASTERN UNITED STATES, AND THE NH FISH GAME WILDLIFE ACTION PLAN. GREAT BAY IS ONE OF THREE NH FISH GAME DESIGNATED FOCUS AREAS FOR WATERFOWL HABITAT CONSERVATION UNDER THE NORTH AMERICAN WATERFOWL MANAGEMENT PLAN. THE ACQUISITION OF THE PROPERTY WILL ELIMINATE THE THREAT OF SUBDIVISION AND DEVELOPMENT, PROTECT THE HIGH QUALITY WETLANDS, 4,980 FEET OF SHORELINE ON AYERS POND, FRONTAGE ALONG THE ISINGLASS RIVER, STONEHOUSE BROOK, MALLEGO BROOK AND SEVERAL TRIBUTARY STREAMS. THE PERMANENTPROTECTION WILL PROVIDE A MINIMUM 100-METER OF FORESTED WETLAND BUFFER THAT TOTALS 385-ACRES OF SUPPORTING HABITAT TO LIMIT WATER QUALITY DEGRADATION. THE UPLANDS HAVE BEEN MANAGED AS A QUALITY UNEVEN AGED FOREST FOR DECADES AND WILL PROVIDE NESTING HABITAT FOR NATIVE WATERFOWL SPECIES, PROVIDE A FOOD SOURCE FOR BEAVER THAT ARE MAINTAINING THE BEAVER PONDS, AND INCLUDE IMPORTANT HABITAT AND CORRIDORS FOR A WIDE VARIETY OF WILDLIFE SPECIES INCLUDING THE STATE ENDANGERED BLANDINGS TURTLE. THIS PROPOSAL WILL BENEFIT A LARGE SUITE OF WETLAND SPECIES AND CONTINUE TO BUILD UPON WORK IN THE REGION TO CONNECT THE LANDSCAPE WITH CONSERVATION PRIORITIES SPECIFICALLY BENEFITING THE GREAT BAY. THE LANDS MANAGED BY SELT ARE OPEN TO PUBLIC ACCESS AND HUNTING VIA NON-MOTORIZED VEHICLES. THE GRANT AND MATCH PROPERTIES WILL BE TOTALLY OPEN TO HIKING, HUNTING, FISHING, BIRD AND WILDLIFE WATCHING, AND GENERAL STUDY OF WILDLIFE. THE PARCELS WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR LICENSED SPORTSMEN AND WOMEN DURING APPLICABLE SEASONS. SUCCESS WITH THIS PROJECT IS A CATALYST FOR FUTURE ACQUISITION OF 350-ACRES OWNED BY THE SAME LANDOWNER PROVIDING FURTHER LANDSCAPE CONNECTIVITY, WATER QUALITY PROTECTION, AND CLIMATE RESILIENCY

LIMPERIS LAMPREY RIVER PROJECT, NH

ROCKRIMMON ROAD CONSERVATION AREA

WETLANDS RESERVE PROGRAM

PAWTUCKAWAY II - F11AP00990