5RCT Fall 20018 Newsletter-Proof-final

Five Rivers Conservation TrustLocal Land Trust for the Greater Capital Region of New Hampshire Fall 2018 Newsletter Photo by Beth McGuinnMoonrise Over the Hayfield – the Albin-Hart FarmBy Rob Knight and Beth McGuinn Now, Fran has conserved the field she cultural soils. Harold was retiring fromWhere is the best place to watch the cherishes — it will never be developed the U.S. Department of Agricultural andmoonrise? Frances Hart would tell you and will always remain available for hay he knew good farmland. Fran (Albin)it is from the porch of her house in production or other agricultural uses. Hart has owned the farm since 1975,Hopkinton. She’s enjoyed watching the Fran will continue to own the property, and her conservation ethic will keep thismoon rise over her 18 acre hayfield for and manage it for conservation pur- field undeveloped in the future.over 60 years. poses, including agriculture. Five Rivers Farmers raising livestock today know will monitor the property annually to how hard it can be to buy hay locally. Albin Hart Farm Facts ensure that all uses are conservation Fields like this one make it possible to oriented, and will be available to Fran produce local milk products and meat. • 27.5 acres in Hopkinton, con- and all future owners when there are Agricultural fields also add to the rural served in September, 2018 questions about how the land may be character of the greater capital region by used. If there are unacceptable uses in increasing the diversity of our landscape • Conservation Easement the future, Five Rivers will be ready to and improving our quality of life with donated by Frances M. Hart take action. a beautiful vistas and a valuable habitat Fran is only the third owner of this for wildlife. • Prime agricultural soils field in over 100 years. Massachusetts Thank you Fran for protecting the field • Fields ranked among the best Governor Frank Allen raised Guernsey you love, so that future owners can raise cows here from 1915 until 1950. Fran’s crops, and watch the moonrise over the wildlife habitat in the biological parents, Harold and Christine Albin, field.  region bought the farm, attracted to the mag- • Adjacent to the Hopkinton nificent field and its acres of prime agri- Everett flood control area • 324 feet of frontage on Kast Hill Road E-News and Events Fiver Rivers Film FestivalAre you receiving Five Rivers’ event announcements and Join Five Rivers Conservation Trust on Februarynews in your email box? If not, check the Clutter folder on 19th for our second annual Film Festival! We’reyour computer. If you are not getting email, you can sign up at collecting a series of short, fun films that featurehttps://5rct.org/join-our-email-list/. For the quickest news, like activities like those taking place on Five Rivers’us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/FiveRiversNH/.  conserved properties. Stay tuned for more details. 

Second Tioga Marsh Property Conserved in BelmontBy Ken Stern Tioga Marsh 2 FactsThis past July, Five Rivers Conservation Trust conserved77 acres on Tioga Marsh in Belmont, a significant parcel of • 77 acres in Belmont, conserved in July 2018conservation land between Silver Lake, the Winnipesaukee • Conservation Easement donated by the Town ofRiver, and Northfield, and officially called the Currier-San-born Conservation Area. Because this newly conserved area Belmontabuts another 178-acre property on Tioga Marsh (conserved • 2700 feet of frontage on the Winnipesaukee Riverby Five Rivers in 2006), the resulting 255 acres permanently • 1850 feet of frontage on the Tioga Riverpreserves a large swath of marsh and flood-plain forest that • A portion of the Tioga marsh, ranked as among theranks among the most significant wildlife habitats in the state.Protecting Tioga Marsh has been a high priority for conser- best wildlife habitats in NHvationists, says Lori Sommer, coordinator for the ARM Fund • Open to the public for low-impact recreationProgram for NH Department of Environmental Services, • Adjacent to the Five Rivers-conserved 188 acre Tiogaand a former Five Rivers trustee. “An intricate network ofstreams supports a diverse marsh that transitions to a forested Marsh 1 property.wetland, with the entire area possessing great potential asbreeding habitat for amphibians,” Sommer says. The Belmont find refuge here. In addition to providing habitat for wildlife,community “is blessed with this hidden gem of a property the marsh serves a critical role in ensuring clean water andwith beautiful wetlands, standing water, and water-based mitigating flood flows in the area.recreation opportunities,” she adds. The Belmont Conservation Commission (BCC) purchasedThe wetlands of Tioga Marsh are home to a diverse pop- the Tioga Marsh 2 property from the Sanborn Family Trust,ulation of birds, mammals, amphibians and invertebrates. descendants of longtime owners of the property, and the BCCAmong the birds, green herons, prairie warblers, common donated a conservation easement to Five Rivers. To coveryellowthroats, catbirds, least flycatchers, phoebes, and king- the costs of the property and the conservation easement, thebirds breed in the marsh, and in winter, gulls and waterfowl BCC used monies from the town’s Conservation Fund, as well as grant funding from the Land and Community Heritage Five Rivers is a member-supported nonprofit land trust with a Investment Program (LCHIP), NH Department of Envi- mission to preserve and protect important open space lands for ronmental Services’ Aquatic Resource Mitigation Program present and future generations. We work in seventeen towns at (ARM), and a State Conservation Committee Conservation Grant (Moose Plate). Ken Stern and Amanda Stone served as the confluence of five New Hampshire rivers. project managers for Five Rivers. Five River’s Service Area: Belmont, Boscawen, Bow, Canterbury, Chichester, Concord, Dunbarton, Gilmanton, Henniker, Hillsboro, Hopkinton, Loudon, Northfield, Pembroke, Salisbury, Warner and Webster. The Five Rivers are the Blackwater, Contoocook, Merrimack, Soucook and Warner Rivers. Richard Head, Hillsborough, Chair Maura Adams, Penacook, Vice ChairMichael Shearin, Dunbarton, Treasurer Bob Cotton, Concord, SecretaryKatherine Barnes, Hopkinton Michael Lehman, Concord Steve Blackmer, Canterbury Carolyn Koegler Miller, Hopkinton Bonnie Christie, Hopkinton Michele Roberge, Concord Richard Cook, Warner Wayne Stadelmann, Dunbarton Jeanne Herrick, Concord Sarah Thorne, Gilmanton Staff Beth McGuinn, Executive DirectorAndrea Galliher, Membership and Office Assistant Five Rivers Conservation Trust Photo courtesy Town of Belmont. 6 Dixon Ave, #201, Concord, NH 03301(603) 225-7225 | www.5rct.org | [email protected] | Fall 2018 Newsletter | Five Rivers Conservation Trust

Executive Director’s MessageBy Beth McGuinn, Executive DirectorPhoto by Kathy Healy. about this exciting step in the Conservation Staff Update on Page 4. What is the best way to cele- As we move into our 31st year, we have many conservation brate 30 years? Having a cake at projects in the works. Two dairy farm fields, nearly a mile of the Annual Gathering was fun. river frontage, a special fishing hole, and more. I can’t wait to Featuring longtime members tell you the details in future newsletters. is another way. Receiving gifts Our conservation efforts are not possible without you, our of $3, $30, $300, or $3,000 supporters, our volunteer project managers and easement is great way to celebrate. We monitors, office volunteers, committee and Board members. have checked all those boxes in You are the foundation that has sustained Five Rivers Conser- 2018. vation Trust for 30 years. Thank you for all you do to improve Now, Five Rivers is poised to our quality of life by conserving local land! Here’s to the next take the most important step 30 years.  to celebrate our anniversary. Weare hiring our first Land Conservation Specialist who willdedicate time to increasing the pace of conservation, focusingefforts on the land most in need of conservation, and improv-ing the care of the properties we have conserved over threedecades. I cannot think of a better way to celebrate! See moreYear-End ContributionsAre you planning a year-end gift to help Five Rivers grow? You may want to check with your financial advisor to see ifa contribution of appreciated stock would be advantageous or if directing your required (for those 70 ½ and older) IRAdistribution to Five Rivers is possible. No matter how you give or how much you give, your support allows Five Rivers theprivilege of working with landowners like Fran Hart and the Town of Belmont to ensure that special places remain unde-veloped in the future. Meet Our New Board MembersIn June this year we welcomed two new board members. We’re very excited about the expertise they bring and the enthusiasmthey’ve already shown for the work that we do.Bonnie Christie, Hopkinton Jeanne Herrick, Concord Bonnie lives in Hopkinton where Jeanne grew up in southern New she is active in municipal govern- Hampshire. For more than 20 years, ment and enjoys hiking, skiing and she has enjoyed the open space and quiet time in the woods. natural resources that the capitol She served as Conservation Coor- region offers – savoring locally dinator in the AMC Headquarters grown food, hiking trails through the in Boston, where she represented woods and in the mountains, biking the AMC on the National Clean Air country roads, and swimming and Coalition, the Wilderness Manage- kayaking in lakes and rivers.ment Task Force, and the White Mountain National Forest Jeanne previously served on the board of Red River TheatresManagement Plan Advisory Committee. She has served on and currently serves as legal counsel to the Communitytown conservation commissions in MA and VT. College System of New Hampshire.  Five Rivers Conservation Trust | Fall 2018 Newsletter | 3

Support Five Rivers Today! NON-PROFIT US POSTAGEFive Rivers supporters make local land conservationpossible. Please help us grow! With your membership, PAIDquality of life in the Greater Capital Area can be even CONCORD, NHbetter! PERMIT 1694 $50 $150 $250 Five Rivers Conservation Trust 6 Dixon Ave, #201 $500 Other: $________ Concord, NH 03301 I’d like to support the Land Conservation Specialist position with a 3 year commitment to donate $__________ per yearName: ______________________________________ Printed on recycled paper with soy inksAddress: ______________________________________ ______________________________________Phone: ______________________________________Email: ______________________________________Please clip this form and mail it with your check: Five Rivers Conservation Trust 6 Dixon Ave, #201, Concord, NH 03301 Or join online at 5rct.org. Newsletter SponsorsConservation Staff UpdateImagine being able to increase the pace of conservation in thegreater capital region. Imagine conserving the most importantfarms, forests, habitats, recreational lands, water resources,and landscapes. That is just what Five Rivers aims to do byhiring our first, full-time land conservation specialist. If allgoes as planned, we’ll have someone on the ground in theNew Year!Thanks to local donors, two grants and Five Rivers’ financialplanning, we have nearly all the funding needed to add thisnew staff member. With a professional conservation staffmember on board, we will be more active in our communi-ties, identify where the most important lands for conserva-tion, and improve our easement monitoring and stewardship.After three years, we expect Five Rivers will be able to fundthis position as part of our regular budget.If you would like to help us fund the final 5% of the Conser-vation Staff campaign with an additional contribution, pleasereturn the support form above or contact Executive DirectorBeth McGuinn at 225-7225 or [email protected] us luck in finding the right person to bring into FiveRivers’ conservation community. We will keep you posted onour progress by email posts and on Facebook. 4 | Fall 2018 Newsletter | Five Rivers Conservation Trust