Southeast Land Trust Of New Hampshire

TO PROTECT AND SUSTAIN THE SIGNIFICANT LANDS IN OUR COMMUNITY FOR CLEAN WATER, FRESH FOOD, OUTDOOR RECREATION, HEALTHY FORESTS, AND WILDLIFE. THE ORGANIZATION HAS CONSERVED MORE THAN 25,000 ACRES OF OPEN SPACES IN SOUTH

LAND CONSERVATION SELT CONSERVED OR ASSISTED IN THE PROTECTION OF 1,873 ACRES OF LAND THROUGH 12 PROJECTS. SELT CONSERVATION WORK CONTINUED TO FOCUS ON THREE KEY AREAS LIVING LANDSCAPES, CLEAN DRINKING WATER, AND FARMLAND FOR THE FUTURE. PROJECTS INCLUDE SELT ACQUISITION OF FEE LANDS AND EASEMENTS AND ASSISTING FEDERAL PARTNERS IN ACQUIRING CONSERVATION EASEMENTS. UNDER OUR LIVING LANDSCAPES INITIATIVE, SELT COMPLETED SIX PROJECTS, WITH THE HIGHLIGHT BEING THE URGENT ADDITION OF THE GAZIANO TRACT FOR THE PISCASSIC GREENWAY. THIS PURCHASE, WHICH SELT HAD JUST 90 DAYS TO COMPLETE, ADDED 32 ACRES ALONG THE PISCASSIC RIVER. IN NEW DURHAM, SELT ADDED 636 ACRES TO THE BIRCH RIDGE COMMUNITY FOREST THROUGH THE PURCHASE OF THE STELL AND YOUNG TRACTS. SELT ADDED A NEW RESERVATION IN BARRINGTON THROUGH THE BARGAIN PURCHASE OF THE LEIGHTON FOREST, A 405-ACRE, WELL-MANAGED, HIGH-QUALITY FOREST ALONG STONEHOUSE BROOK. CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O

EASEMENT STEWARDSHIP SELT MONITORED ALL 212 CONSERVATION EASEMENTS HELD AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR TO ENSURE CONTINUED PROTECTION OF THE NATURAL RESOURCES OF THESE CONSERVED LANDS. WE ALSO WORKED WITH OUR PARTNERS TO SUPPORT THEIR MONITORING OF THE 44 EASEMENTS FOR WHICH WE HOLD THE EXECUTORY INTEREST BACK UP TO THE PRIMARY EASEMENT HOLDER. FINALLY, WE CONTRACTED WITH FOUR MUNICIPALITIES TO MONITOR TOWN CONSERVED LANDS. SELT COMPLETES THIS WORK THROUGH TWO FULL-TIME AND TWO SEASONAL STAFF MEMBERS COMPLEMENTED BY OUR VOLUNTEER EASEMENT MONITOR PROGRAM. MONITORING WAS COMPLETED PRIMARILY THROUGH SITE VISITS WITH AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY INSPECTIONS ON LESS THAN 15 OF THE EASEMENTS. SELT REMAINS COMMITTED TO ADDRESSING ALL TRESPASSES OR VIOLATIONS, NO MATTER HOW SMALL OR LARGE, IN AN AMICABLE WAY TO ENSURE A SUCCESSFUL RESOLUTION WHERE A POSITIVE RELATIONSHIP REMAINS BETWEEN US, THE LANDOWNERS AND NEIGHBORS. IN TOTAL, STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS SPENT 1,942 HOURS ON EASEMENT MONITORING AND STEWARDSHIP ACTIVITIES.

LAND MANAGEMENT BY THE END OF 2021, SELT OWNED 39 RESERVATIONS TOTALING MORE THAN 10,123 ACRES, WITH ALL LANDS BEING VISITED FOR MONITORING PURPOSES. SELT LANDS SAW CONTINUED HEAVY VISITOR USE RESULTING FROM INCREASED INTEREST IN OUTDOOR RECREATION DRIVEN BY THE PANDEMIC. SELT CREATED HABITAT FOR AT-RISK WILDLIFE SPECIES AT THE BIRCH RIDGE COMMUNITY FOREST, LANGLEY-KENNARD FOREST IN LEE, AND ZANARD FOREST IN NOTTINGHAM. A TIMBER HARVEST ON A PORTION OF THE PAWTUCKAWAY RIVER RESERVATION WAS COMPLETED AS WELL, IMPROVING HABITAT AND THE HEALTH OF THE FOREST STAND. THE ORGANIZATION ALSO ADDED NEW TRAILS AT THE BIRCH RIDGE COMMUNITY FOREST, SPRUCE SWAMP CONSERVATION AREA, AND HARVEYS KENNARD HILL FOREST, WHILE MAINTAINING MORE THAN 60 MILES IN TOTAL.