BERLIN — A third phase protecting 9,000 acres surrounding Success Pond has
been added to the effort already underway to conserve approximately 20,000 acres
in Success.
Nancy Bell of the Conservation Fund updated the Coos County Commissioners on the
project at their monthly meeting yesterday. The initiative has already obtained
$2.75 million in federal Land and Water Conservation Funds to purchase 4,700
acres along the north flank of the Mahoosuc Range in Phase I of the project.
Phase I is high elevation land that includes the unprotected Bald Cap and North
Bald Cap peaks as well as six miles along the Appalachian Trail. Because of its
elevation, the land is not suitable for timber harvesting and is being purchased
outright.
It will become part of the National Park Service and will be managed by the
White Mountain National Forest. Phase I also includes purchasing an easement on
1,200 acres in Shelburne along three miles of the Appalachian Trail.
Phase II of the project calls for purchasing a conservation easement on the
remaining 15,200 acres of land owned by Dillon Logging. The easement would
prevent development of the tract but would allow timber harvesting, hiking,
hunting, and motorized recreational use.
Bell said the initiative submitted an application for $3 million to the federal
Forest Legacy Fund earlier this year but the project ranked fourth in the state
and was not selected. She said the application will be resubmitted in the next
round of funding for the fiscal 2012 budget. Bell said she is looking to raise
the necessary money for Phase II over two budget rounds. In the meantime, she is
encouraging supporters and local officials to submit letters of support to get
the project ranked higher.
Bell said a third phase has been added to the project calling for purchasing a
conservation easement on 9,000 acres of land surrounding Success Pond. Former
paper company land, it is now owned by Heartland Forestlands, a timberland
investment management organization (TIMO) based in Chapel Hill, Tenn.
Commissioners questioned Bell about timber harvesting and recreational use under
the conservation easements. She said the goal is to keep the lands in timber
production while protecting the unusual ecology and wildlife. She said there
will be buffers around streams and deer yards will be protected.
Commissioner Paul Grenier asked if the easement would stop liquidation
harvesting and Bell replied it would. She said there will be both a stewardship
plan and forestry plan that will govern timber management. While Grenier said he
didn’t want to see the liquidation harvesting, he and Commissioner Burnham Judd
stressed they support maintaining a working forest.
Commissioner Tom Brady asked if ATVs will be allowed and Bell said the current
practice of allowing ATV and snowmobile use on established trails would
continue. Referring to Phase II, Bell said Dillon
could continue to own the land or the company could sell it but the easement
will not allow the land to be subdivided.
Grenier asked about long-term maintenance of Success Road and Bell said that is
something that should be addressed in the easements. Since Success is an
unincorporated place, Grenier noted the commission
serves as its board of selectmen. As such, he said the commission will have to
sign off on any easement.
While he said he supports the concept of the project, Grenier said he will wait
to see the agreement before he commits to signing anything. But he and the rest
of the commission voted to write a letter supporting the Conservation Fund’s
application for Forest Legacy Funds for phases II and III.
Bell is scheduled to meet with the Berlin city council Monday, July 19 to talk
about the project.