Current Conservation Projects

CENTER HARBOR WOODS

The process of the Dane forest parcel purchase and conservation, now Center Harbor Woods, is detailed on its own page.

SHARPLAND CAMPSTEAD EASEMENT

completed July 3, 2007

In June, 2007, the SLCS recorded its fourth campstead easement on a 16 –acre lakefront parcel known as Sharpland, courtesy of an incredible donation from Leslie Christodoulopoulos. Sharpland is located in Sandwich at the north entrance to Sandwich Bay on Big Squam Lake. With 1,250 of prime lake-frontage, this heavily wooded property has been described as “a jewel among Squam properties”. At the waterfront, this property is highlighted by a rocky promontory (Sharp Point) with a dramatic view along the big lake’s major axis and up to the Eagle Cliffs of Red Hill. We are grateful to Leslie Christodoulopoulos for her dedication to conservation and preservation, and her willingness to achieve a balance between personal enjoyment and public good that is relatively uncommon in today’s society.

KIRK CAMPSTEAD

completed March 28, 2007

is located in Sandwich on Pinehurst Road. It is the original Pinehurst camp, dating back to 1886, is in near-original condition, making it the second oldest continually used camp at Squam. The eight acre lot abuts conserved land to the north and west. The majority of the land is field and forest, and the well-couched buildings are virtually invisible from the public waters of Big Squam Lake. This campstead easement will preserve the open spaces, provide scenic enjoyment for the public, prevent a subdivision, limit building expansion, and will conserve an under-developed lot.

We are grateful to Mrs. Jean Kirk and Malcolm and Joan Kirk for the tremendous donation of this campstead easement. In 2004, we completed our first campstead easement, and we added another last year next door to the Kirk lot. Thus, the Kirk Campstead Easement marks the third held by the SLCS.

Campstead Easements combine a historic preservation model for the structures within a land conservation easement framework, thus conserving on-going low-impact use and sensitive shoreline habitat. In short, the SLCS is promoting a relatively low-impact land use pattern while sustaining the cultural landscape that has long defined Squam Lakes. Please contact us if you are interested in learning more about Campstead Easements.

LEVI SMITH CONSERVATION AREA

completed March 28, 2007

We are pleased to announce the fee purchase of a 124-acre lot on the Squam Range in Sandwich that is being called the Levi Smith Conservation Area for the historic house site and cemetery located there. The property abuts the Metcalf Preserve to the north and has about 1,000 feet of lake frontage on Dinsmore Pond, about 1,800 feet along Montgomery Brook, and a significant maple sugar bush that ceased operation a few years ago.

BURLEIGH CONSERVATION EASEMENT

Phase I completed January 2007, Phase II completed June 2007

Two years ago, Tim, Audrey, Brooks, Matt, Lilah and Nina Fisher announced Burleigh Lands Limited Partnership’s willingness to sell a conservation easement to the LRCT with SLCS as reverter on 2,500 acres on the Squam Range. The project was divided into two parcels, the first 900 acres closed in January 2007, and the balance of 1,600 acres closed on June 29, 2007. With 7 miles of trail, and 5 miles of Squam Range ridgeline, this is by far the largest parcel conserved to date within the Squam watershed. The success of this project hinged on the tremendous support of the SLCS membership and signals a new era in the permanent protection of Squam.

One of the incredible ways that the Burleigh Land conservation easement is enlarging the conservation pie is through the many efforts underway to conserve the Squam Range. In the last two years, the SLCS has purchased three parcels on the Squam Range, Doublehead Conservation Area, Metcalf Preserve, and the Levi Smith Conservation Area. In mid August, through a partnership with Burleigh Land and our great friend Laury Coolidge, a 937-acre parcel with almost a mile of the Crawford-Ridgepole trail was purchased. Through the determination and foresight of Burleigh and Mr. Coolidge, this land is now in the hands of committed conservationists.

KOENIG FOREST CONSERVATION AREA

The purchase of the easement on the Koenig Forest Conservation Area was completed on June 29, 2006 (see update #9), but it is not too late to pledge or make a donation toward this projects.

• May 4, 2006 Update #1
• May 12, 2006 Update #2
• May 19, 2006 Update #3
• May 26, 2006 Update #4
• June 2, 2006 Update #5
• June 9, 2006 Update #6
• June 16, 2006 Update #7
• June 23, 2006 Update #8
• June 29, 2006 Update #9

Donor Listing.

MAYER FAMILY PRESERVE

completed August 18, 2006

The western-facing slopes of Red Hill can be seen from throughout the Squam watershed. The SLCS has been working on conserving much of the land above 800’ elevation since 2002. The Mayer Family Preserve is the latest property to be protected. The easement area consists of 30.4 acres of open space and forestland on the upper slopes of Red Hill near Eagle Cliff. It is visible from Bean Road and many vantage points around Squam Lakes, and from boats on Squam Lake. Other easements held by SLCS on Red Hill are Cotton Farm I (Mack) recorded on August 29, 2005, and Cotton Farm IV (Wardlaw), recorded on March 14, 2005.

KENT ISLAND II

completed August 19, 2006

Charlie Cook donated a two acre buildable lot on Kent Island in Moultonborough. This is a gift in fee to the Squam Lakes Conservation Society.

Squam Range

Metcalf Preserve (Fowler Trust)

completed and recorded on April 20, 2006

Doublehead Conservation Area (Green Acre Woodlands)

completed and recorded on July 6, 2006.

View the Fowler Trust and Green Acre File.

ALLEN PRESERVATION EASEMENT

completed and recorded March 31, 2006

OWL’S HEAD PRESERVE II

completed and recorded January 5, 2006

View the Allen and Owl’s Head Preserve’s File.

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