During a recent snow-stealing December rainstorm, a vibrant full rainbow appeared with one end in Vermont and the other in New Hampshire; a bridge connecting the Twin States across the river that unites us. 

As we celebrate the return of the light after the Winter Solstice, we take a moment to recognize recent land conservation successes and look forward to spending time with you all in the coming year at one of our winter events! Your support makes achieving our common goals possible and ensures future generations will have access to outdoor experiences, fresh local food, clean water, and unfragmented forests, fields, and wetlands across the Upper Valley in New Hampshire and Vermont. 

Recent Land Conservation Closings

We're thrilled to celebrate several new conservation easements across the Upper Valley. Read more below!

Pete Geer looking out at the land he loved

After Pete Geer bought a West Fairlee hill farm in 1973, the place quickly became a beloved gathering spot where his children, grandchildren and family friends made cider and maple syrup and enjoyed outdoor time together. Now, Pete's family has ensured that legacy will be protected for generations to come. Read more on our blog.

The view of Moosilauke from the Conklin Farm

Miles Conklin’s 180+ acre farm in Haverhill, where he has dairied, hayed, sugared and lived for 40 years, contains over 100 acres of productive agricultural soils, as well as upland forests along Catamount Ridge that provide wildlife habitat that has received the New Hampshire Fish and Game’s Wildlife Action Plan's highest ranking for protection. Nestled in the village of Haverhill Corner, this property’s scenic views of Mt. Moosilauke and the Benton Range are iconic. We are pleased to have partnered with USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service to permanently conserve this land as our final project under our Regional Conservation Partnership Program agreement. We are grateful to have secured supplemental funding from the NH State Conservation Committee’s Moose Plate Grant Program, NH Farm Future Fund, and the NH Charitable Foundation, and for ongoing community support through the Haverhill Conservation Commission and Grafton County Natural Resources Conservation District. 

A vernal pool on the Schad property enveloped by the lush brilliant greens of Spring.

Tim and Lynn Schad are no strangers to land conservation, having worked with UVLT to protect nearby land a decade ago. Now, they have conserved the homestead and surrounding lands that they’ve carefully stewarded for decades. Tim says:

“Lynn and I purchased 71 acres of land on Tifft Road in Cornish, New Hampshire at the base of Buffalo Mt in 1979 and moved into the cottage in the woods that we built there in 1980. We have owned and cared for the property continuously since then. Over the years, gardens grew, fields were restored and defined, animals grazed, barns were built, and we cared for and loved it all. As we aged, we knew that we wanted to preserve the land as it is. When we researched how to proceed, all roads seemed to lead to the Upper Valley Land Trust. We are pleased to have chosen to work with such a respected and involved organization and look forward to achieving our goals with their help.”

Their new project adds 69 acres to a growing corridor of conserved lands in the Cornish Flat area. This property contains fertile agricultural soils, vernal pools and wetlands, headwater streams, and critical forest for wildlife habitat that have received the New Hampshire Fish and Game’s Wildlife Action Plan's highest ranking for protection. The Nature Conservancy has also identified this land as critical for plants and animals to move and adapt to a changing climate. To date, UVLT has conserved over 1,100 acres of farm and forestland in Cornish.

Rutter Property, Lebanon

Peg Merrens, Jerry Rutter, Ehrling Heistad, and Kim Rheinlander walk the land.

Jerry and Sally Rutter have graciously gifted their 22.75± acres of land on Stevens Road in Lebanon to the Upper Valley Land Trust, with the understanding that UVLT will give the land to the City of Lebanon, subject to a UVLT conservation easement. The land, which includes significant frontage on Blodgett Brook, was identified as a “Significant Ecological Area” in Lebanon’s Natural Resource Inventory (2010), and was specifically listed as a priority for conservation in the 2017 Lebanon Wildlife Corridor Report. The property was also ranked as a “Supporting Landscape” in the 2020 New Hampshire Wildlife Action Plan. It is situated across the street from the 217 acre Signal Hill property, which is owned by the City of Lebanon subject to a UVLT conservation easement and includes land which received the highest ranking for habitat in the same plan. 


The Rutters’ generous gift was supplemented by a contribution from the Lebanon Conservation Commission, through its Lebanon Open Space Trust (LOST) Fund, for project expenses and the perpetual stewardship of the land. Their act ensures that the property will continue to provide water quality enhancement, wildlife habitat, and the scenic views from Stevens Road that help define Lebanon’s character.

We have lots of exciting events coming up — be sure to check out our website to get the full list!

Noticing Nature: Winter Tree Identification at Lyme Hill
Sunday, January 11, 1-3 p.m.
Grab your snowshoes or crampons and join UVLT for a winter tree identification walk at Lyme Hill Conservation Area! During the walk, we will explore how to identify many trees of the northern hardwood forest by bark and bud. This will be the second walk in our current series about ash trees and their management, and we’ll point out black and white ash along the way. Once you have the skills to identify ash, you’ll be ready to help UVLT with our future “lingering ash” monitoring initiative if you wish!

Noticing Nature: Winter Biodiversity Exploration on Skis
Saturday, January 24, 1-3 p.m.
Don’t let the cold put you off — even in the dead of winter, there’s still so much life to see around us. Join us to explore the biodiversity of Pohl Conservation Area in Hartland on skis. The trails at Pohl have been used and cherished by cross-country skiers for years, so there’s no better way to document life in these fields and forests. As we go along, we will stop, identify, and record species using iNaturalist. We will finish our ski around a toasty fire, so feel free to bring treats along for roasting to share! Space is limited and registration is required.

We Know You Love the Upper Valley. We Do Too.

Become a part of the conservation solution and DONATE or VOLUNTEER today!