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 27,000 ACRES OF OPEN SPACES IN SOUTH

LAND CONSERVATION SELT CONSERVED OR ASSISTED IN THE PROTECTION OF 899 ACRES OF LAND THROUGH 10 PROJECTS. CONSERVATION WORK CONTINUED TO FOCUS ON FOUR KEY AREAS LIVING LANDSCAPES, CLEAN DRINKING WATER, THE PAWTUCKAWAY TO GREAT BAY GREENWAY INITIATIVE, AND FARMLAND FOR THE FUTURE. PROJECTS INCLUDE SELT ACQUISITION OF FEE LANDS AND EASEMENTS AND ONE DEEDED EXECUTORY INTEREST. UNDER OUR LIVING LANDSCAPES INITIATIVE, SELT COMPLETED SEVEN PROJECTS, WITH THE HIGHLIGHT BEING TWO GENEROUS DONATIONS, ONE A FEE INTEREST TO 4.2 ACRES ALONG THE LAMPREY RIVER THAT IS AN ADDITION TO THE EXISTING ROBERT RIX FAMILY FOREST IN DEERFIELD, WHICH NOW TOTALS 80-ACRES. THE SECOND DONATION WAS A 15.4-ACRE CONSERVATION EASEMENT IN ATKINSON WORKING WITH THE TOWN OF ATKINSON AND THE CONSERVATION FUND ON THE FORMER LANG PROPERTY. THE TOWN NOW OWNS THE LANG PROPERTY SUBJECT TO THE SELT CONSERVATION EASEMENT AND IT IS PART OF THE TOWNS LARGER ATKINSON WEST SAWMILL TOWN FOREST CONSERVATION AREA. CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O

LAND MANAGEMENT BY THE END OF 2023, SELT OWNED 41 RESERVATIONS TOTALING MORE THAN 10,834 ACRES, WITH ALL LANDS BEING VISITED FOR MONITORING PURPOSES. SELT LANDS CONTINUE TO BE WELL VISITED BY THE PUBLIC DUE TO AN INCREASED INTEREST IN OUTDOOR RECREATION. SELT CREATED EARLY SUCCESSIONAL HABITAT, PERFORMED FOREST STAND IMPROVEMENT AND IMPROVED MANAGEMENT ACCESS ON EXISTING WOODS ROAD AT BIRCH RIDGE COMMUNITY FOREST IN NEW DURHAM. MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES INCLUDING INVASIVE SPECIES REMOVAL FOR FIELD RESTORATION BEGAN AT MULLEN FOREST IN FREMONT AND RE-ESTABLISHING EARLY SUCCESSIONAL FOREST HABITAT AT PISCASSIC GREENWAY IN NEWFIELDS. AT STONEHOUSE FOREST IN BARRINGTON, SELT WORKED WITH A CONSULTING FORESTER TO CONDUCT A TIMBER HARVEST FOR FOREST HEALTH AND WILDLIFE HABITAT IMPROVEMENT ON 140 ACRES. THE ORGANIZATION ALSO CONDUCTED TRAIL PLANNING AND THE INSTALLATION OF RECREATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE INCLUDING TRAILS AND PARKING AT BIRCH RIDGE COMMUNITY FOREST AND COLLINS FAMILY FOREST IN NEW DURHAM AND HARVEYS KENNARD HILL FOREST IN EPPING, SELT MAINTAINS MORE THAN 70 MILES OF TRAILS IN TOTAL.

OUTREACH EDUCATION IN 2023, SELT EXPANDED THE ALL-TERRAIN LEARNING ADVENTURES ATLAS PROGRAM, A NATURE-BASED EDUCATION INITIATIVE DESIGNED TO CONNECT CHILDREN AGED 5-12 TO THE NATURAL WORLD THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE EPPING AND RAYMOND SCHOOL DISTRICTS THE TWO LEAST RESOURCED SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THE ROCKINGHAM COUNTY SERVICE AREA, AND WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE COOPERATIVE EXTENSION UNHCE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING AND 4-H EDUCATION AND YOUTH DEVELOPMENT TEAM. THROUGH ATLAS SELT PROVIDED 950 STUDENTS FROM EPPING MIDDLE SCHOOL AND LAMPREY RIVER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL OPPORTUNITIES FOR CHILD LED WILD PLAY, ALLOWING ROOM TO CREATIVELY DISCOVER A PASSION FOR THE NATURAL WORLD WHILE ENCOURAGING AN EVERGREEN LOVE OF NATURE AND CULTIVATING THE NEXT GENERATION OF CONSERVATIONISTS. SELT HAD 1,927 ATTENDEES AT THE 87 FIELD TRIPS AND WORKSHOPS HOSTED IN 2023. THIS IS A MARKED INCREASE FROM THE PROGRAMMING SELT OFFERED IN 2022 WHICH INCLUDED 53 FIELD TRIPS AND WORKSHOPS, AND SERVED 860 CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O