ORFORD — A wilderness trust has purchased more than 2,000 acres of land in Orford and Lyme to permanently protected it from development.
The Northeast Wilderness Trust, a Montpelier-based nonprofit organization, established the 2,020-acre Spruce Ridge Wilderness Preserve this month after purchasing the land from landowner David Roby for $4 million. The land will remain open to the public.
“What’s really special about this project in particular — which makes it rather unlike other conservation projects — is because it’s going to be protected as ‘forever wild’ there won’t ever be logging or management on the property again,” Jon Leibowitz, president/CEO of Northeast Wilderness Trust said in a phone interview. “We are laying down the roots for tomorrow’s old-growth forest in the heart of Orford and the Upper Valley.”
Old growth forests have many ecological benefits, Leibowitz said, including carbon storage, which can help communities become more resilient to the ongoing effects of climate change.
Spruce Ridge Wilderness Preserve is the organization’s first project in the Upper Valley and largest in New Hampshire. The total project cost is $5.5 million, which allows for a stewardship fund to care for the property, including paying taxes and general upkeep, including trail maintenance. The Northeast Wilderness Trust’s purchase was funded by grants and private donations.
The Northeast Wilderness Trust was interested in the land for a variety of reasons. One of its biggest attributes is that part of it abuts the Appalachian Trail, Leibowitz said. The nonprofit has “worked really hard to conserve more wilderness areas adjacent to the Appalachian Trail to not only benefit the hikers that use the trail, but the wildlife that rely on it for mobility,” he said.
It also abuts other conserved land, including Stonehouse Mountain Conservation Area, which Bob and Christie Hedges put into a conservation easement in 2023 with the Upper Valley Land Trust, a Hanover-based nonprofit organization.
Bob Hedges, who chairs the Orford Conservation Commission, said that Northeast Wilderness Trust approached the town more than a year ago to begin discussing its plans for the property.
“It’s going to be great for the town because it’s really going to protect that Appalachian Trail Corridor between Smarts and Cube (mountains), which is a beautiful place,” Hedges said in a phone interview. “It will make Orford an even more attractive place for outdoor activities.”
While the property will largely remain untouched, Northeast Wilderness Trust will maintain the hiking trails that already exist on the property, Leibowitz said. Visitors can also snowshoe and cross country ski on the property, as well as swim, fish and paddle using non-motorized boats on Mason Pond. A popular snowmobile trail runs through it, which will remain and be kept up by area volunteers.
The property also has historical features that make it appealing for visitors: There are old stone walls and silos that show the property’s history as agricultural land. The organization is planning on setting up educational kiosks to inform visitors about the property’s ecology and history.
There are also plans in the works to create a parking area, though Leibowitz cautioned the organization still wants to get to know the property before making other decisions.
Tom Thomson, who’s family owns Thomson Family Tree Farm and Wildlife Habitat, which abuts the new preserve in Orford, said that he is looking forward to collaborating with Leibowitz on recreational opportunities on the site.
“It’s some of the best snowmobiling in the state,” Thomson said.
While the two property owners have different philosophies — sustainable tree farming versus leaving forests untouched — Thomson said he believes they can be good neighbors.
“I believe in property rights and they have that right to do that,” Thomson said. “I’m going to accept that and work closely with them.”
For years, people have used the property for recreation even though it was privately owned, Hedges said.
“As is always the case when it’s in private ownership, it’s not clear how much access you actually have,” Hedges said, adding that there is always a chance a private landowner can change their mind and restrict access. “It’s been used and it’s a really important asset, but it’s never been formalized. This is that opportunity.”