Ammonoosuc Conservation Trust Protects 152 Acres of Forestland in Millsfield and Stratford
Millsfield and Stratford, NH — Approximately 154 acres of forestland in northern New Hampshire are now permanently protected, thanks to the conservation efforts of Ammonoosuc Conservation Trust (ACT), local landowners, and project partners.

The newly completed conservation easements include the approximately 115-acre Sheldon Conservation Area in Millsfield and the 37-acre Wildwoods Conservation Area in Stratford. Together, these projects protect working forests, wildlife habitat, wetlands, clean water resources, outdoor recreation and climate-resilient landscapes in New Hampshire’s North Country.

The Sheldon Conservation Area is located on Route 26, a scenic highway also known as the Moose Path Trail, well known for moose sightings and wild river flows, and includes forestland, wetlands, and streams that feed into the Androscoggin River. Conservation will allow the land to remain a working forest, with a formal forest management plan required before timber harvests to help ensure water quality and wildlife protection. The property also hosts a snowmobile/ATV trail that connects to a larger network of outdoor recreation trails across the surrounding landscape. It is located within The Nature Conservancy’s Resilient and Connected Landscape Network, which encourages conservation of lands important for climate resiliency, biodiversity, and wildlife connectivity.

The Wildwoods Conservation Area is entirely forested with primarily northern hardwood-conifer forest. It contributes to one of the largest unfragmented forest blocks in the ecoregion and lies within a globally important bird area. Much of the property has also been identified by The Nature Conservancy as part of a larger forest block important for climate resiliency. This property will be conserved as a “Forever Wild” easement and allowed to develop over time into an old growth forest.

Conservation of these lands was made possible through the generosity and commitment of the landowners, with grant funding from The Nature Conservancy (TNC), the Tillotson Foundation, two private foundations, and ACT donors.

Support from TNC was provided through its Resilient and Connected Appalachians Grant Program. TNC is a global conservation organization dedicated to conserving the lands and waters on which all life depends, and works with local communities, governments, private partners, and conservation organizations to advance land and water conservation at scale.

“These projects protect the forests, waters, wildlife habitat, and rural character that make the North Country special,” said Rosalind Page, Executive Director of ACT. “We are grateful to the landowners and partners who made these conservation easements possible. Their generosity will help keep these lands healthy, connected, and open for generations to come. We look forward to working with more landowners in Coös County to protect the land they love in the years ahead.”

ACT hopes these projects will encourage more landowners in the region to consider conservation as a way to protect the lands they love. ACT is also grateful to the consultants, staff, board members, committee volunteers, funders, and community partners whose support helped bring these projects to completion.

The Ammonoosuc Conservation Trust works with landowners and community partners to permanently protect land in New Hampshire’s North Country for public benefit. ACT preserves farms, wild and working forests, waterways, and places of natural, cultural, and recreational importance. We help build healthy communities by creating opportunities for meaningful connections to the natural world and to each other. Conservation takes community support, and we are so grateful to be protecting the lands you love in the North Country.

To learn more about the Ammonoosuc Conservation Trust, events, and conservation projects, visit act-nh.org or call (603) 823-7777.