Methods of Conservation

Conservation Stewardship

PLC is committed to protecting open spaces and to honoring the stewardhsip commitments we have made to the lands which we protect.

Land Conservation

PLC’s Land Conservation Program

Working hand in hand with private landowners, community groups, our conservation partners and others, PLC works to permanently protect open spaces and to honor the stewardship commitments we have made to the lands which we protect. 

Focusing on lands of high conservation value, PLC’s land conservation work is guided by four primary conservation goals. They are:

          • To protect water quality;
          • To maintain a diverse forest mix;
          • To maintain native biodiversity; and
          • To restore degraded systems.

Recognizing the challenge these goals raise, PLC seeks to work with other nonprofit organizations, community groups, and educational institutions to achieve them. Generally, PLC seeks to protect lands that possess one or more of the following attributes:

          • Abuts the river or a significant tributary of the river

          • Abuts other protected land or contributes to a proposed corridor of protected land

          • Will likely lead to additional meaningful conservation action or future land protection

          • Contains ecologically significant wetlands

           • Contains a significant diversity of natural flora and fauna

           • Contains rare, threatened, or endangered species or significant habitat for such species

          • Contains significant wildlife habitat and/or is part of a regularly utilized
          wildlife travel corridor or migration staging area

          • Presents important opportunities for education or scientific research

          • Is suitable for providing public access to the river or other worthy natural features

          • Has notable historical or archaeological value

          • Is a focal area in the PLC’s conservation plan

          • Has scenic or agricultural value

PLC Member Paul Doscher posts a Conservation Easement Boundary Marker along his property in Weare.

Methods of Conservation

PLC employs two primary methods of land conservation. If the landowner wishes to retain ownership of the land a conservation easement can be used. If not, land may be gifted to the PLC for conservation use and management. In either circumstance, gifts of land or easements may be made during the landowner’s lifetime or through a will. 

To learn more about land conservation methods or to discuss options that may be most suitable for your circumstance, please contact us. To hear from others who have chosen to conserve their land, please explore our “properties” page. Read more about land conservation methods here> "How do I conserve my Land".

Conservation Stewardship

Whether land is protected by Conservation easement or through fee ownership, PLC has a responsibility to carefully steward each property it protects–forever.  PLC’s stewardship program aims to ensure we meet this lasting obligation through careful annual monitoring and responsible fiscal policy.

Conservation Easements

Recognizing that good relationships with landowners are a key to our success, PLC’s Easement Stewardship Program trains volunteers who visit and walk each easement property on an annual basis.  Over the years these volunteers develop close relationships with the lands they monitor. 

However, even with volunteers monitoring our properties, there are remaining costs incurred in the ongoing stewardship of these properties. PLC seeks to raise basic stewardship and easement defense costs when each property is protected.  

PLC-owned Properties

PLC owns 15 preserves outright.  A management plan is developed for each Preserve, with wildlife habitat protection a key goal.  Where appropriate, PLC’s larger preserves have trails, maintained by volunteers and open to the public unless such access would threaten special property features. These trails allow for hiking, wildlife observation and other low-impact recreational opportunities. .> Property map

Please contact PLC if you have questions on any of our easements or preserves.

Sheri Dumas and Phil Monastass explore PLC’s Rice Natural Area in Lyndeborough.