Monadnock Conservancy works to preserve 185 acres in Gilsum

Alongside property owners Peter Granucci and Paula Aaron, the Monadnock Conservancy has helped place an easement on 185 acres in Gilsum. With a legally binding agreement, the property, and its forests and waters, will be forever protected from future development. (Photo by Anne McBride)

Almost 200 acres of the Hammond Hollow area are now forever protected thanks to a donation of a conservation easement that has been made to the Monadnock Conservancy, according to a news release from the nonprofit.

The land, which spans 185 acres, is now protected from future development of property, only allowing for certain forestry and agriculture uses due to a voluntary and legally binding agreement between the property owners, Peter Granucci and Paula Aarons, and the conservancy.

Martin Royle, a spokesperson of the conservancy, said the decision Granucci and Aarons made to donate is an example of how passionate people are about maintaining land in the Monadnock Region.

“We are really fortunate to have so many people in this area that care so deeply about the land and about preserving it for the next generation,” Royle said. “We couldn’t exist without their support.”

Aarons said in the release that this process became rewarding once it was realized the “wealth of natural resources” the property holds and that protecting it means loving natural and wild space.

“In this world where space for nature, in all its wild forms, is shrinking by the hour, we knew we wanted to place our land into a conservation easement but had no idea how to start, what questions to ask, or what was involved,” Aarons said. “The Monadnock Conservancy made it understandable and doable.”

With more than 13 acres of wetlands, the property has over two miles of streams that run into the Ashuelot River, featuring half a mile of frontage along the river and a small pond. The piece of land also has 149 acres of forest, and five acres are currently used for farming.

This newly conserved land connects to the 140-acre French-Harris Memorial Forest owned by the Forest Society and the Surry Mountain Preserve owned by The Nature Conservancy, and adds to the more than 3,000 acres of conserved land with easements through the Monadnock Conservancy.

Royle said although owned or managed by various organizations, this large block of protected land is now able to support the adaptation of wildlife and store carbon.

“We’re always thrilled when we can conserve land that touches other conserved lands,” Royle said. 

He added that these connected blocks of land are important because they allow wildlife the ability to move freely in search of certain living conditions that might be disappearing in other areas due to climate change. 

Funding was provided by Quabbin-to Cardigan Partnership, which is dedicated to protecting the Monadnock Highlands of western New Hampshire and central Massachusetts. 

Royle said the Monadnock Conservancy is also working to finish the process of protecting 92 acres in Peterborough.

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