Projects

Carleton Pond Dredging

Engineering plans for the Carleton Pond Dredging project.

Mont Vernon Fishing Derby in action at Carleton Pond.

MV Fishing Derby May 4 2013-3810

Wilkins Conservation Easements

The Mont Vernon Conservation Commission is delighted that Sally and Tom Wilkins have decided to preserve land that they own in Mont Vernon by placing conservation easements with the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests. Conservation Easements protect land from being developed but allow land to stay in private ownership. This is a win-win situation for all. The land owner takes care of the land, pays taxes on the land, but is restricted from developing the land depending on what the specific restrictions are that are written into the conservation easement and deed. When forestry is done on those properties, land owners also pay a timber tax to the town.

Map of Wilkins Easements.

Donate at the Society for Protection of NH Forest website.

The Wilkins own large parcels of land in Mont Vernon with very developable, long road frontage. Southern New Hampshire, especially Hillsborough County is predicted to be an area where much new development will occur in the next several years, as the economy recovers. Studies have shown that increased housing development is the largest land use that increases our taxes, as new roads, municipal services and schools need to be built to support residential use. Commercial uses can help to offset tax rates, but along with certain commercial uses can come an increase in traffic, noise, lights, and more need for municipal services. The town of Mont Vernon conducted a Cost of Community Services study in 2004 and it was shown that open space cost less than residential space. Open space also helps to protect our drinking water, which is important in Mont Vernon as all citizens have wells. Open space not only provides habitat for wildlife, it provides areas for outdoor recreation. The Wilkins Easements will allow public recreation, hiking, hunting, fishing, and snowmobiling. Most of all, the citizens of Mont Vernon have overwhelmingly expressed that they value the rural, quiet, quality of life that our town provides.

While the Mont Vernon Conservation Commission whole-heartedly supports the Wilkins Easement Project, we currently have no intention of bringing a warrant article forward to ask the town for funding of this project. We will continue to support the Wilkins Family in their endeavor by helping to educate people about their project with the Forest Society and encourage people to donate to this cause. We want to thank Sally and Tom Wilkins for their generosity and commitment to land preservation here in Mont Vernon. For more information about conservation easements UNH County Extension has a great resource.