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Forest Society Awarded LCHIP Grant to Expand the Morse Preserve

The Forest Society originally conserved the Evelyn H. and Albert D. Morse, Sr. Preserve in 2008, and since that time has worked with adjacent landowners to expand the acreage. The $250,000 LCHIP grant award will support the pending acquisition of 375 acres, bringing the Morse Preserve to 1,065 acres. Located at the southern end of the existing Preserve, this addition will significantly expand the network of contiguous conservation land in the southern Belknap Range.

The property, visible from Alton Bay, includes the ridgeline from Pine Mountain to Rocky Mountain, which provides exceptional higher elevation habitat and serves as a wildlife corridor. A beaver pond on the northern boundary hosts a heron rookery, and a logging road through the property is used by local hunters and recreationists. According to NH Fish and Game’s 2020 Wildlife Action Plan, 32 percent of the property is considered “Tier 1” habitat, or some of the best wildlife habitat in the state. Ninety acres of the property fall within a wellhead protection area for Alton Water Works, which supplies water to 700 residential and commercial buildings.

Belknaps Project in Alton Completed!

BRCC Worked with the forest society to conserve nearly 500 acres of land  to the North and South of the Morse Preserve.  The southerly tract is a 222-acre parcel that includes the ridgeline that travels south from Pine Mountain and links to the 203-acre Alton Bay State Forest. This property includes a southwesterly facing cliff and rock ledges with a talus slope below.  The northerly tract is a 260 - acre parcel which stretches from the Morse Preserve to Jesus Valley Road. More information on this exciting project is here: https://forestsociety.org/project/morse-additions