Conservation Easements

The Rockingham County Conservation District received its first easement in 1982 with the acceptance of the Herman and Barbara Parker conservation easement containing 154 acres in Greenland with frontage on the Winnicut River.  Since that time, the Board of Supervisors have accepted 91 easements protecting over 4100 acres from development.  These easements include farmland, river frontage, salt marsh, forests, town-owned land, and lands protecting exemplary communities such as the headwaters of the Exeter River.

For a copy of the RCCD Land Preservation Program & Policies, please click here.

On June 17, George and Nancy Cole signed a conservation easement on 41.12 acres of their land located on Stumpfield Road, Kensington.  The property consists of highly productive prime farmland soils.  The adjacent Bodwell Farm harvests the hay crop from the field.  The protection of this land was made possible with the purchase of the development rights by the Town of Kensington who holds an executory interest in the easement.

On June 26 two conservation easements were signed.  The first protects 49.426 acres of farm and forest land owned by Arthur and Betty Sanborn, Candia (photo below).  Again, an abundance of  excellent farmland soils makes this an ideal piece of Candia to protect.  The purchase of the development rights was done by the Town's conservation commission using matching funds from the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Farm and Ranchland Protection Program (FRPP).  The Town also holds an executory interest in the easement.

On the evening of June 26, the Fremont Board of Selectmen hosted the signing of the Anderson easement.  Hjalmer (Andy) and Christine Anderson donated a 15.35 acre easement to RCCD with the Town holding an executory interest .  Primarily forested, the land off Old Ridge Road is protected from development in perpetuity.  Special thanks to the Anderson's for their donation and to the Town's conservation commission who facilitated.  Below Selectmen Gene Cordes and Brett Hunter and Christine Anderson watch as Andy signs the conservation easement.

Donations made to the Rockingham County Conservation District are tax deductible.