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Search Results for: route 120

Route 120 Corridor

May 5, 2009

Route 120 Corridor – May 17, 2008

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Route 120 Corridor Map

May 4, 2009

Route 120 Corridor Map

Route 120 Corridor Map – as of May 17, 2008

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Route 120 Corridor Vision Statement

May 4, 2009

Route 120 Corridor Vision Statement

Route 120 Corridor Vision Statement – February 2009

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Protection of Natural Habitat in the Route 120 Corridor

February 14, 2009

Rt. 120 – Mount Support

Route 120 Corridor
Route 120 Corridor

PROTECTION OF NATURAL HABITAT in the Route 120 Corridor

The Route 120 Corridor in Lebanon and Hanover contains some astounding beauty and ruggedness, with habitats harboring an exceptional richness of wildlife.

Although commercial and residential developments are prevalent along the major roadways (Rt. 120, Greensboro Road and Great Hollow Road), the interior contains more than 500 acres of contiguous forest with diverse habitats and natural features.  It is truly a unique landscape worthy of protection.

With further development slated for this growing area, many residents attended public meetings in 2007 and 2008 to expressed their desire to protect the “wild” areas in this corridor.  Both Lebanon and Hanover residents voiced their support for this ecologically and geologically diverse area, and their commitment to maintaining its environmental quality.

We recognize the ecological value of the 120 Corridor, and strongly agree with the many residents committed to its protection.  The Hanover Conservancy envisions the permanent conservation of this relatively wild core interior area with its diverse flora and fauna, fragile wetlands, critical wildlife corridors, and distinctive geological features.   To that end, we have begun working to forge partnerships, facilitate discussions, and begin the necessary steps to make this happen for the future of our communities.

This is a unique opportunity for our two communities to work together to maintain the integrity of this special wilderness.  Bears, birds and other wildlife have no concern for town boundaries as they move about the forest.   Let us not limit our conservation actions by some line on a map.

THE LAND

It is remarkable that, so close to our town centers, there are lands with qualities we generally associate with much more extensive and remote wilderness. Fortunately, the ruggedness of these areas and long-term stable ownership have protected them from major disturbances in the past.

The core habitat areas of the 120 Corridor are bordered by three major roads:  Rte 120, Greensboro Road and Great Hollow Road (see map).  The northern part of the 120 Corridor drains to Mink Brook, the southern part to the Mascoma River, and both of these flow to the Connecticut River.  This large interior forested area includes Mt. Support, Rix Ledges, many wetlands that support rare species and plant community types on a diverse terrain of large boulders and outcrops.

A network of adjacent conservation lands provides travel corridors for wildlife, and increase the conservation value of the Route 120 Corridor.  These neighboring conservation lands include the Appalachian Trail, Mink Brook Nature Preserve, Greensboro Ridge Natural Area, Hypertherm Wetlands and Great Hollow Forest in Hanover, and Indian Ridge, the Landmark Tract, and Boston Lot Lake in Lebanon.

A. THE CASE FOR LAND PROTECTION:

Multiple reports (e.g., Lebanon’s Natural Resource Inventory, and work by The Nature Conservancy and NH Fish and Game) document the many wetland areas, small streams, rich deciduous forests, high quality wildlife habitat, rare plants and unusual rock formations in the Rt. 120 corridor.  Noteworthy features include:

  • Quality habitat and populations of bear, moose, bobcat and other mammals, characteristic of wilderness areas in New England
  • Exemplary bog and acidic seepage swamp habitats
  • Barrens strawberry -included on the state’s list of threatened plants
  • Stream edges include hemlock talus forests and mixed hardwood deciduous forests
  • Extensive forested wetlands with streams flowing north to Mink Brook
  • Glacial erratics, boulder fields, ridges, rock faces and amphitheaters
  • Extensive bands of maidenhair fern, rattlesnake plantain and cathedral pines.
  • Examples of near-old-growth trees

Furthermore, the 2008 NH Fish and Game Department report emphasizes that land conservation efforts are critical for the significant wildlife movement that takes place in the corridor.

B. CONSERVATION PRIORITIES

The Conservancy believes that community plans must protect core natural areas, and separate these undisturbed natural areas from commercial and residential developments with adequate buffer zones.  We encourage the use of  “smart growth” principles which concentrate buildings near existing infrastructure and conserve open lands and access routes that minimize environmental damage.  Project planning must consider these objectives.

  • Core natural habitat in the 120 Corridor must be protected from disturbance and increased development. Preserve existing wildlife corridors in the interior and create new ones across roads and developed areas.
  • Buffer streams to protect water quality.
  • Protect Mount Support and Rix Ledges. These are important examples of geologically uplifted lands with very dramatic topography. This accentuates their remote, wild character.
  • Any public access trails should be kept at a minimum and be near developments, avoiding the most sensitive lands.

C. CURRENT STATUS

The City of Lebanon has now granted approval for Phase I of development on 15 acres at the former Wilson Tire site. Conservation of lands on the Lebanon side is included in plans for a later phase that is currently contingent upon further approvals and an inter-municipal agreement to address sewerage treatment.  On the Hanover side, discussions have not yet advanced.

CONCLUSION

It is essential to develop an overarching plan for future developments in the 120 Corridor. We need to think beyond our human town boundaries and avoid piecemeal development approvals to define the overall character of this unique area. The Hanover Conservancy supports the conservation of this large, core natural area while development moves forward under smart growth principles.

Filed Under: Conservation, Education, Forest Ecology, Route 120 Corridor

Rt. 120 Corridor – Mt. Support

May 3, 2009

The Hanover Conservation Council has been working to gather and share information on the ecologically important lands in the Route 120 Corridor in both Hanover and Lebanon. Please read the Rt. 120 Corridor Vision Statement from the Hanover Conservation Council for this area.

Filed Under: Route 120 Corridor

Mink Brook Nature Preserve

This 112-acre preserve protects habitat for wild brook trout, bears, and many other creatures, while offering trails and quiet enjoyment of a peaceful place. This preserve is the result of deep generosity and community spirit. Substantial gifts from Dartmouth College and Brian and Allie Quinn, acknowledging the significance of this place to the Abenaki, joined 450 other gifts to protect the land in 1999. The Upper Valley Land Trust collaborated with our organization to purchase the land and now holds the conservation easement. The preserve links other protected lands — the Angelo Tanzi Tract and Mink Brook West, owned by the Town of Hanover, and UVLT’s brook-side parcel.

Mink Brook Nature Preserve offers a natural retreat just south of downtown Hanover. The predominant natural community is upland forest composed of white pine and hemlock. The smaller of the preserve’s two streams is Trout Brook, which winds northward to join Mink Brook. Mink Brook is a direct tributary to the Connecticut River and is affected by Wilder Dam’s activity up until just downstream of the log crossing. Many of the paths within the Preserve parallel Mink Brook and pass by pool and riffle areas of this dynamic boulder filled watercourse. The preserve has a fascinating history, and hosts black bears, wild brook trout, waterfowl, and other wildlife- not to mention a highly interesting plant community!

Mink Brook Guide cover
Click the image to view guide

Mink Brook Map
Mink Brook Map & Guide
Management Plan (2016)


How to get there

From Route 10 in Hanover, turn onto Brook Road just north of the bridge over Mink Brook. Parking is available in the pulloff by the trailhead on Brook Road. Walk through the gate to the kiosk just up the path.

Parking is also available at the Upper Valley Land Trust office at 19 Buck Road. Walk back along Buck Road towards Route 120; the trailhead is at the sharp corner in Buck Road, and is clearly marked.

  • Trails and Uses
  • Special Features
  • Bob Norman Overlook
  • History
  • Treasure Hunts
  • Wildlife
  • Plants

The property offers a variety of walking terrain. The easy terrain of Quinn Trail is accessible to both strollers and wheelchairs and links up with the trails in the Tanzi Tract, a preserve of the Town of Hanover. Just across Route 10, the Town-owned River Trail continues as a fully ADA-accessible path to the Connecticut River. On the south side of Mink Brook, wooded hiking trails link up with trails to preserved land in Lebanon.

The preserve is open to the public for foot travel at all seasons. Please help protect water quality in Mink Brook by picking up after your pet and removing the waste. Pets must be under the direct control of their owners and not chase wildlife. Plants should be left growing in place. Fishing is permitted; trapping and hunting are not. No fires or camping, please.

Why no bikes? – To protect an area significant to Native Americans and to maintain wildlife habitat and water quality, Mink Brook Nature Preserve was created with the understanding that trails would be open only for foot travel. A bicycle rack is provided at the Brook Road gate.

About the trails – The Quinn Trail runs along the north side of the brook and connects trails west of Route 10 with Route 120. Grades are gentle with a few moderate slopes. Across the log bridge, the Wheelock Trail heads east to Buck Road on a sometimes narrow, rocky path, and west to Route 10. The red-blazed Indian Ridge Trail and orange-blazed Sachem Connector Trail lead south into Lebanon and can be difficult to follow after leaving the preserve. In 2011, we worked with the Town to create a new footpath linking trails on the west side of Route 10 with the Quinn Trail on the Preserve. Find this link near the corner of Brook Road and Route 10, just east of the small utility building.

Spectacular Mink Brook Crossing

A dramatic single-plank suspension bridge connects the Quinn Trail with the trails on the southern portion of the property, including trails to Buck Road in Hanover, and Lebanon’s Sachem Village and Indian Ridge.

Hanover’s Largest Watershed

Mink Brook watershed outlined in red; conserved or public land in green

Mink Brook drains Hanover’s largest watershed, where the brook gathers the flow from 18 1/2 square miles. Rain and snow falling on the west slopes of Moose Mountain, the Etna valley, and Greensboro area flow through Mink Brook through the preserve to the Connecticut River.  Today, much of the watershed is forested, including the preserve, but it was not always so. 

Robert Z. Norman

Founder, former president, volunteer, visionary

When Hanover adopted its first town-wide master plan and zoning ordinance in 1961, it omitted a greenbelt proposed around the town’s most developed area. That very day, a few concerned citizens – Bob Norman, Carolyn Tenney, George Wrightson, Ted Hunter, and Jean Hennessey – met to form a group to see what could be done to protect those places. They were back the next year with a ballot petition for a new zone, Natural Preserve, which was readily approved by Town Meeting and now covers Pine Park and other lands later protected. This group incorporated as the Hanover Conservation Council and went on to advocate for a town conservation commission in 1966. Bob and the Council led the effort to protect key lands in Hanover – the Tanzi Tract, Balch Hill, South Esker, Connecticut River/Mink Brook confluence and more – and also in nearby towns. These included Lyme’s Wilder Wildlife Management Area, a Plainfield wildflower sanctuary, and the Grafton Pond Reservation. The Council also initiated a program of bird walks and nature hikes, helped with trail creation and maps, and helped integrate environmental education into the school science curriculum. All continue today through the Hanover Conservancy.

Bob served the Council as Secretary (1964), President (1970-75 and 1996-99), Treasurer (1975-96), and was honored as Emeritus Board Member when he stepped down in 2009. He continues as a wise and valued member of our Lands Committee. Bob received the Nan King Award for Service to the Community at the 2001 Hanover Town Meeting.

Norman Overlook at Mink Brook

In 1999, Bob led the Council’s effort to protect the 112-acre Mink Brook Nature Preserve, then slated to become a 32-lot subdivision. In 2019, the 20th anniversary of that daunting and ultimately successful project, the Conservancy dedicated the Norman Overlook to Bob and his vision for our community. The Overlook is along the Quinn Trail and looks over Mink Brook.

  • Former Dartmouth President Jim Wright
  • Bob greets a guest
  • Unveiling the “sentry stone”
  • The view from the Norman Overlook
  • Unveiling the “sentry stone”
  • Unveiling the “sentry stone”
  • Celebrating the Norman Overlook’s dedication
The Bob Norman Overlook
The Bob Norman Overlook
Celebrating the Norman Overlook’s dedication
Unveiling the “sentry stone”
Unveiling the “sentry stone”
Unveiling the “sentry stone”
The view from the Norman Overlook
Bob greets a guest
Former Dartmouth President Jim Wright
Signing a card for Bob
Jeanie McIntyre, President of UVLT
Preparing the site with JM Landscaping
Preparing the site with JM Landscaping
Preparing the site with JM Landscaping
HC Board members finish final prep on the Overlook site
Native dogwoods, serviceberry and other shrubs were planted to restore the floodplain.
Native dogwoods, serviceberry and other shrubs were planted to restore the floodplain.
Hugh Mellert works to place the dedication plaque on a granite boulder
The final step was planting native shrubs and preparing the site for the dedication ceremony

The Mink Brook Nature Preserve, along with nearby smaller parcels owned by the Town of Hanover and the Upper Valley Land Trust, share a common history with roots reaching back to the earliest days of Hanover and Dartmouth College. Royal Governor Benning Wentworth reserved 500 acres for himself when he chartered the Town of Hanover on July 4, 1761, including these lands. The offer of these lands (along with nearby acreage in both Hanover and Lebanon) later persuaded Rev. Dr. Eleazar Wheelock to choose Hanover as the site for Dartmouth College.

In the next century, the Benton family (1840 brick homestead still standing nearby) farmed the land, and it later became part of the Stone family dairy farm until 1949, when the Barrett, Ransmeier, and Granger families purchased the land. MORE

Grazing near Mink Brook
Grazing near Mink Brook, c. 1959

 
At left: Fullington’s prized Guernsey cows grazing along Mink Brook (Photo by Frank J. Barrett)

The Fullingtons – owners of the Dartmouth Dairy – pastured about 40 heifers each summer on the Barretts’ pastures along Mink Brook during the 1950s.

Explore the Mink Brook Nature Preserve through the imaginative treasure hunt that is the Mink Brook Quest, created by the ValleyQuest program of Vital Communities. Bring along a compass and field guide to help you solve the clues.

Find the geo-cache!

Wild Brook Trout from Trout Brook

Fishing is permitted within the preserve; catch & release is encouraged. The Mink Brook watershed, Hanover’s largest, harbors healthy populations of wild brook trout, even in some of its smallest tributaries. Fisheries biologists from New Hampshire’s Fish and Game Department, working with volunteers from Trout Unlimited, the Conservancy’s Mink Brook Stewardship Committee, and Hanover students conducted a thorough study of the Mink Brook watershed in July, 2011.

The study was part of the Eastern Brook Trout Joint Venture, a region-wide effort looking at habitat for wild brook trout.  At Mink Brook, biologists examined details of each section’s habitat characteristics, measured water temperature, and recorded the length, weight, and species of each fish captured. Fish were “borrowed” from the water by electro-fishing – a wand sending a weak electric current through the water temporarily stuns the fish, which can then be scooped up with a net and transferred to a bucket for study.  All fish were returned to the brook after their brief examination.

Mink Brook is among the streams under study by Dartmouth for survival of young Atlantic salmon, and a number of young salmon turned up in the 2011 survey.

Mink Brook Nature Preserve is a popular destination to see wildflowers and ferns.  More than 130 species of native herbaceous plants grow on the Preserve, including 20 species of ferns.  Red trillium, jack-in-the-pulpit, trout lily and phlox are just a few of the many species you can see here. Whether you’re an experienced botanist, learning to identify local flowers or just want to enjoy some beautiful spots, please join us for our annual Mother’s Day wildflower walk!

  • Trillium
  • Jack in the pulpit
    Jack in the pulpit
  • Marsh Marigold example
    Marsh Marigold
  • Fiddleheads
    Fiddleheads
  • Related Articles

    Mink Brook Featured in Here in Hanover’s List of Local Hikes May 15, 2020
    Quinn Trail at Mink Brook CLOSED May 18th-21st May 12, 2020
    Brook/River/Garden Loop November 1, 2019
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