50 Days for 50 Years at Balch Hill

July 30, 2020

Did you know that Balch Hill nearly became the site of over 100 homes? Fifty years ago, the Hanover Conservancy led a group of concerned neighbors to raise the funds to purchase and protect the summit of this iconic place.

Over the last half century, the Balch Hill Natural Area has grown with more lands owned by the Conservancy, Town of Hanover, and Dartmouth College, and managed by a volunteer neighborhood stewardship committee with support from Town and Conservancy staff.

On August 1st, we are launching a 50 day fundraising campaign for the Balch Hill Stewardship Fund, ensuring that this beloved property will be maintained for the next 50 years! Please consider making a gift today. Your donation will support trail maintenance, mowing, invasive plant treatment, sign replacement and many other projects at the hill.

We want to hear from YOU!

June 4, 2020

Please Tell Us What You Think

The Hanover Conservancy – the oldest local land trust in New Hampshire – will celebrate its 60th anniversary in 2021! As we prepare for our next 5 years, we ask you to share your thoughts and ideas to help us contribute most effectively to the quality of life in our community.

The survey should take about 10 minutes to complete. Your answers will be kept confidential. If you provide your contact information at the end, you will be entered into a drawing to win a basket of goods and services from Hanover businesses. This will not affect the confidentiality of your responses.

Thank you for your help!

Heidi Trimarco, President

Hanover Conservancy

TAKE THE SURVEY

We encourage you to forward this to your friends and neighbors. The more we hear, the more we’ll learn, and the better we can serve our community.

Mink Brook Community Forest meeting now on our YouTube channel!

May 29, 2020

NEW! Watch the May 27th, 2020 recording of a Zoom informational meeting on the Mink Brook Community Forest project. The call was led by JT Horn, Senior Project Manager for the Trust for Public Land and Rob Houseman, Planning Director for the Town of Hanover.

GOOD NEWS FOR GREENSBORO!

May 5, 2020

We all know that broad and beautiful meadow on Greensboro Road – a generous open space that is such a welcome sight in days like these. The Hanover Conservancy is proud to partner with the Town of Hanover and the Trust for Public Land in a major project to protect these 250 acres of floodplain meadow, upland forest, and the corridor of Mink Brook, to be called the Mink Brook Community Forest. MORE

50 Years of Conservation in Hanover

April 22, 2020

Earth Day 2020 – 50 years of conservation

We at the Hanover Conservancy are proud of the progress we’ve helped our community make in protecting natural lands and clean waters. By the time of the first Earth Day in 1970, we had protected the summit of Balch Hill and conveyed the Tanzi Tract to the Town of Hanover with conservation restrictions. Beyond Hanover, we’d also assisted NH Fish and Game in acquiring Lyme’s 43-acre Wilder Wildlife Management Area and the New England Wildflower Society in protecting a 35-acre riverfront preserve in Plainfield.

These maps tell the story of then and now.

Today, we own and protect 450+ acres of natural areas and hold permanent conservation easements on another 550+ acres. The Hanover Conservancy has also assisted other partners with saving nearly 1700 more acres in Hanover and elsewhere in the Upper Valley.

Caring for Our Lands, Caring for Each Other

April 10, 2020

Although our spring trips are postponed due to the coronavirus epidemic, you can head out on the trails with your own self-guided adventure: our Hanover Hikes of the Month! Trail maps and detailed history on all our properties are available on our website, at trailheads and in the printed guides at kiosks.

People everywhere are taking advantage of opportunities to get outside, and we continue to be grateful for our founders’ foresight in protecting natural areas for all future generations to enjoy. Please stay off muddy trails to prevent erosion, keep your dog on a 6′ leash or shorter to maintain a safe distance from other hikers and dogs, and pack out all trash. Ticks are ACTIVE, so don’t forget a tick check at home!