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
We all know that broad and beautiful meadow on Greensboro Road – a space that brings us back to a time when this was a productive hayfield, the brook beyond provided trout and ice for the farm kitchen, and the woods on the bouldery slopes above yielded firewood and fenceposts. Today, these acres are a welcome natural backdrop to a residential neighborhood.
The Hanover Conservancy is proud to partner with the Town of Hanover, the Trust for Public Land and the Northern Forest Center in a major project to protect these 250 acres of upland forest, floodplain meadow, and corridor of Mink Brook, to be called the Mink Brook Community Forest.
The property, which straddles Greensboro Road, is composed of two main parcels. The forested north parcel stretches up a prominent hillside to its boundary with the Appalachian Trail corridor. On its northeast side is a high-value wetland that helps control the quality and flow of Mink Brook below. The open meadow, underlain by prime agricultural soils, blankets the south parcel from Greensboro Road to Mink Brook. Beyond, the property provides forested wildlife habitat that links with Rix Ledges in Lebanon.
Here, on one of the last large undeveloped properties remaining on the south side of town, the Mink Brook Community Forest has the potential to offer new trails for walking, biking, and cross-country skiing, with trail connections to adjacent conservation lands – the newly protected Hudson Farm and AT corridor to the north, and town-owned lands to the southeast. Forestry will continue, subject to a management plan developed with community input and overseen by a licensed forester.
The land is currently privately owned. After a fundraising campaign, the Town of Hanover will own the land.
Not yet…but you can help! When the project is completed, permanent deed restrictions will ensure that this land stays undeveloped and open to all – forever. Please consider donating to support this conservation project!
View a PDF of the property’s history here, compiled by historian Jay Barrett.
Coming soon!
Here, on one of the last large undeveloped properties remaining on the south side of town, the Mink Brook Community Forest has the potential to offer new trails for walking, biking, and cross-country skiing, with trail connections to adjacent conservation lands – the newly protected Hudson Farm and AT corridor to the north, and town-owned lands to the southeast. Forestry will continue, subject to a management plan developed with community input and overseen by a licensed forester.
The land is currently posted- no hunting or trapping for any species is allowed. Fishing is currently not allowed.
Mink Brook runs through the southern portion of the property, with a healthy population of invasive Japanese Knotweed. Other invasive plants, such as glossy buckthorn and garlic mustard, likely make their home here, and future management plans will address restoration efforts.
Related Articles
| Limited guided hikes at the future Mink Brook Community Forest | September 10, 2020 |
| Register today for tours of the Mink Brook Community Forest! | September 8, 2020 |
| Hanover Votes to Fund Mink Brook Community Forest | July 8, 2020 |
