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Conservation Commission

Conservation and More

              by Bruce B. Beckley

Issue #125, May, 2002
Open Letter to ACC Abutters

We owe you a report on the many activities that may affect properties near you. One of the Commission’s goals is to assemble parcels of land to form a greenway or greenbelt joining a sizable protected area in Merrimack with open spaces in New Boston and Bedford. The principal purpose of the greenway is to allow a diverse population of native wildlife room to move, to breed and to find food and shelter. A secondary use is the development of an extended trail for passive, non-motorized pursuits.

Up in the northeast corner of town conversations are being held with our counterparts in Bedford and New Boston. We are discussing process, procedures and parcels of land which, if they remain open space, will complement already protected lands in the three towns, especially ours. Several parcels in this part of Amherst are key to creating and effective greenway.

With Bedford also, conversation continues on the future of the Joppa Hill Farm property. We maintain the position that the land was acquired as part of the greenway described above and hold that the major and prime use shall be for conservation purposes as endorsed by the Amherst voters.

Moving south, the land along the former Boston & Maine RR right of way between the Bragdon Farm and Pond Parish Town Forest (PPTF) includes Baboosic Brook, the outfall from Baboosic Lake, Weston Pond (Little Baboosic) and the woods either side of Baboosic Lake Road. These woods connect with PPTF. South of PPTF the greenway would incorporate several sizable parcels to make a significant reservation with the Merrimack CC lands. To a degree this important corridor will remain open due to wetland sections. Nevertheless a greater level of protection is warranted than just counting on beavers to hold up a water level and wetland designation.

You and I travel about town on two-rod roads (32’) and don’t think much about it. Critters, on the other hand, need width as well as merely a beginning and end to their routes. To satisfy and maintain a diverse indigenous population a greenbelt of land resources connected in breadth as well as length is highly desirable, if not essential.

We can report that conversations with one of the developers along Baboosic Lake Road have been encouraging. The parcel in question is an important segment of the greenway. The developer seems sensitive to the Commission’s goals. Time will tell.

As we meld this greenway (and similar areas about town) out of a varied mix of tax parcels and land holdings, we have a tool kit to work with: purchase of the land in fee, purchase of a conservation easement, acceptance of a gift or an easement and many variations on the theme all of which have tax implications (opportunities?) for the owner. For instance, an easement on all or a portion of a parcel may be given or made a bargain sale today and the remaining value donated at a later time thus spreading out tax benefits over more than one reporting period.

If you are interested in seeing your land remain open or if return on investment is your desire, let’s talk about these options. The tax year ends December 31st. Hard to believe, but that’s only three months away. Please talk to us or the Amherst Land Trust before going to a realtor or developer. We would like the opportunity to work with you.

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