Hanover Conservancy: Protecting Hanover's Land and Water

If you like the way Hanover looks, with its rural feel and easy access to public green space, then you can thank the Hanover Conservancy. As the oldest local land trust in New Hampshire, begun in 1961, it has a long history of stewardship that remains strong, creating the Hanover we see today.

For the past 57 years, the Hanover Conservancy’s (HC) mission has been twofold: to protect land and water in the Hanover community and to nurture a love for those resources.

Since its beginning, it has protected over 940 acres in Hanover and influenced the future of more than 2,000 acres of land in the Upper Valley, including in Lyme, Norwich, Plainfield, and Grafton.

Here are some fun facts about the Conservancy:

Member households: 603, from 56 towns and 12 states plus the District of Columbia
Participants in trips and events in the last 12 months - 965
Number of volunteers – 96
Staff - 2
Natural Areas owned and open to the public (as of August 2018) – 6, totaling 375 acres
Mink Brook Nature Preserve
Balch Hill Natural Area
Greensboro Ridge Natural Area
Jim & Evalyn Hornig Natural Area at Lower Slade Brook
Tunis Brook Mill Lot
Mayor-Niles Forest
Conservation Easements on land owned by others – 552 acres

Here’s a brief look at some important history:

1961 Five citizens begin to plan for Hanover’s future
1962 Sponsored Nature Preserve zoning
1963 Incorporated as Hanover Conservation Council
1964 Completed first project: 43 acres on the Connecticut River in Lyme
1965 Started Greenup Day with scouts; opened Julius Mason Fund for Hanover beautification
1966 Helped establish the town conservation commission
1967 Secured the Tanzi Tract; trip and film series underway
1969 Planned Ray School Nature Area
1970 Purchased summit of Balch Hill
1971 Secured Mink Brook/Connecticut River area
1972 Bought books and equipment for area schools and library
1973 Purchased Rinker Tract; helped buy South Esker
1974 Sponsored conference on community land-use planning
1975 Led 23 outdoor trips and Audubon Film series
1976 Held conferences: Open Space Protection, Energy/Environment
1977 Secured Marshall Brook Wetlands
1978 Sponsored Transportation and Traffic workshop
1980 Secured 25.5 acres at Balch Hill
1982 Promoted statewide Bottle Bill and recycling
1983 Contributed funds to the town’s elm tree program
1984 Guided Master Plan work on groundwater, old roads
1985 Helped form the Upper Valley Land Trust
1986 Represented New Hampshire for Acid Rain Partnership with Ohio
1987 Early promoter of household hazardous-waste collection
1989 Gave money for Connecticut River water-quality testing
1991 Led efforts to conserve Fullington Fields
1993 Secured the 125-acre McKinley Tract
1997 Secured 42 acres in Hanover Center
2000 Purchased Mink Brook Nature Preserve with 500 donors
2001 Hired first paid staff
2002 Conserved 34 acres on Moose Mountain Road with the town
2005 Protected 38 acres of Lower Slade Brook; created a guide to the Ray School Natural Area
2006 Launched invasive species control at Mink Brook
2007 Published trail maps of Balch Hill, Mink Brook, Slade Brook
2008 Successful $500,000 capital campaign, fund for Hanover’s Future; acquired 112 acres on Greensboro Ridge; hired part-time stewardship coordinator
2010 Conserved Rinker-Steele Natural Area; hired first full-time executive director
2011 Adopted a new name: Hanover Conservancy

You can find trail maps and explore our natural areas, download Hanover hikes, discover upcoming events and more on their website at www.hanoverconservancy.org.

Hanover Conservancy [4 Images] Click Any Image To Expand