About Francestown Land Trust
Francestown Land Trust and Conservation Commission
Collaborate to Celebrate Special Places in 2023
The Francestown Conservation Commission and the Francestown Land Trust embarked on a year-long series, “Celebrating Special Places”, in 2023. Some of these places may be your own favorites, while others could be new to you. We are collaborating on this review of some of the natural wonders that are right here in our town, and invite you to join us. Each month we’ll be celebrating another special place.
It is the sequel to “Saving Special Places” which led to the “2010 by 2010” campaign; the goal starting around 2005 was to conserve an additional 2010 acres in Francestown by 2010. The goal would translate into protecting at least 25% of our land as permanent conservation, outdoor recreation, and agricultural land.
The “2010 by 2010” campaign focused on the protection of our water resources and strengthening unfragmented blocks of open space needed to sustain wildlife habitat. These fields, forests, wetlands and other open spaces also protect our rural character and enrich our sense of place. When the covid pandemic hit a decade later, our open spaces sustained us with recreational opportunities such as hiking, hunting, fishing, riding, and cross country skiing. A quiet walk in one of our forests also has many benefits. Spending time in the woods – a practice the Japanese call “forest bathing” – has been linked to decreased inflammation, anxiety, depression, and fatigue. We are more fortunate than ever to live in a community that is striving to protect its most special natural resources.
We thank the broad coalition of landowners, partnering conservation organizations, and Francestown residents who exceeded their own ambitious goals. Together we succeeded in protecting just over 30% of our land as open space for future generations to enjoy. It has been said that part of true joy can be found in simply recognizing and appreciating what one has. With that in mind, this month we’ll celebrate Francestown’s Brennan Falls.
For those who are new to Francestown, or simply new to exploring the great outdoors, feel free to reach out to any members of Francestown’s Land Trust or Conservation Commission. Trail maps are readily available on the two organizations’ websites (http://www.francestownlandtrust.organd https://www.francestownnh.org/conservation-commission) as well as from town offices and our library. For those who want more direction, guided hikes also can be arranged upon request
Fauna
December 2023
The Fauna in Francestown represent a staggering array of species within our forests, fields, wetlands and waterways. They are integral to the fabric of what we call home. We end our 2023 series of Celebrating Special Places with a nod to the deer, fish, turtles, otter, toads, beaver, muskrat, fisher, snakes, bobcat, frogs, bear, fox, coyote, porcupine, snowshoe hare, weasel, salamanders, moose, opossum and the multitude of birds and insects and other wild creatures residing in Francestown with us.
Driscoll Hill Town Forest
November 2023
Driscoll Hill Town Forest, acquired in 1989, is managed by the Conservation Commission. These 53.6 acres are a critical part of our watershed and a haven for many species.
In the late 1700s, this quiet wilderness was a farming community. Today, numerous cellar holes and intriguing stone wall configurations remain in the area. The settlers and their descendants lived here into the mid 1800s. The cellar holes for William Draper’s house and barn, along the Draper Farm Trail, are well preserved. The foundation for Schoolhouse No. 9, which also served as a Sabbath meetinghouse, is nearby on Driscoll Hill Rd in the Rand Brook Forest.
The Town Forest is accessed from Driscoll Hill Rd, an old town road between Birdsall Rd and Russell Station Rd. The Draper Farm Trail in this forest begins opposite the Rand Brook Forest Trail and ends after the Draper Farm cellar holes.
A visit here is a nice extension of a hike in Rand Brook Forest. The contiguous forests are enjoyed by outdoors enthusiasts including hunters, hikers, mountain bikers, and birdwatchers.
Park at either the Rand Brook Forest trailhead, at the end of Old County Rd South, or by the side of the road where Driscoll Hill Rd intersects with Birdsall Rd.
A combined trail map for the Rand Brook and Driscoll Hill forests is on both the Conservation Commission and FLT websites and in our library’s trails binder.
Rand Brook Forest
October 2023
Rand Brook Forest encompasses 514 acres of rich habitat diversity including upland forests, grasslands, wetlands, vernal pools, and a black gum swamp. The pristine Rand Brook flows through the Forest. From 1999 to 2016, FLT conserved ten parcels in the southwest corner of Francestown to form this Forest. It is now part of a regional area of greenspace that provides an important wildlife corridor.
The Forest offers great wildlife viewing and recreational use such as hunting, hiking, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing. FLT engages in active forest management with an emphasis on the maintenance and restoration of native animal and plant habitats.
The primary trailhead, located at the end of Old County Road S, leads to two hiking options: a woodland road and a forest trail. They converge in a field with a stunning view of the Lyndeborough Mountains. After the field, the trail intersects Driscoll Hill Road, heading south to Rand Brook and north to the Driscoll Hill Town Forest and eventually out to Birdsall Road.
A trail map is on the FLT website and in our library’s trails binder.
Crotched mountain town forest
September 2023
Crotched Mountain Town Forest encompasses 900+ acres. It is rich in habitat diversity including swamps, vernal pools, streams, open fields, ledges, and a wide mix of forest cover. It is home to a wide variety of flora and fauna.
In 1988 the Conservation Commission initiated the acquisition of this Town Forest, acquiring the first 568 acres through state-funded LCIP (Land Conservation Investment Program) grants. This became a designated Town Forest in 1990. In the ensuing years, additional parcels were added including the highest peak which once housed a fire tower and was deeded to the town by the state.
The trailhead kiosk, located on Farrington Rd, marks the start of an amazing matrix of trails that also connect to FLT’s Brennan Falls Trail and trails in Greenfield and Bennington. There are options for woodland walks over gentle terrain and challenging peak hikes. From the top of the Summit Trail, hikers can enjoy stunning views of Boston on a clear day. The majority of trails are designed for foot travel.
A map showing trails and parking is on the Conservation Commission website and in our library’s trails binder.
Shattuck Pond Town Forest
August 2023
Shattuck Pond Town Forest is 418 acres of phenomenal habitat diversity. Along with over 5,000 feet of frontage on the pristinely beautiful 25-acre Shattuck Pond, there are numerous wetlands including a fen, vernal pools, a black gum/red maple swamp, streams, and seeps. The forest cover is diverse and there are interesting glacial erratics. NH Natural Heritage Bureau has identified the wetland system in this area as an “Exemplary Natural Community.”
The Forest consists of three lots the town purchased between 2003 and 2006 with several major grants and a bond. It is a nice picnic and hiking spot, and good for ice fishing and snow shoeing in the winter and for seasonal hunting.
A blue-blazed hiking trail begins at Pleasant Pond Rd, near the dam, and goes along the south edge of the pond. It also can be accessed from Shattuck Pond Rd via a hike-able Class 6 road off Old County Rd North. A map showing trails and roadside parking is on the Conservation Commission website and in our library’s trails binder.
The Sanderson Conservation Easement
July 2023
The Sanderson Conservation Easement is a stunningly beautiful property along Collins Brook with beaver ponds, vernal pools, hemlock forests, and glacial deposits. It is 163 acres. Thanks to the generosity of the landowner, George Sanderson, there are trails that make this special place accessible to hikers. It also provides a valuable wildlife corridor as it abuts town and FLT conservation land.
George bought and moved to the property in 1997. FLT purchased the easement from him with a grant from the Russell Foundation in 2008, enabling him to protect this land for future generations to enjoy. Working with FLT on the terms of the easement, George wanted to practice sustainable forestry; create a system of trails for personal and public use; and allow hunting, fishing, and snowmobiling.
Trail access is from a woodland road on the west side of Old County Rd N, about half a mile before the Deering town line. Hikers can park along the road or in a small parking area just off the road.
fisher hill town forest
June 2023
The Fisher Hill Town Forest, located off Route 47, has been a Town Forest since 2007. In 2020 the Francestown Conservation Commission began developing trails in this ap- proximately 40-acre forest.
Separately, in 2020, the Francestown Land Trust acquired the 36-acre Fisher Hill Road lot. It includes a lovely view of a natural pool along Collins Brook. There is a footbridge overlooking the pool that is built on the historic Fisher Hill Rd bridge buttress.
The two properties are separated by privately held land that was purchased by Jim and Cindy St. Jean in 2021. All three properties are now joined by an extensive trail system, de- signed by Jim primarily for mountain biking but also good for hiking. It includes two existing trails in the town forest and one new trail through the FLT conservation land.
Together these three parcels provide an important wildlife corridor as well as recreational access from Crotched Mountain Town Forest to Shattuck Pond Town Forest and beyond.
There is a small parking lot on Route 47 between Campbell Hill Rd and Fisher Hill Rd, or park by the Class 6 Shattuck Pond Rd on Old County Rd N, which is across from the Fisher Hill Rd footbridge.
spring wildflowers
May 2023
Spring wildflowers and flowering shrubs are resplendent around Francestown’s forests, fields, wetlands, and ponds. In May, the sun is stronger and the days grow longer. The first wildflower to bloom is the fragrant trailing arbutus. Later there are bluebead lilies, bluets, fringed polygala, hobblebush, lady slippers, mountain azaleas, painted trillium, purple trillium, star flowers, violets, and more.
Pleasant Pond
April 2023
The Miller Family Memorial Forest was set aside in 2014 for the benefit of all future generations to enjoy. It was purchased by the Francestown Land Trust, partly with grants, at a generously reduced price. Owned for over 129 years by the Miller family, they wanted to protect it as a way to honor Dotty and Bing Miller who loved Francestown.
This forest of 37.4 acres has vernal pools, wetlands and 1,320 feet along Collins Brook. It is surrounded by 1,300 acres of land protected by FLT, the town of Francestown and the Society for the Protection of NH Forests. The Miller Forest is part of a biologically diverse, multi-town area of open space providing valuable habitat for wildlife.
There is a small parking area on Old County Rd North. From the kiosk, a short walk brings you to a lovely picnic spot and a bridge over Collins Brook. A marked trail takes a jaunty route beneath a canopy of pine and hemlock, and then heads downhill and into the Dinsmore Brook Conservation Area. From there one can access an extensive trail network.
A map is available on the Francestown Land Trust website and in the binder of trail maps at our library.
Lord Town Forest
March 2023
Lord Town Forest was the first, and is the smallest, of Francestown’s six Town Forests. Caroline Lord, author of “Diary of a Village Library,” conveyed these 27.9 acres to our Town in 1974, with the stipulation that it remain a permanent town forest under management of the Conservation Commission. She was our long-time librarian and an advocate for taking the time to enjoy nature up close.
A small parking area off Ferson Rd sets you directly onto the trail which loops through a mixed hardwood forest of beech and oak with a scattering of hemlock. It is bounded by stonewalls and flanked by woods, a designated scenic road and a large working field. The trail crosses Pettee Stream which has a lovely, little waterfall. It exits further down Ferson Rd, and a quick walk brings you back to parking. In this particular town forest, hunting is limited to shotguns, muzzleloaders and bows.
A map of the Lord Town Forest and this trail is available on the town website and in a binder of trail maps at our library.
Pleasant Pond
February 2023
Pleasant Pond is Francestown’s largest pond. With 198 acres, it is considered a “Great Pond” by NHDES. Each spring folks eagerly await the return of the loons. There is a public boat ramp with roadside parking on Pleasant Pond Rd. Families and friends can enjoy boating and fishing in warm weather and skating, cross country skiing, snowmobiling, and ice fishing in the winter.
Included within the Piscataquog River watershed, Pleasant Pond has 17% of its shoreline protected from development, thanks largely to Paul Livingston who placed 68 acres, including 1904 feet on the west shore, into a conservation easement in 2002. In the 1990’s, Harriet Cope protected land containing the pond’s headwaters. In 1989, Ellen Hill conserved over 140 acres of land, including 650 feet of frontage on the southern end. Pleasant Pond and its environs provide essential wildlife habitat and serve as important corridors for wildlife including otter, mink, deer, bear, beaver, fisher, coyotes, hawks, owls, warblers, eagles, and ospreys.
More information can be found in the Water Resources chapter of the town’s Master Plan. A map of Pleasant Pond and the boat landing is available at www.wildlife.state.nh.us/maps/bathymetry/pleasant_francestown.pdf.
Brennan Falls
January 2023
Brennan Falls is spectacular in the winter and spring. It is part of the 149 acre Schott Brennan Falls Reserve, a critical haven for many bird species and all manner of wildlife including beaver, moose, bear, and deer. Brennan Brook, a headwaters stream to the Piscataquog River, traverses the Reserve’s 149 acres, which include vernal pools and other wetlands vital to maintaining healthy ecological functions.
An easy to moderate trail brings you past a beaver pond and to the top of Brennan Falls, a 15 foot cascading waterfall. It is great for hiking and snow shoeing.
Directions to trailhead and a map are available on the FLT website at http://www.francestownlandtrust.org/maps---directions.html. From Campbell Hill Road, the hike to the top of the waterfall is just under a mile. For those who want to do more, the map shows how to continue up Bullard Hill Road into the extensive Crotched Mountain Town Forest trail system and to the cellar holes of Lost Village.
The Scott Brennan Falls Reserve was acquired by the Francestown Land Trust in 2014; it is protected for us and future generations to enjoy.