None The Nature Conservancy in Vermont Press Releases Search All Press Releases Emily Boedecker Phone: (802) 229-4425 x112 eboedecker@tnc.org

Key Chittenden County Conservation Project Closes

Funding Sought by The Nature Conservancy and Vermont Land Trust

Bolton, Vermont—10 April 2003—When the ice thaws on Preston Pond in Bolton this spring, the Town of Bolton and its conservation partners will be entering the final stages of a transaction that has been over 12 years in the making. In 1990 a developer purchased a large parcel of land including Preston Pond in Bolton. On March 20, the Vermont Land Trust (VLT) and The Nature Conservancy (TNC) completed the first stage of insuring the land’s protection. Landowners Dan Morrissey and Jim & Nancy Tiffany of Bolton sold a 403-acre tract of land surrounding Preston Pond to the conservation organizations for $165,000 less than the appraised value. The Vermont Housing & Conservation Board made a significant grant of $267,668 toward the $550,000 sale. Additional grant funding came from the Davis Conservation Foundation, Fields Pond Foundation, Kelsey Trust, William P. Wharton Trust, Conservation and Research Foundation and the Vermont Watershed Grants Program.

But the work is still uphill. Contrary to most scenarios in which the land trust purchases only development rights rather than the property itself, the Vermont Land Trust and The Nature Conservancy, in this case, bought the land for $550,000 in order to secure it while fundraising continued. In the coming months, TNC, VLT and the Town of Bolton must raise $275,000 to complete the final transfer that will keep this land open and accessible to Vermonters.

"It’s beautiful – especially in the fall, when the leaves are turning and animals are running around," said neighboring resident Robin "Hoodie" Streeter, whose family has lived in West Bolton since the 18^th century. "I think the majority of the people who were trying to save it had been on it and seen it summer, spring, winter and fall. They just realized that it’s something worth saving."

The Long Trail crosses the property, as does a long segment of a VAST snowmobile trail. One lookout point high above Preston Pond provides panoramic views of the local terrain and to Lake Champlain and the Adirondacks. Additionally, the undeveloped watershed of Preston Pond offers a learning environment and research site for area schools and colleges.

Peregrine falcon nesting sites and a number of rare plant species inhabit a major cliff on the property. According to Joan Allen, associate director for land protection for TNC, University of Vermont researchers determined that the pristine, 9-acre Preston Pond is over 3,500 years old. The Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department’s Nongame and Natural Heritage Program recognizes it as a Natural Heritage Site. The property features part of another Natural Heritage Site – the Resin Ridge natural red pine community. Other natural features include a series of wetlands and smaller ponds and some locally important plant communities. The Preston Pond tract’s significance also extends to its relationship with adjoining parcels of unfragmented forestland and wildlife habitat in an area that is known as the Chittenden County Uplands.

The uplands region is perhaps the last major block of core wildlife habitat in Vermont’s most populous and fastest-growing county. As suburban development stretches toward the Uplands, a partnership has formed to conserve 15 parcels of land encompassing over 8,500 acres. One key transaction in this initiative has been to acquire the Preston Pond tract.

"It’s spectacular property, with something for everyone - whether you hike, hunt, cross country ski, rock climb, or just enjoy observing the natural world," stated Lars Botzojorns, a member of the Bolton Conservation Commission. "We’ve had discussions with the owners about their plans for Preston Pond for years. It’s a great feeling to reach an agreement that will keep most of the property undeveloped, intact as wildlife habitat, and accessible to the public."

Reaching an agreement on an eventual transfer of the Preston Pond property to the Town of Bolton was challenging, according to Botzojorns. "Some residents felt the land should stay in private hands, and some did not feel the Town should contribute money from its Conservation Fund," he said. "In the end, the Selectboard agreed to accept title to the property, probably this summer, and the voters approved two articles at Town Meeting that will help reach the project’s fundraising goal."

The property will be subject to a conservation easement, held by the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board and the Vermont Land Trust. Conservation easements are perpetual legal agreements that restrict or prohibit subdivision, development, mining, and other activities that could diminish important conservation values. On at least an annual basis, Vermont Land Trust field staff will visit the property and are in contact with the Town as questions and issues about the property’s management arise.