By Nottingham and For Nottingham:
The Four Generals’ Greenway
A Natural Resource Protection Initiative
The Nottingham Conservation Commission (NCC) and the subcommittee formed during Nottingham’s Community Profile meetings, now called the Natural Resource Committee (NNRC) is proposing that our town establish a voluntary greenway that would offer some level of protection for large undeveloped parcels of land and link them by corridors to each other as well as to those protected areas of our neighboring towns. In this way, large parcels will not become isolated islands for wildlife, but would allow them access from one area to another. Studies have shown that animals will use these links if they are available.
Nottingham also needs to protect the water resources in our aquifers since we have no municipal water supply. The Lamprey River watershed includes the Little River watershed, Langley Pond, Cyrus Pond, Cedar Waters and a large aquifer along the east side of Smoke Street; the Pawtuckaway Pond Watershed that includes Quincy Pond, the tributaries of the North River, the Elliott and Bean Rivers, and most of the large aquifer that lies on either side of Stage Road (Route 152) from the Town Offices to Freeman Hall Road; and there are two smaller aquifers located in the North River Watershed to the south east and the Middle Lamprey River Watershed at the Raymond border.
The Conservation Commission brought this Greenway proposal to Nottingham Day this past September, and many people stopped by, both long term residents and newcomers to ask about the proposal and to offer encouragement and support for this idea. The Greenway will be entirely voluntary and its purpose is to encourage people to make decisions about their property and its use that will allow wildlife to flourish while also protecting resources. The Greenway will also direct attention for support through financial and legislative decisions.
The Greenway will roughly encompass the three large blocks in Nottingham: the Steven’s Hill (Mulligan) Parcel that is over 3000 acres and is the largest privately held piece in Nottingham; The Kennard Hill Parcel to the south east which is partially in Nottingham and continues into Epping; and Pawtuckaway State Park, although not privately owned, is a valuable natural resource. Smaller unbroken parcels abut these three larger pieces and will extend the Greenway into natural areas as well as those of neighboring towns.
Easements in Nottingham, Barrington, and Deerfield have begun to fill in and extend the protected lands in and around Nottingham. The Lee Conservation Commission recently enquired about large parcels that lie on our shared border, indicating active concern for us all in this area of New Hampshire.
Four Generals’ Greenway is named for four Nottingham Generals who served in the Revolutionary War: Thomas Bartlett, Henry Butler, Joseph Cilley and Henry Dearborn.
The NCC and the NNRC are planning to include in the Town Report a non-binding referendum that would provide the towns people an opportunity to support and endorse the Greenway. At this time we are asking for support from the municipal boards of Nottingham as we move ahead with this proposal.
Susan P. Mooney, representing the
NCC, NNRC.
12.06.05
This initiative proposal was presented to
The Board of Selectmen, November 28, 2005;
The Economic Development Committee, December 5, 2005; And the Planning Board, December 7, 2005.
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