Windy Hill Farm Easement
Conservation Easement
Public Access
Trails
Trailhead
September 20, 2022
The Windy Hill Farm Conservation Easement protects 108 acres of the stunning Windy Hill Farm in Jackson, New Hampshire. The easement was donated to USVLT by Anne Peterson in September 2022. The farm at Windy Hill contains forests and fields used for haying, pasture for livestock, and crops, and hosts numerous groomed cross country ski trails that are part of the network maintained by the Jackson Ski Touring Foundation. The easement protects agricultural and forestry uses of the property as well as natural habitat and scenic views. USVLT is grateful to the Anne Peterson for her passion, determination, and stewardship of the land and for her generous easement donation.
CONSERVATION VALUES
The Windy Hill Conservation Easement protects:
- Over 4,300 feet of scenic frontage along the Black Mountain Road
- Over 4,500 feet along both sides of Great Brook, a tributary of the Wildcat River
- Over 3,000 feet along Fernald Brook, a tributary of the Wildcat River
- A parking lot and access point to the East Pasture trail, Bald Land trail, and associated network of hiking and ski trails
- Numerous trails in the East Pasture Network maintained by the Jackson Ski Touring Foundation. These include Bald Land Trail, East Pasture Trail, Windy Hill Trail, Windy Hill Field trails, Bald Land Connector trail, and Lower Field Trail.
- Five acres of Forested-Shrub wetland
- Approximately 33 acres of grassland habitat/pasture and 99 acres of northern hardwood-conifer forestland, as designated by the 2020 NH State Wildlife Action Plan
- Approximately 62 acres of Farmland Soils of Local Importance and 54 acres of soils in high productivity categories (Group 1) for forest products, as designated by the Natural Resources Conservation Service
- 108 acres of habitat land adjacent to a 229,556-acre unfragmented block of White Mountain National Forest land; such unfragmented blocks are important to the movement of wildlife, including wide ranging and area-dependent species, and important for facilitating large-scale ecological processes.
- 108 acres of land within the "Wild River Matrix Forest Block" as designated by The Nature Conservancy. This is a "Tier 1" block indicating it is one of the largest intact forest blocks in North America. Tier 1 Matrix Forests generally maintain high ecosystem functions.
- 108 acres of land in the "Northern New Hampshire Forest Block Important Bird Area" as designated by the National Audubon Society. This "Global Priority" site spans 17 million acres along the NH/ME border. This Important Bird Area is designated because it is part of the largest intact forest in the eastern US and home to 34 priority songbird species.
PUBLIC ACCESS & DIRECTIONS
Windy Hill Farm hosts a parking lot on Black Mountain Road, which serves as the access point to the White Mountain National Forest's East Pasture trail and Bald Land trail year round. In winter this parking lot is also as an access point to all Jackson Ski Touring Foundation trails that are part of the East Pasture Network. These include Bald Land Trail, East Pasture Trail, Windy Hill Trail, Windy Hill Field trails, Bald Land Connector trail, and Lower Field Trail. Access to all groomed ski trails is open to JSTF ticket-holders only. For more information and to purchase a ticket, visit https://www.jacksonxc.org/. Please note that this parking and public access is for use of the hiking and ski trails only; Windy Hill Farm and the surrounding property is privately owned and the conservation easement does not require that the private landowner allow access to their property by the general public. Please respect private property.
State(s): NH
Town(s): jackson
Acres: 108
Town Tax Map: R-16, Lot: 14, 14A, 14B
Back to All Lands