USVLT Acquires Bisson Preserve
CONWAY, NH - Behind a long stretch of house lots lining the east side of Stark Road in Conway lies 124 acres of mostly early-succession forest, sloping gently eastward into a significant wooded wetland that drains into Conway Lake. Karyl & Ed Bisson generously donated their special land to USVLT, while passing on not only their example and results of good stewardship, but also equipment and funds for USVLT to successfully follow in their footsteps. Through this conservation effort, not only will the forests and wetlands be protected, but some unique habitats will be preserved as well. The preserve holds a vernal pool, which are temporary bodies of water that lack predatory fish, as they only exist for a portion of the year. These are important for many amphibious populations, as they provide a safe location to breed, lay eggs, and complete their life-cycle. A large part of USVLT’S future stewardship efforts will focus on improving the health and resilience of the preserve’s re-emerging forests, in this case especially critical to water quality in Conway Lake.
For thousands of years, the land belonged to the Wabanaki (meaning “People of the Dawn”). The presence of stone walls, rock piles, and quarried boulders throughout the property attest to the hardscrabble farming that took place after European colonialization. Ed and Karyl Bisson bought this backland not long after a heavy timber harvest and have spent the last 20 years engaged in caring stewardship while the trees grow back. Filling in deep skidder ruts and restoring disrupted drainageways, the Bisson's have created and maintained a wonderful neighborhood network of looping trails radiating out from a central meadow accessed from Benlor Drive.
“Karyl and Ed have created and preserved a beautiful and important area while creating trails to invite in hikers of all ability,” says USVLT Executive Director Eric White, “We are so excited by their generosity and commitment to conserving this land for future generations by donating this important natural resource to USVLT.” In the 25 years since its founding, USVLT, an accredited member of the Land Trust Alliance, has protected 86 conservation projects, and with its partners preserved more than 12,300 acres of sensitive habitats, working forests, and prime farmland in its 11-town service area in New Hampshire and Maine.
