Page Pond Town Forest expands by 38 acres

MEREDITH — The Page Pond Town Forest has expanded by 38 acres, thanks to the efforts of the Meredith Conservation Commission, grant funding and many local donors. The new acreage will provide enhancement to water quality, wildlife, and recreational and educational opportunities.

It’s been years in the making, but the endeavor was worth it, said Scott Powell, chair of the conservation commission.

“It’s over 800 acres now, and it’s a really important resource, because it protects a whole lot of wetlands,” said Powell in a phone interview with The Laconia Daily Sun. “There’s 1,800 feet of frontage on the wetlands, which is important from an ecological perspective.”

The property acquired is a 38-acre parcel that abuts the 763 acres already preserved as part of the Page Pond Town Forest, accessed via trailheads on Barnard Ridge and Quarry roads.

For about two years, the MCC has worked with a private landowner to acquire their land, after learning a private investor inquired about purchasing it for development. Endeavoring to preserve it and also benefit from a financial gain, the family contacted the MCC, whose members jumped at the opportunity.

Funding was the first part of the equation, and the MCC needed to raise $350,000. Through grants and private donations, the community rallied for the occasion. Funds were provided by the U.S. Forest Service Community Forest Service program ($154,000); the New Hampshire State Conservation Committee Conservation Moose Plate Grant Program ($30,000); the Heart and Hands Thrift Shop ($5,000); the Lakes Region Design Group; and private donations totaling over $35,000.

Next steps include an ecological survey of the property to identify invasive plants to be removed, and to determine the most environmentally-friendly locations to create a trailhead and walking path.

The MCC Tuesday Trail Crew met this week at the trailhead off Barnard Ridge to start planning the new location of the path.

“We want to get out there, find the best place to put a trail, and our hope is to find a route that, as we raise more funds, we can build an accessible trail,” said Powell.

The 38-acre lot is steep and slopes toward a large wetland which contains and filters water as Page Brook makes its way to a culvert at Meredith Neck and, in its never-ceasing march, onward to Fish Cove and the rest of Lake Winnipesaukee. Preserving the land ensures it will both continue to serve as a habitat for wildlife and guarantee the water that flows across those slopes and joins Page Brook will be of the highest quality. Of the 38 acres in the lot proposed for protection, 15 are considered wetlands.

Powell wants to make sure the new trail allows the public to observe those wetlands and the land's unique agricultural components.

“There’s an old quarry where granite was quarried that built some of the houses out on Meredith Neck. We’ll let the trail go by that,” Powell said.

A grand opening celebration will be held in 2026 to commemorate the expansion. An additional list of donors can be found on the Page Pond 3 Expansion Facebook page at facebook.com/61566920979107.