IN THE NEWS

THE CAMPAIGN FOR SEWALL WOODS- A COMMUNITY VICTORY

January 5, 2004


Meredith, New Hampshire - For more than ten years, a devoted group of volunteer conservationists and outdoor enthusiasts have treasured a beautiful wilderness park in the middle of Wolfeboro- the Sewall Woods. In the memory of some old-timers, this 180-acre tract had been a pasture and a truck garden but it had grown back to woods as the 20th century progressed, even as the town of Wolfeboro grew up around it. A haven for wildlife, nature lovers, and cross-country skiers, this quiet gem had become a community resource of the first order.

Beginning in 1997, the Lakes Region Conservation Trust began working with local landowners to secure the permanent conservation of the area. The foresightedness of the McBride family led to the Trust's first campaign purchase of land in the Woods, followed by an outright gift of land by the late Raymond Tuttle. As time went on and land values increased, concern for the fate of the area rose. Late in 2003, the Trust was able to reach agreements for the purchase and protection of the remaining two parcels- totaling more than 90 acres, but the first step in the process was the raising of $945,000 through private donations- a formidable task on a short time line- when the Trust was already committed to raising funds to complete the $5,900,000 purchase of the Castle in the Clouds and additional funds to protect key properties in Sandwich and Moultonborough. Through the generosity of hundreds of year-end donors in Wolfeboro, the Trust is proud and grateful that the campaign has been a success.

"This is a perfect example of the people of New Hampshire putting it on the line for the good of their community," states LRCT president Thomas Curren. "The protection of Sewall Woods was one of our greatest priorities for many years- and now, through the generosity of hundreds of good people, that vision will become a reality. We have literally hundreds of people to thank- beginning with Greg Roark of the Community Bank who did an incredible job of chairing this campaign, and going on to Ann Hackl, chair of our board, to Doug Cady, to the Sutherland family who hosted our kickoff announcement in September, to coach Tom Merrill and the Kingswood Regional High School Cross-Country Team, to the folks at the Nordic Skier, and to all those who believed in the need to protect this land. I want to make special mention of the Granite State News and of Jeanne Tempest- without the excellent coverage provided by this paper, many seasonal residents would not have been able to keep apprised of this campaign and its progress. We are deeply grateful for your commitment to your community and to conservation."

The LRCT is in now the process of developing a management plan and conservation easement for the property, even as it makes plans for the protection of the final piece in the conservation quilt that is Sewall Woods. At the beginning of a New Year in a world full of crisis and challenge, Wolfeboro can be grateful for this peaceful forest, and proud of its generosity and its community spirit.