Open Space, Recreation & Protected Places
Along with the environmental, wildlife, tax and health benefits that open space provides, such areas often are excellent recreational sites for activities such as nature walks, show shoeing, hiking, wildlife watching, cross-country skiing, bicycling, horse-back riding, dog-sledding and snowmobiling. Some of our trails are even universally accessible!
Be sure to visit Belmont’s open spaces and enjoy your time in the great Outdoors!
Public Use of Private Land
For many decades sportspersons have depended heavily on private lands for recreation. Because of the variety of habitat on private lands, including cropped land, fallow fields, brush, and woodlots, game has typically been more abundant on private than public lands, and most hunting has occurred on private lands.
Private land access has also been important historically for fishing, and most states in the Northeast have had programs for several decades in which easements have been purchased from private owners to allow access to rivers, streams, and lakes for fishing.
More recently, access to private lands has become increasingly important in the Northern Forest states (Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and New York) for trails for hiking, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, and use of all-terrain vehicles.
One of the goals of the Conservation Commission is to work towards the permanent protection of open space that has unique characteristics for our community. But it is the public use of private properties the provides the network of links that allow access to those permanently preserved properties and greatly enhance the public’s understanding and appreciation of the natural world.
The Conservation Commission thanks landowners in Belmont who allow different types of public access/recreation on their property. Your generosity in sharing your property in this way, is, and will remain a vital part of the quality of life in Belmont.
For such public access the State of New Hampshire law does provide Recreational Immunity which bars suits against land owners for allowing recreational use of land without charge.
If you are considering opening your property or have questions related to such uses, please feel free to contact the Conservation Commission at any time.
Trails
BELMONT —New Hampshire Executive Councilor Joseph Kenney toured several sites and trails in the central part of the state last Friday to get an update on current recreational programs and progress being made for conservation and outdoor opportunities. Along the way, he even stepped a bit out of his own district’s boundaries to visit trails being developed in Belmont village. Read More
Photo and Article by DONNA RHODES drhodes@salmonpress.news Winnisquam Echo 9/21/17 New Hampshire’s District One Executive Councilor, Joe Kenney (far left), met with Belmont Town Planner Rick Ball (second from left) and other state officials last Friday for a tour of the trails and recreational opportunities now available or in the developmental stages in Belmont Village.
Open Spaces in the Town of Belmont
Andrew Sanborn Farm
219 Durrell Mountain Road
Tax Lot 214-009-000-000
Bean Dam
147 Wild Acres Road
Tax Lot 225-018-000-000
Currier-Sanborn Conservation Area
Gardners Grove
Tax Lots 120-015-000-000 & 120-020-000-000
BELMONT — The Belmont Conservation Commission has purchased the Currier-Sanborn Conservation Area, a significant parcel of conservation land between Silver Lake, the Winnipesaukee River, and Northfield. The property was purchased from the Sanborn Family Trust, descendants of the long-time owners of the property for $125,000.
The BCC used money from the Conservation Fund as well as grants to help offset costs to the Town. Grants were received from the Land and Community Heritage Investment Program (LCHIP), the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services Aquatic Resource Mitigation Program, and a State Conservation Committee Conservation (Moose Plate) Grant.
The 85-acre property has a half-mile frontage along the Winnipesaukee River; a significant marsh/flood-plain forest regarded as one of the most significant wildlife habitats in the state; a portion of the Tioga River; frontage on Silver Lake; and it abuts another conservation parcel, the Tioga River Wildlife and Conservation Area, previously purchased by the Town. Together the parcels total 273 acres. The property is a mixture of woodlands, marsh, and floodplain-forest. As are all of the BCC managed properties, it is open to passive recreation, hunting, and fishing. The Five Rivers Conservation Trust holds a conservation easement on both of these parcels, collectively known as The Tioga Marsh, ensuring their undeveloped, protected status forever. Daily Sun 7/12/18
Currier-Sanborn Conservation Area purchased by Belmont Conservation Commission – Winni Echo 7/12/18
2017
The Belmont Conservation Commission has been working closely with the Sanborn Family to acquire two parcels of land totaling 79ac off Depot Street at the Northfield Town Line for $125,000. elmont Conservation Commission is pleased to announce that they have received notice that a $57,227 New Hampshire Land and Community Heritage Investment Program (LCHIP) grant has been awarded to the Town in support of the Sanborn Trust conservation project.
The parcel is located on the Stratified Drift Aquifer which provides drinking water to both the Belmont Municipal Water System and Tilton/Northfield Aqueduct Co. It includes a significant amount of frontage on the Winnipesaukee and Tioga Rivers, frontage on Silver Lake, and abuts the Town-owned 188 ac Tioga River Wildlife and Conservation Area. These combined protected areas provide a significant benefit to wildlife and natural value conservation in this area.
In addition to the LCHIP grant, the Commission has received a $7,500 Conservation License Plate grant and a one-time Aquatic Resources Mitigation payment from Eversource Energy in the amount of $42,495.80 towards this acquisition. The balance of the transaction will be paid using the Conservation Fund which receives 100% of the Land Use Change Tax when land comes out of Current Use and has been used by the Conservation Commission to purchase and maintain conservation lands.
Belmont Conservation Commission celebrates $57,270 grant award – Winni Echo Photo: Perry Smith — Courtesy Rick Ball, Belmont Land Use Technician, LCHIP Executive Director Dijit Taylor, Board President Amanda Merrill and Denise Naiva, Chairman of the Belmont Conservation Commission attended the presentation of the LCHIP awards. 12/13/2017
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