For years, the non-profit Hanover Conservancy has partnered with the town and the College to protect Hanover-area wildlife. The organization has recently narrowed its focus to devote undivided attention to the wildlife preservation work in Hanover, executive director of the trust Adair Mulligan said. In the past, the Conservancy sought to preserve a wider area of the Upper Valley, including Lebanon.
The Conservancy is the oldest land trust in the state of New Hampshire, according to its website, and organization members of the Conservancy often collaborate with local governments and other non-profit operations to achieve the organization’s primary goals and to educate students about wildlife preservation.
Mulligan said that the organization is working to preserve the Mink Brook watershed. Though the Hanover Conservancy currently has multiple projects targeting the watershed, Mulligan said the details regarding the initiatives remain confidential.
According to the Hanover town website, the Mink Brook watershed is the largest in the Hanover area, spanning 40 percent of the town. The brook travels from Moose Mountain to the Connecticut River, passing through the center of Hanover.
As the result of efforts by the Hanover Conservancy and the town of Hanover, most — though not all — of the watershed is protected from development.
Mulligan also said that the Conservancy has never run into problems dealing with the town or the College in terms of conservation efforts, citing both as allies for the organization.
“We’ve been a great partner for years with the College,” she said. “We manage a lot of the land that Dartmouth owns.”
The College gave a sizable donation to the Mink Brook fund, Mulligan said, though she could not recall the precise amount of the donation.
Hanover town manager Julia Griffin also said that the Conservancy has maintained a strong partnership with the town. Griffin said that the Conservancy, along with the Hanover Conservation Commission, has worked closely with the town on several projects.
The Hanover Conservation Commission is a board consisting of seven full-time members who meet once a month to discuss ideas for maintaining the wildlife in and around Hanover. The scope of their focus includes trails, habitats and the forest surrounding Hanover.
The town often teams up with the Conservancy for fundraising efforts in particular, she said. Griffin also said that the town has worked with the organization to maintain hiking trails and preserve dozens of acres of forest.
She said that the town had recently acquired Hayes Farm Park, located in Etna, New Hampshire. The Conservancy has created a wildlife and bird sanctuary at the farm, Griffin said.
During a town meeting in April 2012, attendants decided to allow the Hanover Conservancy to establish and maintain the sanctuary.
While the Dartmouth Outing Club has not worked with the Conservancy directly, the organization has taken several measures to preserve wildlife on Dartmouth-owned property. Efforts have included maintaining Mount Moosilauke, Moosilauke Ravine Lounge and surrounding trails.
Dartmouth Outing Club president Hunter Van Adelsberg ’15 said the organization is solely responsible for clearing the trails used by Moosilauke Ravine Lodge visitors. This includes clearing any fallen trees and debris from the area.
The organization runs volunteer-based trail work trips almost every week, he said.
Though the Hanover Conservancy has never worked with the DOC, Van Adelsberg said he would be open to working with the organization in the future.
