Mt Ascutney land preservation purchase to benefit Recreation Center

Two groups are working to raise funds to purchase a 310 acre property on the southern slope of Mt. Ascutney to save it from development with Springfield's Edgar May Health and Recreation Center to receive proceeds of the purchase.

http://compasspaper.com/help-preserve-mt-ascutney-plus-an-important-bonus-area-recreation-center-p1648-116.htm Help Preserve Mt. Ascutney Plus an Important Bonus! Area Recreation Center in Springfield to Receive Proceeds of Land Purchase  •  Members of the Weathersfield Land Preservation Association and the Conservation Commission gather at a wetland on a 310 acre property on the southern slope of Mt. Ascutney. The two groups are working with the Upper Valley Land Trust to purchase the scenic parcel to save it from development.  •  Jan Lambert • Thu, Oct 07, 2010  •  Local Nature for 10/7/10  •  By Jan Lambert for the Compass  •  Heading north up Interstate 91 at Exit 8 in Ascutney, right in the center of your view, is our beautiful and beloved Mount Ascutney. The fate of a significant portion of the pristine forested slope in the center of your view could soon be decided for the better, with the upcoming sale of a 310 acre parcel there.  •   I found out recently that a dedicated group of citizens in Weathersfield have been working for years to save this portion of the southern slope of Mt. Ascutney from the possibility of gravel mining, forest clearcutting, or housing development. The land covers a significant portion of the landscape that is visible beneath Mount Ascutney.  •  A local, community-based effort to conserve the land is in the works. The Weathersfield Land Preservation Association (WLPA) and the Weathersfield Conservation Commission have been working closely for some time, together with the Upper Valley Land Trust (UVLT), to purchase the parcel from the estate of Janet Fellows.  •  The land would become a town forest, adjacent to thousands of other acres of conserved forest. It would be open forever for public enjoyment, and be managed sustainably for timber management, water quality protection, and wildlife habitat. The acreage includes hiking trails, a mountain brook, a wetlands pond, and upland views. George Ainley of the conservation commission emphasized that this scenic parcel would be open to all, even though owned by the Town of Weathersfield.  •  Because of the critical importance of this parcel of woodland to the scenic qualities of our Connecticut River National Scenic Byway, the UVLT was able to secure a grant to cover 80 % of the funding needed to conserve this land permanently. The money is coming from the National Scenic Byway Program.  •  WPLA and the Conservation Commission have pledged to raise funds to come up with the remaining 20 %, approximately $30,000, needed to complete the project. They have already raised $20,000, and have until November 1 to come up with the remaining $10,000.  •  Now here is the added bonus: The late Ms. Fellows stipulated that the proceeds of the land sale were to go to the Edgar May Health and Recreation Center in Springfield, which is working hard to provide quality fitness opportunities for all residents of the area.  •  So now there is only $10,000 remaining to be raised, which is a mere seven per cent of the overall funds needed-what a bargain for us to receive not only the protection of Mt. Ascutney, but also a great boost to health and fitness with a rec center featuring an indoor swimming pool ,that serves all area residents!  •  So if you care about the future of our beloved Mt. Ascutney, or about a fine regional fitness center, this is the time to make your donation count double!Steve Aikenhead of the WLPA, points out that most of the funds needed are coming from federal and some state sources, so this is a good chance to get some of your tax money back in this area for good causes. Every single donation, large or small, will be important to preserving this natural heritage landmark of our valley. There are a few ways you can help.  •  First, send a check made out to WLPA and mail it to Bart Mair, WLPA Treasurer, 326 Henry Gould Road, Weatherfield VT 05151.  •  Second, give Steve Aikenhead a call at (802) 263-5439 if you have any questions or suggestions about the land purchase project.  •  For more information, you can email Aikenhead at steve@vermontel.net and he will send you a couple of attachments about the project, including a pledge form, written by the WLPA, for you to forward on to all your friends, your business associates, civic groups, and so on.  •  If you would like more detailed information, you can visit the Web site of the UVLT. Go to www.uvlt.org and you should see a link on the home page for “Conserving a Town Forest for Weathersfield.” This is a great piece of information to share.  •  As a parting note, Steve Aikenhead asked to share a quote from President Calvin Coolidge in 1928: “Vermont is a state I love. I could not look upon the peak of Mt. Ascutney…. without being moved by the beauty of this mountain.”  •