59 acres of Ashfield farmland conserved

CAL AND JOAN CLARK, ASHFIELD, 59.95 ACRES CONSERVATION RESTRICTION

These newly conserved properties are south of the 367 +/- acres the Clarks conserved in 2007 and 2008 with FLT and abut both the Poland Brook WMA and TTOR’s Chapel Brook Reservation. The parcels abut other conserved land and are in a region of significantly large tracts of conservation lands that are both public and privately owned. The old Culver farm contains open agricultural fields, abandoned pasture, forests and wetlands. In addition, the farm contains both prime and statewide important farm soils and portions of an unnamed coldwater fisheries resource stream that flows into Poland Brook.

Cal Clark comments, “We are so glad we built our house where we did 34 years ago.  We knew it was a nice, wooded area but did not know all the wild animals that would thrill us by passing our dining room window. As we learned of all the protected land around us, and more abutting property became available, we purchased it and finally learned of the advantages of a conservation restriction. Our latest purchase of the old Culver farm was mainly due to the open fields, beautiful brook, and the fast failing barn with barn swallows and a few bats. Someone once told us ‘there will always be land for housing but may not always be enough land for nature’ -so this seemed like the perfect property to save for nature and add to the land around it.”

We join the community in thanking Cal and Joan for their continued generosity, and for the impact that their actions will have for wildlife now and in the future!

Photo: Cal and Joan Clark photo in front of the renovated barn on the old Culver Farm. They specifically renovated it with louvered windows for birds and bats.