We’re delighted to announce that the Harris Center and Nelson Conservation Commission have completed the first phase of the Osgood and Hurd Hill land protection project in Nelson. This 580-acre parcel includes the highest peaks in Nelson and the second-highest peak in all of Cheshire County, as well as headwaters for three separate regional watersheds: the Ashuelot River, Nubanusit Brook, and the North Branch of the Contoocook River. The conservation of this property also greatly enhances an existing 1,700-acre corridor of protected land, which provides an expansive, unfragmented block of critical wildlife habitat and offers tremendous recreational opportunities.
An autumn view of Osgood Hill. (photo © Brett Amy Thelen)
A winter view from Osgood Hill, looking east to Nubanusit Lake and Crotched Mountain. (photo © Russ Cobb)
The Harris Center plans to sell the parcel to the Town of Nelson for use as a town forest − open to the public for low-impact recreation − while retaining a conservation easement on the land. This important conservation project was made possible through support from the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund, the Quabbin to Cardigan Partnership, the NH State Conservation Committee (Moose Plate Program), and generous donations from many friends of the SuperSanctuary.
For more information or to make a tax-deductible contribution in support of this project, please contact Jeremy Wilson at (603) 525-3394 or by email.
