Eccardt Farm Project
Thank you for helping us meet our goal to fund the Eccardt Farm conservation easement project!
Together we have taken a wonderful opportunity to permanently protect 141 acres of the Eccardt Farm through the purchase of a conservation easement. The easement will protect the 141-acre upland lots while allowing continued use for farming, forestry and recreation. The easement will provide for permanent designation of the public trail on the property.
The land is part of their 465 acre farm, which, as many of you know, is the last commercial dairy farm in Washington and the nearby region, owned and operated by the Eccard family and managed by George Eccard along with wife Sandy, son Ryan and daughter Kristi. It has been recognized by the state as a "Farm of Distinction" and significantly defines East Washington's unique rural character and environment.
Looking across the pasture and corn fields toward the wooded lots proposed for conservation
Last fall the Eccard family approached the Conservation Commission about the possibility of selling a conservation easement on this 141-acre wooded parcel. This meant that they would sell the development rights to this land but still own it and retain the right to use it for agriculture, forestry, sugaring and more. The Commission members were happy to help. We contacted the Forest Society and got to work on the project.
The Conservation Commission had submitted two grant applications to help with project funding. We learned in October that we were awarded a Q2C grant to help pay all transaction costs for the easement. The Conservation Commission committed to spend up to $40,000 of our Conservation Fund toward the purchase of this easement. In December we were notified that the requested LCHIP grant for $30,000 was awarded to us and we are very grateful to them for providing the balance of our needed funds. The generous donations we received from local people and many others, combined with what we raised at the Open House means we have met our goals and we plan to close on the easement in mid January!
The land is in a designated Conservation Priority Area in our Conservation Plan. The 135 acre wooded piece contains stands of white pine, red oak, balsam fir, red spruce, red maple, popular, white and yellow birch, a seven acre sugar bush and a public trail for hiking, snowmobiling, skiing, horseback riding and snowshoeing. With this easement the conservation land and trail will be connected to the Forest Society's Journey's End property, which in turn connects to Pillsbury State Park, Sunapee Highlands and thousands of other acres of protected land. The snowmobile club will be working on the trail this fall.
The project's close proximity to miles of woods roads, private and class VI roads, the Monadnock-Sunapee Greenway trail, other large tracts of protected land, nearby commercial ski areas, regional lakes and ponds, and the miles of seasonally used trails creates an amazing recreation resource for Washington.
Two lots (in red) making up the easement property, Journey's End abuts to the left
The Eccardt Farm has always welcomed the public to the farm for educational and recreational purposes. Hundreds of families and school groups come each year, many from towns in the three county area and beyond, to learn about dairy farming and visit the farm store, milking parlor, barns, the large variety of animals and the farm museum, and to recreate. The land has been used by the public for hiking, horseback riding, skiing, snowshoeing and snowmobiling for more than fifty years. Other landowners in the area have announced that they will soon discontinue access to snowmobile trails; this property's trails will be improved to provide a permanent link to existing trails on the Forest Society's Journey's End property. Hiking, equestrian, and snowmobile trails are an important recreational and cultural resource in the town of Washington.
This easement will secure the existing trails for perpetual public use. The value of the landscape and operations of the working farm cannot be overstated. The project will expand and preserve presently available recreation opportunities through permanent trail protection and protect a much-valued viewscape, while also protecting high value natural resources and wildlife habitat and extending the conservation corridor.
How did you help?
The Eccardt Farm project has found great support within the greater Washington community and town organizations. The townspeople recognized the value of protecting this farmland for the future. The Board of Selectmen had endorsed the conservation easement project and encouraged our efforts to secure funding for it. The Conservation Commission voted to commit a large portion of their Conservation Fund dollars to the project. The Eccardt Farm families agreed to sell the easement at a bargain sale price to help make it happen. The Washington Snowriders snowmobile club was very interested in securing the access to the trails for public use. We received many pledges toward the project, in our fundraising efforts. With your help we have successfully raised the money needed to fully fund this project.
This successful easement project will greatly benefit our community and the Eccardt Farm. It will help maintain the unique rural character of our community, provide new permanent recreation resources, protect important natural resources and help the Eccardt Farm to secure its future.
Thanks to all who gave generously and helped us meet our goal to preserve the rural character and natural resources of our town, while helping the farm to continue farming.
There is still time to make a donation if you want to be counted as a part of this worthy project! Any donation given will go directly to this project and will lower the amount that the Conservation Commission will need to use out of their Conservation Fund, leaving more dollars available for future projects. Please click here to make a pledge by e-mail to the Washington Conservation Commission. Donation boxes can be found at the Eccardt's Farm Store and in the Town Hall, or you can send a check to the Washington Conservation Commission at 7 Halfmoon Pond Road, Washington, NH 03280, (write Eccardt Farm in the memo line). Thank you for wanting to help.
Thanks also to all who attended the Farm's Open House on October 9th and bought raffle tickets, click here - Open House and Raffle page to see pictures, find information and see the raffle prize winners.
Click here to learn more about the History of the Eccardt Farm
Three generations of Eccards in front of their Farm Store - Ryan, Hans, Julia and George