The property was purchased by a timber company in the mid-1990s and extensively logged. The majority of the land was eventually sold to Forecastle Timber.  Since 1995, the Duxbury Land Trust (DLT) has been actively seeking assistance to conserve the Ward Hill/Dowsville Basin land. Among the actions taken in the late 1990s was gauging the support of townspeople and contacting state and federal officials and non-profit conservation organizations, including: the Vermont Land Trust, Conservation Foundation, and The Trust for Public Land. Because of the poor condition of the land after the heavy timber harvest, the State was not interested in acquiring the property at that time. However, the DLT never lost its interest and concern about the future of the Ward Hill/Dowsville Basin land and is a partner in its protection today.

View from Dowsville Property