Duxbury Land Trust

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

In March, the State of Vermont and the Duxbury Land Trust (DLT) finalized two conservation easements in conjunction with the sale of the buildings section of the old state farm. In addition, the Trust holds a third easement on another section of the former farm that was finalized in 2004 and covers 73 acres.

One of the new easements covers 100 acres of wetland, wildlife habitat, and forestry resources on the parcel that is now in private ownership. The conserved land is adjacent to the town gravel pit and located southeast of Crossett Brook Middle School. The second easement covers approximately 92 acres on both sides of the River Road starting at the village (Duxbury Corners) west to Hart Road. Both parcels allow agricultural and forestry uses.

The three State Farm Property easements ensure the conservation of agricultural land, forestry resources, wildlife habitat, scenic vistas, and open space for generations to come.