peakbagger
In Rembrance , July 2024
Probably of more interest to paddlers but this also impacts the local Shelburne trails. Sally Manikian a Conservation Fund regional director lives in Shelburne, this is the latest of several land conservation projects in the area she has been involved in.
https://www.sunjournal.com/2020/06/...seeks-to-acquire-androscoggin-river-frontage/
I think Bayroot (owned by Yale University endowment fund) is the the seller and got a lot of potential conservation lands along with the timberlands when they bought out the former Mead lands supporting the Rumford Maine Mills. The NH lands were formerly Brown Company lands that came along with the deal when James River sold their Maine timberlands to the Rumford mill. Bayroot has traditionally had far more interested buyers than sellers for these lands and reportedly use the sales to subsidize the return on the lands by selling parcels when the returns on timberlands are low. Mahoosuc Land trust seems to have revived of late after going a bit dark after their initial flurry of land deals. They had the standard problem of being land rich but income poor for several years but must have new leadership and a donor base to go along with it. The Bethel Maine area is a popular higher end retirement destination and expect these deals are probably supported by the new residents. Bayroot has recently bought a couple of parcel in Success that were heavily harvested (given a "crewcut") on the north side of the Mahoosucs in Success which appears to be less of focus area for the Mahoosuc land trust.
Managing these lands especially the island lands for timber just doesn't have much return and various conservation rules limit cutting near water ways so these lots are worth far more for conservation than timber. Its outside the declaration boundary of the WMNF so having a local Conservation Fund representative is helpful.
For those unfamiliar with this section of river, it is quite wild from the base of the run of the river dam in Shelburne all the way to Bethel. Its managed by the state of NH as Trophy Fishing. There is a lot of natural trout spawning areas with lightly or undeveloped watersheds feeding the river. I think its catch and release but have not checked the current regulations. Its a nice reliable flat and on occasion fast water paddle with plenty of islands and braided channel to paddle in with good public boat landings on each end. Definitely far less use than the Pemi or the Saco. Its routine to see eagles, herons and an occasional moose along the way. I have even encountered a few bears along the shores over the years while paddling. The river is managed for flow via the upstream hydro lakes so its a more reliable flow later in the season than the Pemi or Saco. At least two campgrounds rent kayaks but unsure about shuttles under Covid. The water is darker and there are fewer sandbars than the Pemi or Saco but especially later in the summer there are gravel bars. The one caveat is the islands do on occasion have patches of poison ivy so be careful when exploring. As usual its an extra hours drive from the south so far fewer folks realize its there.
https://www.sunjournal.com/2020/06/...seeks-to-acquire-androscoggin-river-frontage/
I think Bayroot (owned by Yale University endowment fund) is the the seller and got a lot of potential conservation lands along with the timberlands when they bought out the former Mead lands supporting the Rumford Maine Mills. The NH lands were formerly Brown Company lands that came along with the deal when James River sold their Maine timberlands to the Rumford mill. Bayroot has traditionally had far more interested buyers than sellers for these lands and reportedly use the sales to subsidize the return on the lands by selling parcels when the returns on timberlands are low. Mahoosuc Land trust seems to have revived of late after going a bit dark after their initial flurry of land deals. They had the standard problem of being land rich but income poor for several years but must have new leadership and a donor base to go along with it. The Bethel Maine area is a popular higher end retirement destination and expect these deals are probably supported by the new residents. Bayroot has recently bought a couple of parcel in Success that were heavily harvested (given a "crewcut") on the north side of the Mahoosucs in Success which appears to be less of focus area for the Mahoosuc land trust.
Managing these lands especially the island lands for timber just doesn't have much return and various conservation rules limit cutting near water ways so these lots are worth far more for conservation than timber. Its outside the declaration boundary of the WMNF so having a local Conservation Fund representative is helpful.
For those unfamiliar with this section of river, it is quite wild from the base of the run of the river dam in Shelburne all the way to Bethel. Its managed by the state of NH as Trophy Fishing. There is a lot of natural trout spawning areas with lightly or undeveloped watersheds feeding the river. I think its catch and release but have not checked the current regulations. Its a nice reliable flat and on occasion fast water paddle with plenty of islands and braided channel to paddle in with good public boat landings on each end. Definitely far less use than the Pemi or the Saco. Its routine to see eagles, herons and an occasional moose along the way. I have even encountered a few bears along the shores over the years while paddling. The river is managed for flow via the upstream hydro lakes so its a more reliable flow later in the season than the Pemi or Saco. At least two campgrounds rent kayaks but unsure about shuttles under Covid. The water is darker and there are fewer sandbars than the Pemi or Saco but especially later in the summer there are gravel bars. The one caveat is the islands do on occasion have patches of poison ivy so be careful when exploring. As usual its an extra hours drive from the south so far fewer folks realize its there.
