Laura Bonk and Phil Trowbridge bought 116 acres of undeveloped land in Allenstown, New Hampshire, in 1997.
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Bonk → buy → 1997
They recognised the importance of the property, which lies along the northern boundary of Bear Brook State Park.
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which → recognise → Park
About 25 years later, they placed the entire property under permanent conservation protection to preserve its wetlands, forests, water resources and wildlife habitat.
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they → place → wetlands
The land, known as Derevya Farms, forms part of the Merrimack River watershed, according to Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests.
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land → know → Forests
Its location and natural features make it important for protecting water quality and providing habitat for wildlife.
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it → make → wildlife
The property also includes frontage along Little Bear Brook, which flows into Bear Brook and the Suncook River.
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which → include → Brook
The Bonk-Trowbridge family donated a conservation easement on the property to ensure that its conservation value would be protected permanently.
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value → donate → property
However, the donation did not transfer ownership of the land.
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donation → transfer → land
The family continues to own the property while its conservation easement protects the land's natural features.
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easement → continue → features
The Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests helped raise funds to cover the costs of the project and the long-term care of the protected land.
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Society → help → land
The Merrimack Conservation Partnership awarded the project an $8,000 grant because of the property's importance to the watershed.
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Partnership → award → watershed
Individual donors from across the state provided the remaining funding.
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donors → provide → funding
Why the 116-acre property matters
Bonk and Trowbridge had planned to conserve the property since they bought it.
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they → plan → it
Their decision came after years of owning and maintaining the land, which has also become a place for local residents to enjoy outdoor recreation.
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residents → come → recreation
“Ever since we bought the land, we have been planning to conserve it,” Bonk said.
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Bonk → buy → it
Trowbridge said the decision also reflected their priorities at this stage of their lives.
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decision → say → lives
“We have reached a stage in life where you need to focus on doing important things.
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you → reach → things
This donation is one of those things,” he said.
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he → say → things
The property is part of a wider effort to protect the Merrimack River watershed.
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property → protect → watershed
Over the past decade, conservation, advocacy and educational groups have worked together to preserve important areas across the watershed.
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groups → work → watershed
The Forest Society and its partners have helped conserve a chain of properties, with Derevya Farms serving as one of the links.
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Farms → help → links
According to Jack Savage, president of the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests, more than 700,000 people in Massachusetts and New Hampshire depend on the Merrimack River as a source of drinking water.
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people → accord → water
Groundwater from the watershed also supplies private wells throughout the region.
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Groundwater → supply → region
“More than 700,000 people in Massachusetts and New Hampshire rely on the Merrimack River as the source of their drinking water and its groundwater feeds private wells throughout, so the health of the watershed has a direct impact on the quality of the water we drink,” Savage said.
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Savage → rely → water
He also thanked Bonk and Trowbridge for their contribution and their commitment to protecting the land.
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He → thank → land
The property provides habitat for moose, deer, bobcats, migratory birds and other wildlife.
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property → provide → moose
Forests and wetlands provide wildlife habitat
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Forests → provide → habitat
Apart from its role in the watershed, Derevya Farms supports several wildlife species.
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Farms → support → species
The property provides habitat for moose, deer, bobcats, migratory birds and other wildlife.
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property → provide → moose
Its position beside Bear Brook State Park also makes it important as a route through which animals can move across the landscape.
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animals → make → landscape
Trowbridge said the couple had long recognised that the property could serve as a travel corridor for wildlife living in the state park.
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property → say → park
The land has also become a familiar outdoor space for people living nearby.
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land → become → people
The family maintains trails and a Class VI road through the property, allowing neighbours and local residents to walk through the woods.
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neighbours → maintain → woods
Trowbridge said the use of these trails had increased over time.
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use → say → time
“We always knew that Derevya Farms would be a travel corridor for wildlife in Bear Brook State Park.
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Farms → know → Park
It has also become a travel corridor for people,” Trowbridge said.
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Trowbridge → become → people
He added that his neighbours knew the woods and trails as well as he did.
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he → add → woods
Seeing other people use and care for the land had been a rewarding experience, he said.
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he → see → land
“I am proud to be conserving this open space for everyone to enjoy,” Trowbridge said.
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Trowbridge → conserve → space
Bonk also shared a personal connection to the property.
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Bonk → share → property
…and 7 more, not listed.
The Aporia
