June 2020 - Culminating two years of effort, the Town of Brookline has donated a conservation easement on 439 acres of town-owned conservation land to the Piscataquog Land Conservancy. Known to local residents as Hobart-Fessenden Woods, the land had been acquired by Brookline piece by piece over a period of years, at a total cost of $1.5 million. Until now the land was not subject to any easement or other outside restriction that guaranteed its permanent protection. The conservation easement held by PLC ensures the public’s investment is protected in perpetuity, and that a future town vote cannot change the land’s open space status.
PLC and the Brookline Conservation Commission began discussing the idea of a conservation easement on Hobart-Fessenden Woods in May 2018, and by fall both sides were committed to move ahead with the easement. The town and PLC had previously worked together to conserve 88 acres of land nearby along the Nissitissit River.
To make sure town residents supported the concept, a warrant article authorizing the donation of the easement to PLC was placed on the March 2019 town meeting warrant. The article had the unanimous support of Brookline’s Selectboard, and was passed overwhelmingly by the voters on town meeting day. Work then began on deed drafting, survey and title work, environmental assessment, and legal review. Completing all these tasks ultimately took more than a year due to the property’s size and complexity.
Drew Kellner, a Brookline Selectman and longtime Conservation Commission member, says "we are delighted to close our third project with PLC and after a catching our breath I'm sure we'll be looking towards the next one. Now more than ever people are appreciating the need for conserved open spaces to get away from the stress that life often throws at them. It is our duty to ensure that those open spaces will be available now and for generations to come."
PLC’s Land Protection Specialist Tom Jones says “this property is well worth the long trek it took to get it conserved. The scope was huge, including a large and intricate survey, with many abutting properties to track. Throughout the process, working with the Town of Brookline was a true pleasure - they were so can-do and motivated to make it all happen.”
Hobart-Fessenden Woods features gently rolling forest, over two and half miles of streams, and more than fifty acres of wetlands. It is roamed by bear, bobcat, and moose, and hosts an active Great Blue Heron rookery. Public recreation is encouraged via an extensive trail system for hiking, trail running, bicycling and snowmobiling. The local snowmobile club constructed and maintains some of the trails, and monitor their use in coordination with the town (motorized wheeled vehicles are prohibited). The property features trailhead kiosks and a picnic shelter constructed by Girl Scouts as their Gold Award projects. Hobart-Fessenden Woods directly abuts lands held by the Beaver Brook Association, and when combined comprise over a thousand acres unbroken by roads or development.
