The Silver Lake Land Trust (SLLT) was founded in November, 1989. In short, it is the mission of the SLLT to protect the natural resources and environment of the Silver Lake area in Nelson and Harrisville by preserving as much land there as possible in an open, undeveloped state, and supporting and managing projects to preserve, if not improve, the Silver Lake Watershed. (Read our full mission statement at this link.)
The Silver Lake Land Trust is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
From the beginning, our members have supported our mission, becoming educated about land conservation and the need for environmental protection around Silver Lake, donating easements, collaborating with the Monadnock Conservancy and the Harris Center for Conservation Education as they acquire and monitor conservation easements in our area, working with the Towns of Harrisville and Nelson to understand their priorities and policies and collaborating with the Silver Lake Association of Chesham and Nelson in our shared mission to protect the water quality of Silver Lake.
Since its inception in 1989 the SLLT has benefited from the generosity of landowners and members. Landowners have donated the land itself and crucial conservation easements. The SLLT has invested almost $1,300,000 in conservation efforts to keep the Silver Lake environment in a natural state attractive both to people and wildlife. Much of the money has come from special fundraising efforts. However, a large part of our conservation funds come from dues paid every year by Conservator, Protector and Regular members. Almost all of these people have contributed year after year and made our efforts possible, and we thank them on behalf of all Silver Lake residents.
Here is a brief timeline of the conservation activities in the Silver Lake area for the past 30 years:
- November 11, 1989 – Formation of the Silver Lake Land Trust
- 1990 – Brantwood Camp/Sandy Beach Conservation Easement
- 1992 – Shepard/NH Audubon Conservation Land Gift
- 1994 – Roberston Property Conservation Easement
- 1994 to Present – Lead Mine Road Conservation Easements (Apple Hill, Francis, Fuller, Hartshorne, Iselin, Mednick, Pakradooni)
- 1999 – Snyder Conservation Easement
- 2003 – White Family Conservation Easement
- 2003 – Hall/Morris Conservation Easement
- 2005 – Badger Cottage Conservation Easement
- 2006 to Present – Sunset Hill West Side Conservation Easements (Delori, Drury, Francis, Ryan, Shuffleton, Putnam, Harken/Hall)
- 2007-2010 – Stormwater Management Projects: East Side Road and Stoney Beach
- 2010 – Buckingham, Browne & Nichols Conservation Easement
- 2010 – Seaver Farm Conservation Easement
- 2010 – Harris Center for Conservation Education Right of First Refusal on Seaver Estate Land in Nelson and Harrisville
- 2010 – Seaver Estate Land in Nelson Conservation Easement
- 2012 – Natural resource survey by the Monadnock Conservancy
- 2013-2014 – Breed Road culvert
- 2013 to present – Eastside Road deed covenant conservation restrictions
- 2014 to 2016 – Soak Up The Rain, a grant to assist private landowners to improve stormwater runoff issues
- 2015 – Eastside Conservation Easement in Harrisville
- 2016 – Conservation Easement on Cricket Hill Rd donation by Julia Rowse to the Harris Center
Follow this link for a listing of the members currently serving on the Board of Trustees.