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Prouty Community Forest
NEFF now has a place it can use to showcase sustainable forestry and NEFF’s commitment to community forestry. It wasn’t easy and NEFF still needs to raise $800,000
to complete the capital campaign. Your help will be deeply appreciated.
Click to support the Prouty Woods Campaign
The Prouty property has been a fixture in the landscape of Littleton,
MA for almost a century. In 2002, Donald Prouty, former Littleton Town Moderator and Town Counsel passed away.
LandVest was engaged to sell the property. Recognizing the opportunity to protect a significant tract of forestland within the rapidly developing U.S. Route 495 corridor, LandVest introduced NEFF to the property. After walking the property and meeting with representatives of the town, NEFF boldly signed a purchase and sale agreement with the Prouty family. The family generously agreed to a bargain sale price in order to preserve the property and avoid a likely bidding war among developers. In October 2003, NEFF secured financing at a highly competitive rate and purchased the property. This wonderful community resource was dedicated "Prouty Woods Community Forest" at a dedication ceremony in October 2004.
NEFF now provides public access throughout the property and educational opportunities at the William A. King Education Center, located at the top of Wilderness Hill. NEFF continues to manage the land as an active working forest - as Don and Carey Prouty had done for years.
Click to support the Prouty Woods Campaign
- A Community Resource
The group heading out to the Prouty field and eventually connecting with the Two Brothers Trail.
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Stretching from Fay Park to Long Lake, the 107-acre Prouty property is a truly unique and significant tract of woodland within minutes of Route 495. The property includes 1600 feet of frontage on Long Lake and the top of “Wilderness Hill” offers expansive views to the west and north including Mount Monadnock in New Hampshire. The combination of forest, hay field and riparian zones
fosters
diverse plant life and provides much-needed habitat for a variety of species. The forest has been under professional forest management for many years. Walking trails maintained by the Littleton Conservation Trust connect to a town-wide system of walking trails. The Town has protected significant acreage at Long Lake Park and along the shore of Long Lake across from the Prouty property. The Town-owned Morgan property adjoins to the north. In addition, the Town has purchased a conservation restriction on 85 acres of Prouty Woods Community Forest, further increasing the conservation value of this property.
Click here
for a list of
plant life
at Prouty Woods
Click
here for a list of
bird
species found at Prouty Woods
Click to support the Prouty Woods Campaign
- The Campaign for Prouty Woods
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Canoeing on Long Lake.
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Valued in excess of $3.0 million, the family agreed to a generous bargain sale demonstrating their commitment to conserving the property. The Prouty family sold the property to NEFF for $2.65 million. Roger Prouty also made a significant financial contribution in support of the project. The capital campaign seeks to raise
$4.3 million to:
- Complete the purchase
- Establish a property endowment for maintenance and upkeep of structures
- Fund the capital costs associated with conserving the buildings on the property
- Fund transaction costs for engineers, environmental studies, permits, lawyers, fundraising, and interest expense
Bill King at the Dedication.
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- Educational and Recreational Advantages
- The trails, forest, lake and fields at Prouty Woods are an educational resource for natural history interpretation and sustainable forest management. A network of walking trails offer hiking and cross country skiing opportunities. A canoe and small boat landing for recreational users is accessible on Long Lake.
On May 10, 2005, NEFF dedicated the William A. King Education Center as part of the process of conserving the structures on the property. The King Center offers educational opportunities associated with Prouty Woods as well as being available for community meetings.
Click to support the Prouty Woods Campaign
View from the top of Wilderness Hill.
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NEFF needs your help to complete the Prouty Woods Campaign. Please consider a generous, tax-deductible gift today.
For further information see our list of FAQs
or contact: Lynn Lyford
at 978 952-6856 x104
or
e-mail Lynn
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Board of Directors
