The Mount Holly Conservation Trust (MHCT) a nonprofit, volunteer organization whose mission is to preserve the beauty and character of Mount Holly through the conservation of land. Our primary objectives are to: (1) conserve specific parcels of land, (2) educate the community about the value of conservation and the means of achieving it, (3) aquire financial resources for conservation, and (4) work with other organizations to promote the mission of the MHCT.
The MHCT is pleased to partner with The Conservation Fun, The Ninevah Foundation, and the Vermont Land Trust to secure a wildlife corridor linking the northern and southern sections of the Green Mountain National Forest with other state-owned and privately conserved lands. This will provide a contiguous corridor for black bear, moose, and other species as well as assure working landscape and recreational opportunities for the public in perpetuity. Mount Holly sits prominently in the middle of this corridor.
Current Events:
Annual Meeting, July 6, 2009 - Michael Lew Smith, MS and Kathy Doyle, Ph.D. present "Natural History Inventory of Mount Holly," An overview of the significant natural communities and wildlife habitats of Mount Holly documented and mapped by the environmental scientists of Arrowwood Environmental from 2006 to 2009 using remote identification and field verification.
Click HERE for the entire natural history report produced by Arrowwood Environmental.
Completed Projects:
2008 - The Conservation Fund purchased the 506 acre Richard Anderson property along Branch Brook Rioad with financial support for the project from the MHCT. This spectacular parcel of valley and mountainside is visible from Healdville Road and Hedgehog Hill Road. It provides additional contiguous habitat protection for bear, moose, beaver, and other wildlife that is critically important to their long term success. It provides yeat another parcel in the fabric of protected parcels in Mount Holly, bringing the total to almost 1100 acres.
2006 - Easements were purchased next to the P.K. Brown parcel (400+/- acres), located in Mount Holly on the Ludlow town line at Buttermilk Falls by The Conservation Fund. This property was cleaned up with financial assistance from the MHCT. Protection of this highly visible property at the head of Buttermilk Falls ensures protection of stream quality and the wildlife corridor.
2005 - Lory and Pete Doolittle completed their private donation of a conservation easement on 70 acres of property on Bowlsville Road.
2004 - The Freeman/Fiske private donation of a conservation easement on 40 acres of property across from the Dana-Seward Project brought the total to 117 acres.
2003 - The Dana-Seward Farm Conservation Project was completed in October 2003. Seventy-seven acres of mixed farmland and woodland on Route 155 were conserved thank to support from the Vermont Land Trust, the Freeman Foundation, and over 150 residents of Mount Holly who contributed to the project.
