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Upper Valley Land Trust presents option to manage Lyme Town Forest easement
Summary
The Upper Valley Land Trust told the Lyme Conservation Commission it is interested in helping manage a conservation easement on the Lyme Town Forest, but staff capacity and Board review mean the group expects 12–18 months before closing and estimated costs of roughly $22–25K.
Blake Allison, chair of the Lyme Conservation Commission, introduced Craig Privett, general manager of the Upper Valley Land Trust (UVLT), who presented UVLT’s experience and interest in managing a potential conservation easement on the Lyme Town Forest.
Privett said UVLT currently manages "525 properties (~5700 acres with 9 campsites)" across about 45 towns and expressed enthusiasm for conserving the Town Forest. He recommended the commission consider UVLT as a potential steward but noted the organization has recent staff turnover and a leadership transition that will require Board of Trustees approval before work can proceed.
Privett estimated that, given current staffing and required internal approvals, it is likely to take about "12–18 months" for UVLT to reach closing on an easement, with the bulk of the work beginning in late 2026 or early 2027. He offered to provide the commission with his presentation slides and sample materials to illustrate prior easements and management practices.
The presentation prompted questions from commission members about permitted public uses, signage, enforcement and cultural-resource consultation. Members tasked staff and volunteers with gathering title updates and boundary marking to potentially expedite the process.
