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Nashua eyes Sullivan Farm property for conservation land

By Staff | Dec 7, 2016

The city of Nashua is finalizing plans to protect land that is part of the last working farm within city limits.

According to the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests, the city and the owners of Sullivan Farm are engaged to protect more than 40 acres of farmland near Coburn Avenue.

Though the details are being finalized, the farm would remain agricultural land. The forest society’s Jack Savage said the details would “ultimately be finalized when the project closes.”

Madeline Mineau, who represents the city in the project, said there is interest on the part of the landowners, city and the forest society, but there isn’t yet a purchase and sales agreement in hand, so the final price hasn’t been settled.

Savage estimated the cost to acquire rights to the land would be about $1.5 million.

“We’re still very early in the project,” Mineau said. “We’re applying for several grants so we can get to a point the city can purchase a conservation easement.”

The forest society would be responsible for monitoring the land and ensure that the thrust of the upcoming agreement is maintained.

“In this case, we’re actually a partner in the transaction,” Savage said. “We will have an ongoing role in monitoring that easement.”

The project has been in the works for about seven years. Mineau said the project wouldn’t be finalized until early 2018.

The easement would ensure that the land is protected “against subdivision and development that isn’t associated with agricultural use,” Savage said. “This is the last working farm in Nashua.”

Part of the easement’s purpose, he said, is to “keep it as a working farm.”

Savage said four generations of owner Katherine Williams’ family have worked the farm since 1911. The farm was acquired by Williams’ grandfather Joseph Sedlewicz and was used for dairy cows and vegetable farming. When her father, Leopold Sedlewicz, took it over from Joseph, he planted an orchard, which can be seen today along Howe Road.

The family confirmed they are in talks with the city, but declined to comment further.

According to the forest society, the farm is the last active agricultural operation in the city, and 37 acres (80 percent) are in active agricultural use.

The “City of Nashua Natural Resource Inventory and Conservation Plan” (2006) cites existing agricultural uses as a limited resource and notes that undeveloped agricultural soils within Nashua are scarce.

Along with information provided for a grant application, the forest society wrote, “The Sullivan Farm is a high conservation priority because of its exceptional value as a local food source for city residents and its open space values in an otherwise densely suburbanized environment.

“The farm has a trail system that runs through the orchards. Additionally, the property abuts and enlarges other conservation lands, including two conservation areas in Hollis.”

Savage said about 7 acres are in Hollis. Whether Hollis would be involved in the transaction is still to be determined.

“The quickest way for it to not be is to have the land subdivided into lots and have houses built on it,” Savage said.

The agreement, he said, would “outline that can’t happen, no matter who buys it, it can’t be subdivided and developed for residential use. That would be expressly prohibited.”

Mineau described the property as “sort of an oasis.”

“You feel like you’re not in the city, like Mine Falls Park,” she said. Being on the land, “You’re transported to a more rural place, but still in the heart of Nashua.”

The forest society holds about 700 easements statewide.

“We don’t protect all land,” Savage said. “Our goal isn’t to prevent development, but to protect natural resources.

“They have to be there to be interested at all. There’s lots of land out there. In this case, it’s somewhat evident.

“Here is an urban environment; a city with a working farm. As we look at our resources in the next century and our interest in local food, this seems like an ideal conservation project.”

“We’re lucky to have a landowner interested in this. She wants to generate revenue, but would like to protect this asset. In some ways, it’s a community asset.”

Don Himsel can be reached at 594-1249, dhimsel@nashuatelegraph.com or @Telegraph_DonH.

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