HARDWICK – Hardwick has a unique opportunity to turn over 300 acres on Buffalo Mountain into a community forest. We should take it.
This summer, 329 acres on Buffalo Mountain were listed for sale. This includes the summit and the northeast side of the mountain; practically everything you see from downtown.
Over the past few months, Northern Rivers Land Trust and the Trust for Public Land have been exploring an option to purchase this property for the town of Hardwick to expand our town forest. The purchase will be funded primarily by grants, so the town could acquire the land for pennies on the dollar.
map courtesy Trust for Public Lands
The expansion would build upon Hardwick’s existing outdoor public spaces, fill in key missing pieces and open new opportunities for recreation, stewardship and economic development.
Wolcott recently went through a similar process to establish a community forest, which has become a popular asset to their town.
Through town ownership, we could preserve existing land uses many of us value. VAST and VASA users could preserve vital trail segments that pass through the property. Those who grew up hunting on the land could ensure it is kept open for future generations of hunters.
These decisions would be made in the open as a community, and not subject to the preferences of a private landowner.
The mountain also offers exciting new possibilities for use. Its steep terrain would complement our existing Hardwick Trails with challenging hiking, biking and skiing routes. We could build primitive campsites along the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail, filling a need for affordable places to stay for rail trail travelers and encouraging them to stay in town longer and spend money at local businesses. The forest can even generate revenue. For example, by allowing the responsible harvest of forest products.
The scenic views on the mountain will bring the area’s hiking options to a new level.
Imagine sitting on top of the cliffs you can see from Main Street, and gazing over our village, nestled in the rolling hills. It’s a stunning view that few of us have seen. The hike to those cliffs is similar in length to Nichols Ledge, which people travel from around the world to see. Unlike Nichols Ledge, which many have bottomed out their car trying to find, this hike starts conveniently at Atkins Field.
At a time when our taxes are rising and the grand list is under pressure, there are understandable concerns about this proposal. The property tax revenue at stake in this proposal is relatively small; just a few thousand dollars a year. The rugged terrain of the mountain severely limits development potential, making it unlikely that tax revenue would grow significantly in private hands. Managed properly, a town forest could easily bring more money to the town than is lost from taxes.
My dog and I walk down to Atkins Field almost every day. When we cross Cooper Brook and enter the Buffalo Mountain property, it feels almost like entering a new world.
In the spring and summer it’s a lush, ferny forest dotted with chanterelles. Streams cascade down the steep banks and thrushes chime nearby.
In the winter it’s a blanket of white notched with animal tracks, and the woods open up incredible ledges and panoramas in unexpected places.
Fall, of course, is still the most beautiful time there.
In the coming weeks we will find out if the project can move forward, and if the town supports it. I hope the town shares my enthusiasm and excitement for this opportunity.
You can read the full proposal and submit feedback on it to the Hardwick Conservation Commission at tinyurl.com/buffalo-feedback
Joe Nudell serves on the Hardwick Conservation Commission, but isn’t writing on behalf of the HCC, this opinion is his own.
