The Ausbon Sargent Land Preservation Trust has been working with Bob Brown, Chairman of the New London Conservation Commission for more than a year to place a conservation easement on the Edwin S. Brown Forest Preserve, owned by Bob and his wife, Sandy.  We are happy to announce that this project closed on May 1, 2018.

This 19.4-acre property, bordered on three sides by Forest Acres Road, County Road and Interstate 89, is also located near other protected land on Messer Pond and Clark Pond.  By protecting the Brown property, nearby streams and wetlands as well as the water quality of Messer Pond will also be protected.  It has highly ranked forestry soils and can be managed for both forestry and agriculture.

Bob Brown chose to name his property the Edwin S. Brown Forest Preserve to honor his father. Bob shares that his father “passed away at a young age, when I was just 15.  While we only had a short time together, I believe that he taught me some important life values.” We at Ausbon Sargent would agree.  The location of this property could offer house sites along Forest Acres Road or County Road, but when considering the value of this land to him and his wife, Sandy, it is obvious that they have different thoughts.  He says, “the significant value of this property to us is far more important than the dollars that a house lot project may bring.  We feel that this forested wetland parcel is an important land that will help filter the large volume of storm water flow off of the interstate highway [I-89] and better protect the Messer Pond water quality.  Therefore, we have decided to donate an Ausbon Sargent conservation easement on this property so that it will remain an undeveloped forest land.” 

The property will forever protect the scenic view for people traveling on Forest Acres Road, County Roadand Interstate 89, and the property will be open to the public for low-impact recreation.  With the addition of these acres, Ausbon Sargent now protects 145 properties on over 11,309 acres of land in our 12-town service area.