On February 13, The Ausbon Sargent Land Preservation Trust accepted full ownership (also known as Fee-Ownership) of the Cassey Brook Preserve on Wilmot Center Road in Wilmot. Of the 152 properties that Ausbon Sargent has assisted in protecting, the Cassey Brook Preserve represents the sixth property that will be owned by the land trust. This means that Ausbon Sargent owns and manages the property. The land trust pays taxes on the land (at Current Use rates) and it is Ausbon Sargent’s responsibility to manage the property consistent with its mission.

This 201-acre parcel is the third and largest Ausbon Sargent protected property in Wilmot. It is primarily forested, but also has open areas and wetlands. The Cassey Brook Preserve was managed for forestry in the past, so the property has woods roads in good condition and large open areas created from past log landings. From the southern end of the property, a pleasant hike from Wilmot Center Road, there are nice views of Mount Kearsarge. Due to the size of the property and its location, it is considered to be a valuable wildlife habitat. Cassey Brook Preserve will remain open for low-impact recreation.

Debbie Stanley, Executive Director of Ausbon Sargent, shares, “The protection of the Cassey Brook Preserve was made possible using funds generously donated by neighbors of this property. We thank the landowner, Dick Chase, who agreed to sell the property for less than the appraised value by discounting the sale price approximately 10 percent in value.“ The Ausbon Sargent Land Preservation Trust now protects 152 properties comprising 12,060 acres of land in the 12 towns it serves, including Andover.