Ausbon Sargent Protects 145 Acres in Salisbury

Easement connects two large tracts of conservation land

June 20, 2024 • Saved under Other Organizations
Press release
The McLaughlin property in Salisbury, which was recently donated to Ausbon Sargent by the property owner, Everitt McLaughlin.

On April 19, The Ausbon Sargent Land Preservation Trust closed on the donation of a conservation easement on a 145-acre property in Salisbury. The McLaughlin property is primarily forested and undeveloped. It encompasses Vermetti Pond and its habitat for nesting herons, and adds to the already high habitat rankings it has earned for being home to deer, moose, turkey, woodland birds, reptiles, amphibians, and insects. 

The property contains important forestry soils, and its agricultural soils are listed as “Farmland of Local Importance” in the State of New Hampshire. With open water, wetlands, and streams on the property, its protection also helps to protect the pond’s watershed.

The McLaughlin property connects two large tracts of conservation land and is adjacent to or near almost 1,600 acres of protected land. This is important for wildlife movement and migration in our region.

Property owner Everitt McLaughlin explained that he has been involved with conservation easements for many years and as part of the Gilford Land Conservation Task Force, has helped to protect over 1,000 acres. He has even protected 13 of his own acres in Gilford. “I see this as my personal legacy,” noted Everitt. 

His interest in wetlands and the phenomenal diversity they promote, including ospreys and eagles, prompted him to look for a property with a pond and significant acreage. Understanding that unfragmented land is important and the proximity of these 145 acres to other protected land convinced him that this property in Salisbury was the property to purchase and conserve.

Andy Deegan, Land Protection Specialist with Ausbon Sargent, noted, “Although Salisbury is outside of our 12-town region, we felt compelled to work with Everitt on this project. The property is very close to the town line of Andover, which is within our region, and it had numerous ecological attributes that made it an important one to protect.” The Ausbon Sargent Land Preservation Trust now protects 167 properties, comprising 13,691 acres of land, in the 12 towns it serves.