Woodstock moves toward making Bucks Ledge a community forest

PHOTO: Hikers on the Bucks Ledge property. (Mahoosuc Land Trust photo)

WOODSTOCK – The town has agreed to buy the 634-acre Buck’s Ledge property from Bayroot LLC in order to establish a community forest.
Buck’s Ledge is the iconic rock outcropping overlooking North Pond that can be seen from Route 26. There is a network of six miles of public hiking trails, including new connections to the Woodstock Elementary school and Moody Mountain.
The eventual Buck’s Ledge Community Forest will support uses such as snowmobiling and hunting as well as bird watching and hiking. A local planning committee will work with the community to determine future use of the property and stewardship and maintenance needs.
The first meeting will be at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 27, at Woodstock Town Office. The public is welcome to participate.
Community forest projects often access a combination of federal, state, local and private funding sources to support acquisition costs. The Woodstock Conservation Commission will apply for a series of grants, including the U.S. Forest Service’s Community Forest and Open Space Program and the state’s Land for Maine’s Future Program for much of the purchase cost. The balance will come from the town’s dedicated land conservation fund and critical support of individuals and businesses as part of a local fundraising effort. The goal is to raise money to buy the property by the second half of 2022.
Project partners Northern Forest Center, Mahoosuc Land Trust and the Forest Society of Maine are working with the town to handle the real estate transaction, fundraising and long-term stewardship planning. The town will own the property, with a conservation easement likely to be held by MLT.
For information, visit www.mahoosuc.org.bucks-ledge.

Map courtesy of Mahoosuc Land Trust.