A large swath of protected land around Interstate 89 in West Concord has been enlarged by 24 acres of land, following a donation of forest land on Stickney Hill Road.
The parcel was donated to Concord-based Five Rivers Conservation Trust by Tom Armstrong, who bought the forest land in 1953 after he worked at Fox State Forest in Hillsborough. The forest has not been harvested in about 40 years and will be maintained as a natural area, said Beth McGuinn, Five Rivers executive director.
The parcel is adjacent to or close to a number of conserved parcels owned by St. Paul’s School, the city of Concord and fields and farms conserved by Five Rivers Conservation Trust.
The preserve is across Stickney Hill Road from the bottom of the Exit 3 ramp from I-89 North, near the Hopkinton town line.
It connects to a series of trails including discontinued town roads along the southern boundary of the property. The trail begins on Millstone Drive, passes the historic Stickney Cemetery and connects to New Hampshire Snowmobile Corridor 11.
Armstrong, now living in Scarborough, Maine, donated the preserve in memory of his wife, Rachel Franck Armstrong, and in honor of his forestry mentors and friends Henry Ives and Birgit Baldwin, and Frances and Larry Rathbun.
He entrusted the forest land to Five Rivers with these words, “encourage active public observation, learning and enjoyment … for the study and wonder of nature, forests in particular, outdoor recreation, and the recharging of our minds, bodies and spirits.”
The nonprofit Five Rivers Conservation Trust has protected more than 75 properties, totaling more than 4,900 acres.