Ausbon Sargent recently acquired a 234-acre land parcel in Andover from Frederick and Patrice Ficken, who wished for it to be protected. The Mountain Brook Forest Preserve is adjacent to thousands of acres of already-conserved land, including the Old College Road Preserve, also owned by Ausbon Sargent. The protection of Mountain Brook, which flows into Elbow Pond, will assist in the protection of the surrounding watershed.
The Mountain Brook Forest Preserve is now the largest property Ausbon Sargent owns. This property is highly ranked for wildlife habitat in the 2015 Wildlife Action Plan and, with good forestry soils, has been managed for forestry in the past. The preserve will remain open to the public for low-impact recreation on its existing trails.
Anne Payeur, stewardship manager at Ausbon Sargent said, “Mountain Brook Forest Preserve is part of more than 2,500 acres of unfragmented natural area in the region. Conserving this land will allow for future generations to enjoy this wild area and experience the Mountain Brook rushing through the forest.”
The Ausbon Sargent Land Preservation Trust currently protects 153 properties comprising 12,294 acres of land in the 12-town region that it serves.