Donations help save New Hampshire snowmobile trail

A large section of New Hampshire forest, including an important snowmobile trail, will remain open thanks to efforts from snowmobilers, anglers, preservation groups and a generous anonymous donor.

According to the Associated Press, a total of 2,121 acres of prime forest land in northern New Hampshire has been preserved. Almost 800 donors raised $2.8 million to conserve the land in Clarksville, NH along the Connecticut River. Nearly 250 snowmobilers and several snowmobile associations provided donations, as did an anonymous donor who gave $950,000.

The Associated Press says the land will continue to be managed as working forest by the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests and will be open to the public for snowmobiling and other outdoor activities.

Siblings Malcolm Washburn, Dallas Chase and Bruce Washburn sold the property to the Forest Society after acquiring it from their parents. The Washburns’ father, Rueben Washburn, along with his partner, George Hann, started buying land in the 1940s and early 1950s for what would become the Washburn Lumber Company.

Fundraising to purchase the land began last fall when the New Hampshire Land and Community Heritage Investment Program donated $400,000.