Houghton Family Land Donation Protects Groundwater

On Monday, September 23, 2024, Bow Open Spaces completed the donation of a property from Kathy Houghton. The land on Woodhill-Hooksett Road will be known as the Colby Houghton Family Memorial Forest. This is the second property conserved by Bow Open Spaces this year (2024), with the donation ensuring the permanent protection of land that the Houghton family has farmed and enjoyed for decades.

The donation's costs, including survey, stewardship protections, legal fees, and title costs, were provided by a Source Water Protection Grant from the Drinking Water and Groundwater Trust Fund. Bow Open Spaces obtained the grant to safeguard the groundwater for the Stone Sled Farm public water system and nearby homes.

Although relatively small at just over 11 acres, the lot is considered a “keystone” by Bow Open Spaces. Its location next to other conserved or undeveloped lands helps ensure the continuity of natural areas, supporting critical wetlands, groundwater, recreation, and wildlife.

Kathy Houghton, right, with Bob Dawkins, Bow Open Spaces President

Kathy Houghton chose to donate the land to Bow Open Spaces because of her deep commitment to preserving the land in memory of her family’s longstanding connection to it. “Ensuring the land would be protected forever,” she said, was a way to honor her family’s legacy.

Bob Dawkins, President of Bow Open Spaces and Chair of the Land Conservation Committee, expressed his appreciation for the Houghton family’s donation. “We worked very hard to get the grant to cover the costs of this donation,” Dawkins said, “and we’re thrilled to have successfully conserved this important part of Bow.”

Bow Open Spaces is an independent, community-based land trust dedicated to the conservation and stewardship of local land, ensuring the vitality of nature for the community's well-being.