Newfields and Exeter voters support buying 148 acres around Fort Rock trails

NEWFIELDS — A campaign to conserve 148 acres of woodlands on the Newfields-Exeter town line will move forward despite last-minute concerns from town officials.

Voters at Tuesday’s Town Meeting approved $3.7 million to purchase the Newfields portion of the land, which accounts for 101 of the total 148 acres, with a vote of 583-285.

Funding for the project includes a $2.5 million loan from a Clean Water State Revolving Fund and the town will seek public grants, private funding and philanthropic donations to cover the remaining cost.

Exeter also voted overwhelmingly in favor of moving forward to purchase the land at the next town meeting in 2025.

A large percentage of Fort Rock recreational trails run through this private property.

Following the vote, Lynnette Batt, of Trust for Public Land, said the group is “thrilled” by the result and the “record” number of people that voted in Newfields. She said it speaks to the power of land in moving people to the ballot box.

“Ultimately the vote was about giving residents a voice in the outcome of this land that for decades has been used by the public, and they spoke in strong support of conservation,” she said.

Batt said the next step will be working with the community to fulfill their vision for conserving this land.

“We will complete final planning work, undergo a large fundraising campaign with support from local volunteers, and host public meetings for input on the community forest and new parking,” she added. “Then, we will look to Exeter to vote on their funding measure in 2025, as Newfields did this year.”

Land has been in Rugg family for generations

The plan to purchase the land from the Rugg family, who has owned it for more than three generations, was a joint-effort between the Trust for Public Land and Southeast Land Trust. The Rugg family owns a total of 170 acres, which includes a house, plant nursery, woodlands and extensive trail system. They want to sell 148 acres, retaining ownership of 22 acres around the Rock Crest Nursery.

Previously, Duane Hyde of Southeast Land Trust, said the 148-acre property is appraised at $5,166,000. Newfields’ 101 acres are just over $3.5 million while Exeter’s 47 acres are valued at just over $1.64 million.

Shelby Semmes, vice president of Trust for Public Land (TPL) for the New England region, said the project's total cost would be around $5.7 million, which includes constructing a parking lot that connects to Route 87 in Newfields as well as building a trailhead at the entrance of the forest.

“Now that the voters have decided in favor of the project, we look forward to working with the Town and Select Board to make the land purchase a success,” Batt said.

Exeter voters also support land purchase

Exeter residents on Tuesday also voted in support of purchasing 47 acres of Rugg property in Exeter at town meeting in 2025. Listed on the ballot as a “vote of support,” it received 2,222 votes in favor and 340 against. The plan is to return next year asking voters for funding.

Vanessa Lazar, an Exeter resident who has been heavily campaigning in support of this effort since last year, said Tuesday the town’s ecosystem “depends on these mature forests.” She said this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to conserve the land.

“I’ve been an environmentalist my whole life,” she explained. “I think we’re developing too much and if we lose this land now, we can never bring it back.”

Lazar was referring to the fact that had the project not been approved by Newfields, the Rugg family would have sold the land to a developer even if Exeter still supported it. She said the owners wanted to sell both parcels together.

With approval from Newfields, Batt, said both projects “will proceed on track together.”

“We will fundraise for both projects this year and next, with the final funding vote in Exeter in 2025,” she said. “We anticipate transferring the properties to Newfields and Exeter respectively in 2025 to become public land.”

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Newfields, Exeter voters support buying 148 acres around Fort Rock