To the Editor:

Thank you for making Buck’s Ledge Community Forest a reality!
We had a great celebration Saturday, October 15, at Buck’s Ledge Community Forest. I want to take a moment and reflect on the beauty of the day, and the success of this accomplishment.

The Town of Woodstock now owns 646 acres of Bucks Ledge, including Buck’s Ledge, Moody Mountain and Lapham Ledge. The Woodstock Conservation Commission has built and maintains 6 miles of hiking trails. The area is open to hikers, rock climbers, snowmobilers, hunters, and outdoor enthusiasts. It is also home to several rare and endangered plants, and a variety of wildlife.

I want to thank speakers for the day: Dean Bennett, PhD; Michaela Mowery, Telstar freshman speaking on behalf of the students’ art project; Liz Petruskis, representing the state with Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife; Senator Lisa Keim; Julie Renaud Evans, Northern Forest Center partner; and Kirk Siegel, Mahoosuc Land Trust and holder of the conservation easement.

Special thank you to Melissa Prescott, Telstar Middle School Community Art instructor, and all her students who contributed to four beautiful benches and the “Heart of the Forest” kiosk welcoming people to Buck’s Ledge. The Woodstock Highway Department did a fantastic job expanding the Buck’s Ledge parking lot. And the Woodstock Fire Department assisted with parking for the event. Vern Maxfield’s assistance as Town Manager was invaluable as was Tonya Lewis, Woodstock’s Town Clerk. We had support from the selectmen through the entire project. Thank you.

We wouldn’t have been able to complete this project without the assistance of Mahoosuc Land Trust with Kirk Siegel and Barb Murphy, and Northern Forest Center with Julie Renaud Evans’ leadership developing the community forest plans. Another key partner was Kristin Peet with the Forest Society of Maine. And I want to thank Ed Rosenberg for coordinating this event and so much of the acquisition process. Marcel Polak added so much with his grant-writing skills.

Specifically Land for Maine’s Future grant was a key to completion of the purchase of the parcel. And thank you to Emily Ecker, my co-chair for fundraising, and all members of the Woodstock Conservation Commission for tirelessly working to purchase this iconic mountain and protect it for the future.

This was truly a grassroots effort with so many very generous donors. And thanks to fundraising committee members: Emily Ecker (co-chair), Ed and Leslie Rosenberg, Alice Arlen, Carla Phillips, Steve Wight, Barb Murphy (MLT), and Marcel Polak and the members of the Woodstock Conservation Commission:Jane Chandler (chair), Jim Chandler, Marcel Polak, Ed Rosenberg, Bob McQueeney, Phil Catanese, and Carla Phillips.

Jane Chandler

Buck’s Ledge committee

Woodstock

 

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