Why Replenish the Hampton Conservation Land Acquisition Fund?

The Hampton Conservation Commission has put forth Warrant Article 19 on this year’s ballot requesting $10,000 to help replenish the Land Acquisition Fund.  The Board of Selectmen and Budget Committee both fully support this article.  The purpose of the Land Acquisition Fund is to conserve and protect open spaces in Hampton for the benefit of all the town’s residents. Open spaces provide recreational opportunities, protect wildlife habitats and water resources, and improve storm water management.

The Land Acquisition Fund has been instrumental in helping the Hampton Conservation Commission purchase, or provide down payments for the purchase of land and conservation easements on behalf of the Town of Hampton. 

In the past 6 years, over $350,000 from the Land Acquisition Fund has been used to:

• Help to purchase the half of Ice Pond the Town did not previously own (2006)

• Purchase 23 acres in “12 Share” (2008)

• Help to purchase the Conservation Easement on 120 acres of the Batchelder
Farm (2012/13)

Each of these properties are now open to the public, and thus have extended and expanded the opportunities for passive recreation in Hampton.

The Land Acquisition Fund needs to be replenished because these purchases have
reduced the fund to very low levels.  The Conservation Commission wants to add to the Fund so it can ensure that future opportunities to purchase or secure land and conservation easements are not lost.