Such is the Kenneth R. Dudzik Memorial Preserve in Barrington, a parcel permanently protected in March 2025 with the assistance of SELT.

This land safeguards source waters used by the Swains Lake Village Water District, Portsmouth Water System, and the UNH/ Durham Water System. That is, as the saying goes, supreme bang for the buck.

This project came from the Dudzik family, who followed the wishes of deceased landowner, Ken Dudzik. Ken wished to see his prized land remain undeveloped. For this project, SELT served in an “assist” role, providing the administrative and project management support to help facilitate the deal’s completion.

Ken was a lover of the outdoors and enjoyed nature both in his personal and professional pursuits. As a forester and a lifelong environmentalist, he would spend hours walking his property and kept meticulous journals tracking wildlife activity (like egg masses numbers and frog populations in the property’s many vernal pools).

He spent most of his work life – over 40 years – with the US Forest Service Research Station in Durham. Sadly, Ken passed away from ALS, leaving his jewel of a land in the hands of his siblings, along with his desire to see it protected.

This proved to be a most welcome decision for the nearby communities that rely on the drinking water source areas his land benefits. The Swains Lake Village Water District wellheads, the Oyster River headwaters, and the Bellamy Reservoir watershed all fall within the Dudzik property.

“We are just super excited because we always wanted to protect more areas around our well heads,” said David Totty, Chair of the Swains Lake Village Water District Commission. “Getting this property is a huge piece of protection for us.”

The Swains Lake Village Water District will own the land, and the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) will hold conservation restrictions to ensure the land is protected and available for water supply use.

“Getting this property is a huge piece of protection for us.”

The Dudzik trust generously sold the land at less than fair market value to the District, which is leveraging grant funds from the NHDES Local Source Water Protection Program, NHDES Drinking Water and Groundwater Trust Fund program, the Town of Barrington Conservation Commission’s Conservation Fund, and Fields Pond Foundation to acquire it.

“It is rare to find a property this size that has so much importance for drinking water protection,” said Duane Hyde, SELT’s Land Conservation Director. “The Dudzik family is ensuring this valuable drinking water resource will remain undeveloped. SELT is thrilled to help facilitate this project on behalf of the thousands of New Hampshire residents who rely on clean drinking water safeguarded by this land.”