Critically Important Tidal Riverfront Land Protected Forever
On June 17, the Southeast Land Trust of NH (SELT), in partnership with Helene Hallett and the Hallett family, completed the conservation of a 10‑acre portion of the Halletts’ property in Dover.
An important piece of protection for the Great Bay watershed, the Hallett property offers significant benefits for coastal health, including 1.3 acres of ecologically important — and dwindling — salt marsh and nearly 900 feet of frontage on the tidal Cocheco River, where it joins with the Salmon Falls River to form the Piscataqua River. This property provides a forested buffer along the river, contributing to water quality and supporting the long‑term health of the salt marsh habitat. In addition, it provides space for the marsh to migrate inland over time with sea‑level rise, a process known as salt marsh migration.
Following the example and legacy of the late Ashton Hallett, one of the founders of the Strafford Rivers Conservancy (now part of SELT) and an icon of regional land conservation, the family honored his memory by donating the easement on this property. The Halletts had previously donated a 17‑acre easement from the family property in 1999.
“A large part of this donation is to honor my father,” Michael Hallett says. “He was such a big proponent of land conservation, so he would certainly have wholeheartedly approved of this.”
“The Hallett property is small but mighty and packs a punch when it comes to conserving salt marsh habitat,” says Kaitlin Deyo, Conservation Project Manager for SELT. “This will add another puzzle piece to the conservation lands along the Cocheco River that safeguard both the New Hampshire coastline and the wildlife that depends on it. We are deeply grateful to Helene and her family for their generosity and continued commitment to conservation in the region.”
The project was made possible through funding support from the City of Dover’s Conservation Fund and a grant from the Great Bay Resource Protection Partnership, both of which contributed toward the costs of accepting and stewarding this generous conservation easement donation.
“The City of Dover’s Open Lands Committee is grateful for the collaboration with SELT,” said Anna Boudreau, Chair of the Open Lands Committee. “We are honored to help the Hallett family reach this milestone of conserving their amazing property.”
Photo credit: Jerry Monkman – EcoPhotography