NH’s Land and Community Heritage Investment Program (LCHIP) Awards 31 Grants, Totaling More than $3.5 million to 26 Communities and Non-Profit Organizations Across the State
On December 9, Governor Ayotte joined the New Hampshire Land and Community Heritage Investment Program (LCHIP) in announcing more than $3.5 million in matching grants to support 31 land conservation and historic preservation projects across the state. These awards will help communities restore historic landmarks, conserve working forests, and protect the natural and cultural resources that define New Hampshire’s character.
SELT was awarded three grants to support crucial conservation opportunities: $300,000 for the Magnusson Family Preserve in Kingston, $225,000 for the Bedford-Ayers Pond Forest in Barrington, and $325,000 for the Harry Arkelyan Forest in Nottingham. SELT is working actively on all three projects in partnership with the communities they are located within.
All three properties feature tremendous natural resource values. The 101-acre Magnusson Family Preserve is proposed to be owned by the Town of Kingston with a conservation easement to be held by SELT. The proposed Preserve provides critical meadow habitat for diverse wildlife, including several endangered species. With its extensive water frontage, the 410-acre Bedford-Ayers Pond Forest, which will be owned by SELT, safeguards the water quality of Ayers Pond, the Isinglass River, and the broader coastal watershed. Also proposed to be owned by SELT is the 205-acre Harry Arkelyan Forest, which abuts Pawtuckaway State Park and builds upon a 6,300+ acre block of contiguous conserved land, in addition to protecting the Pawtuckaway Lake water quality.
“We are grateful for LCHIP’s investment in the southeast region of New Hampshire which is not only home to a significant portion of NH’s population but is also an area with diverse and important ecology, productive forests, high quality wildlife habitat, and excellent water resources,” said Duane Hyde, SELT’s Land Conservation Director. “This funding support will ensure these lands are protected forever and provide benefits for people and nature as our region continues to grow.”
LCHIP grant recipients must match each dollar contributed by LCHIP with at least one added dollar and complete the funded projects according to the program’s rigorous standards. The $3.5 million awarded in 2025 will be matched by more than $13 million from other public and private sources, infusing $17 million into the state’s economy through direct project activity.
About New Hampshire’s Land and Community Heritage Investment Program
The New Hampshire Land and Community Heritage Investment Program (LCHIP) is an independent state authority providing matching grants to New Hampshire’s municipalities and non-profits, helping to preserve the state’s most important natural, cultural, and historic resources and ensure their contribution to the economy, environment, and quality of life in New Hampshire. LCHIP grants are funded by a $25 fee assessed when deeds, mortgages, and plans are recorded at the state’s ten registries of deeds.
Since 2001, LCHIP has awarded 646 grants, totaling over $68 million to nearly 350 communities and nonprofits across 210 NH communities. As of July 2025, the Program’s investment has helped to conserve more than 247,000 acres of land and rehabilitate 192 historic structures. Learn more about how LCHIP is helping to preserve and protect New Hampshire’s heritage at LCHIP.org, by following LCHIP_NH on Instagram, or LCHIPNH on Facebook.