The Franklin-McElheny Preserve was born from the generosity of the Franklin and McElheny families. In 1993, Walter and Mabel Franklin donated the original 46-acres to the Southeast Land Trust of New Hampshire.

They wanted to sustain their land as open space for wildlife habitat and they recognized the need for forest management – such as cutting trees for trails, creating wildlife habitats, and removing dead, deformed, or dying trees to reduce fire, disease, and risks for public use. Further, the Franklins required that such management activities be planned and guided by a plan prepared by a forester and wildlife biologist.

The Franklin’s neighbors, Victor and Ruth McElheny, continued the legacy on their abutting property by working with independent consulting forester Charles Moreno to manage their land. Moreno prepared management plans and oversaw a timber harvest on the McElheny’s property in the mid-1990s.

In 2017, the McElhenys' gifted their 26-acres to SELT. Moreno continues to work with us for the care of the expanded Franklin-McElheny Preserve and will be overseeing the planned work in 2018.

Stewardship

Stewardship is the on-going, long-term commitment of time and resources to the conservation of land. SELT believes that active land management is an important component of our care for the land. We strive to practice exemplary stewardship of our lands, protecting ecological values and when appropriate and feasible, providing compatible human uses. Every property is different, and we make a commitment to steward each of these lands to protect their individual conservation values.

The conservation goals for the Franklin-McElheny Preserve are:

• Protect and enhance wildlife habitat features, particularly those suited or known to harbor rare, threatened, or endangered species
• Protect water quality of Garvin Brook and the Salmon Falls River
• Provide opportunities for traditional passive, non-motorized recreational activities

Location

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