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Paly Conservation Easement Signed
Sixth property to be protected with the assistance of the Pemi-Baker Land Trust

Rumney, NH -- The Pemi-Baker Land Trust announced recently that a conservation easement was donated to the group by the late Dr. Sidney Paly and his wife Mrs. Elizabeth Paly, protecting "in perpetuity" 26 acres of critical land and 1300 feet of shoreline along the Baker River on Stinson Lake Road in the town of Rumney.

“This property is significant due to its location on the Baker River in Rumney,” according to Paul Wilson, member of the land trust. The 26 acres contain rolling fields and forest, riparian habitat and pedestrian access to the Baker River ;. While the Paly family will continue to own the land, they have given up the right to develop it. By placing a conservation easement on the property, the east side of the “Intervale” will forever be protected as the gateway to the village of Rumney .

Dr. and Mrs. Paly became interested in land protection shortly after they bought property in Rumney in 1968. Through his friendship with Mr. Joe Kent, Dr. Paly became one of the founding board members of the Quincy Bog. “My father loved Rumney and the Baker River Valley ”, said Melissa Paly, one of Dr. and Mrs. Paly's children. “It provided him a place to unwind from his intense work life as a devoted neurosurgeon. Nothing made him happier than sitting on the porch, looking out at the river and smoking a cigar.” she added. Dr. Paly passed away in 2007, but had long-discussed his desire to keep the 26-acre field undeveloped. A conservation easement on the property had been in the planning stages for the several years and was finalized on Friday, August 27. “My family is gratified that we have, at last, carried out one of my father's last wishes,” said Ms. Paly.

The conservation easement donated by the Paly family does not change the status of public access to the Baker River by the bridge. “Years ago the beach had become a real dump”, said Melissa Paly, “and my father felt he had no choice but to close off the access,” To this day, cars are not permitted to drive down into the field. However, the family welcomes the community to use the beach for swimming and boat launching as long as people leave no trash and use the area respectfully.

The Rumney Conservation Commission helped with a donation that pays for the cost of the "in perpetuity" stewardship.   Monitoring funds go into a separate account used to pay the annual monitoring required to ensure that terms of the easement are kept by future landowners. Northam Parr, chair of the Rumney Conservation Commission, said, “Rumney voters decided at Town Meeting in the late 1980s to set up a conservation trust fund. The money donated for monitoring comes from this special fund, not property tax dollars.” The Town collects a penalty on land that is removed from "current use". Half of this land use change tax goes to the town general fund and the remainder goes to the Conservation Fund.   Parr called this a “recycling of conservation dollars that allows all the people of Rumney to help out with land conservation; protected lands benefit all residents, including future generations.”

We welcome inquiries and proposals by landowners who wish to place their land under some type of conservation protection. We are able to accept both conservation easements and direct donations of land. If you have land you are interested in protecting please contact the PBLT President.

WHAT TYPE OF PROPERTIES IS THE PBLT SEEKING?

In considering properties for conservation protection, the Pemi-Baker Land Trust seeks those which exhibit one or more of the following characteristics:

 Water Quality and Quantity

 Forest and Agriculture Resources

 Wildlife Habitat and Plant Communities

 Community Value

Among lands with significant conservation values, PBLT will favor properties that:

• Abut, enlarge, or provide linkages to previously protected land,
• Have community support through Master Plans, referenda, or other public expressions,
• Are subject to an immediate threat of change of use,
• Are available under unique circumstances that are not likely to occur again,
• Are important to the local community,
• Would be a stimulus for future protection projects

For more information, contact Charles Chandler (603)986-9814 or PemiBakerLandTrust@quincybog.org .

Participants in the conservation easement signing - Melissa Paly, Elizabeth Paly, PBLT President Betty Jo Taffe

Current Properties under our Stewardship

 Direct Ownership:

 Conservation Easement: