- Tags:
- Land Conservation,
- Wildlife
The Forest Society recently conserved 53 acres of land in Goffstown, New Hampshire, with the Shost Family. The neighborhood may recognize the property as Sugar Bush Farm, a historical dairy, maple, and apple farm. In 2015, the Shost family conveyed a conservation easement to the Forest Society on 177 acres in Goffstown, leaving 58 acres containing the farmhouse, barn and other structures not conserved. Duston Shost, under the wishes of his mother, Gayle Shost, contacted the Forest Society to conserve the remaining 53 acres to preserve wildlife habitat and the special agricultural fields on Pattee Hill Road.
The Town of Goffstown master plan calls for the protection of agricultural fields to help preserve the last of the remaining active farms in the town, especially those upon geologic drumlins, which have historically been mined for gravel and sand, but also host the most fertile agricultural soils in the state.
“This property is a vital piece of the Goffstown community, especially with its location along John Stark Highway,” states Jack Savage, president of the Forest Society. “Our goal in protecting this land isn't simply to stop development, but to invest in our shared future by safeguarding our local water quality and keeping unfragmented farmland and forests productive. We are so grateful to the Shost Family for choosing to leave a legacy of clean water and thriving agriculture for all to enjoy.”
Ninety-eight percent of the property’s soils are in the highest category for forest products, with approximately 13% of the property’s soils identified as prime farmland, 32% of local importance for agriculture, and 6% of statewide importance for farmland. The property is also situated in the Merrimack River Watershed, with small emergent wetlands flowing into a large wetland system which hosts a Great Blue Heron rookery. The land is currently managed for hay and there is a small orchard along the road with about 50 trees.
The project was supported with grant funds from the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service’s Regional Conservation Partnership Program, NH Land and Community Heritage Investment Program, the Town of Goffstown, NH State Conservation Committee Conservation Moose Plate Grant Program, and the Merrimack Conservation Partnership.
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.