Expand Powder Major's Forest

Woods, Water, and Wildlife in the Great Bay Watershed

In 2017, the Forest Society protected nearly 300 acres at Powder Major’s Farm and Forest in Madbury, Lee, and Durham—creating a valued landscape of trails, wildlife habitat, and river frontage along the Oyster River and Dube Brook.

This year, we had the opportunity to conserve an additional 133 acres just north of the existing forest—expanding this conservation area and strengthening a vital corridor for clean water and wildlife in the Great Bay watershed. To forever conserve this property and expand Powder Major's Forest, we needed to raise $886,000 by June 30. 

Powder Major North from above

 

Goal Achieved!

Thank you for helping us meet our June 30 deadline! Thanks to contributions from more than 325 individuals and grant support from the NH Drinking Water and Groundwater Trust Fund and Source Water Protection Fund, LCHIP, the Great Bay Resource Protection Partnership and funding from the Town of Madbury, we were able to meet our fundraising goal of $886,000 on June 30. Now we will confidently move through the final real estate phases so that we can complete the project by the end of 2026. Gifts to the project received after June 30 will still support this effort and will be directed to our long-term stewardship fund or cover any unexpected overages.

Thank you for stepping forward to support the expansion of Powder Major’s Forest! We were so grateful to hear from many of you about how much you value this place.

Why This Land Matters

This property sits at the center of an important natural system:

  • Protects drinking water: Located near the Bellamy River Reservoir, a primary drinking water source for the City of Portsmouth.
  • Safeguards Great Bay: Dube Brook flows into the Oyster River—both headwaters to Great Bay—making this land critical for water quality.
  • Supports wildlife habitat: Part of a priority area for the Great Thicket National Wildlife Refuge, supporting species like New England cottontail, American woodcock, ruffed grouse, and monarch butterflies.
  • Connects conserved lands: Links Powder Major’s Forest to the Town of Madbury’s Bolstridge Forest and nearby protected lands, creating a nearly 700-acre conservation corridor north of Route 155.

In this part of the state, where development pressure is high, protecting connected forests like this is especially important.

Lasting Impact

This land will be managed primarily for habitat and water resource values, helping sustain a diverse mix of forest types and sensitive species. While no new trails are planned in the near term, the property plays a quiet but essential role—supporting wildlife movement, protecting water quality, and strengthening the broader landscape of conserved land.

Powder Major North Forest Walk