This fragment of Caspian Lake shorefront lies opposite the Elephant (a.k.a. Bathtub) Rocks at the lake’s northeast corner. It was purchased in 1938 by Henry Barton, who bequeathed it to his daughters Jenneke and Joan. They in turn donated it to the GLT to help finance the purchase of the Buckley easement. The GLT sold it to Cynthia Folino in 1995 with a conservation easement that confines future development to construction of a boathouse. In 2007 Ms. Folino sold it to the Downings, who have shorefront property abutting the parcel.
The Barton sisters further demonstrated their dedication to conservation by donating their 121-acre homestead on Gebbie Road as “trade land,” with a conservation easement, to the Vermont Nature Conservancy and Vermont Land Trust, the Bartons retaining a life estate.
The Meyer family sold an easement to GLT in 1997 on this 21.5-acre hayfield on Bridgman Hill Road, across the Hardwick town line. The site provides a wide view of the Worcester Mountain range to the west. GLT accepted the easement in view of the absence of a land trust in Hardwick. Hopefully it will stimulate conservation of additional parcels along this scenic route. In January 2008, the GLT transfered the easement to the newly formed Northern Rivers Land Trust, initially grouping seven towns including Hardwick and Greensboro.
In 2002 the Savitt family donated a 19-acre parcel along Town Highway #8, near Gebbie’s Corner, to the Nature Conservancy as “trade land.” Comprising both open and forest land, the parcel is bisected by Sawmill Brook, part of the Long Pond watershed. The Conservancy applied a conservation easement, which it donated to the GLT in 2004, and then sold the land to Anne Pinkney, whose homestead bordered the parcel. Before passing on in 2017, Anne bequeathed both her homestead and the conserved parcel to Bonnie and Randy Cleveland.
This 15-acre parcel formed part of the Buckley property, conserved by GLT in 1995. The conservation agreement envisaged eventual subdivision of the parcel, allowing construction of one residence and providing for application of environmentally sound management practices to both open and forest land. .The parcel was purchased by Juliane von Hessert in 2003. The next year Juliane brought her daughter Victoria and son-in-law Andy Kehler into ownership. In 2008 the Kehlers built their residence on the property.
Porter Brook feeds Caspian Lake next to the Highland Lodge beach. In 1996 naturalist Cheryl Ecklund developed a self-guided nature trail along a cross-country ski trail established by David and Willie Smith in 1972/73. The trail was equipped with bridges and boardwalks and featured 15 directional posts along with an explanatory booklet.
For the next 15 years the trail hosted many visitors in both winter and summer. Apart from Greensboro residents these included Lodge guests, environmental groups and children’s camps. However by 2015 the bridges and boardwalks had served their economic lives, and safety considerations forced the Lodge to close the trail pending its rehabilitation.
The Greensboro Land Trust committed $20,000+ to rehabilitate the trail in exchange for an easement guaranteeing public access in perpetuity. Highland Lodge commissioned the Northwoods Stewardship Center (NSC) in Charleston to do the work, which was completed in early June 2018. The trail is now open.
