“Thanks to Ken and Susan Koerber’s great vision and generosity, the land they have stewarded for more than 50 years will be available for the enjoyment of people and wildlife for generations to come,” said Five Rivers Executive Director Liz Short.
131 Acres of Dunbarton Forest Conserved
November 24, 2021 – Five Rivers Conservation Trust announced today the conservation of the 131-acre Koerber Family Forest, located at 31 Stark Highway North, in the center of Dunbarton.
The Koerber Family Forest contributes to a large block of approximately 650 acres of conserved land nearby, including the Stone Farm and the Farley property, which were conserved by Five Rivers in 2017 and 2013, respectively. In addition to protecting three headwater streams and providing important wildlife habitat, conserving the land creates opportunities for future pedestrian trails and use as an outdoor classroom for the neighboring Dunbarton Elementary School.
“I am thrilled that this land will remain a farm in perpetuity for the public to enjoy, and that wildlife will have a secure home here, thanks to Five Rivers and their many generous donors,” said Ken Koerber. Ken and his wife, Susan, raised their three children on the land, and the couple owns and operates Chanticleer Gardens, dedicated to producing organically-grown cut flowers for local florists and retailers.
“The Koerber’s farm is located right in the center of Dunbarton and preserving it as open space is crucial in maintaining the rural character of our town,” said Brett St. Clair, chair of the Dunbarton Conservation Commission.
Today’s announcement is the culmination of a multi-year effort by Five Rivers to raise the necessary funds and finalize the purchase of the conservation easement, after the Koerbers’ initial offer to donate half of the value of the easement. The project was made possible by several critical state and community funding partners, including New Hampshire’s Land & Community Heritage Investment Program (LCHIP), which awarded a $100,000 grant to the project; the Dunbarton Conservation Commission; the Merrimack Conservation Partnership; the New Hampshire State Conservation Commission “Moose Plate” Conservation Grant Program; the New Hampshire Drinking Water and Groundwater Trust Fund Grant; as well as over $19,000 in private donations.
Koerber-Layne Conservation Easement Trails
Beginning at Dunbarton Elementary School, this trail network traverses a portion of the 265 acres of land protected forever with conservation easements by the Koerber and Layne families.
Dunbarton is located in N’dakinna, which is the traditional ancestral homeland of the Abenaki, Pennacook and Wabanaki peoples past and present. Abenaki people have lived in the place now called New Hampshire for more than 12,000 years. They are part of a larger group of Indigenous people who called themselves Wabanaki or “People of the Dawn.”
When Dunbarton was later settled by Scotch-Irish immigrants in 1752, the land that most of these trails cross was part of the “Parsonage Lot,” land reserved to support the town’s first ministry. The Koerber trail (blue on map) wends its way through the woods 1 mile to Guinea Road, so named because Black families lived there in the late 1700s. The name “Guinea” likely refers to the West African region, which was a major source of enslaved people during the transatlantic slave trade
Guinea Road leads to the Stone Farm, also protected by a conservation easement on its 237 acres, which was the town’s last working dairy farm. The Stone Farm features several impressive 200-year-old granite foundations and cellar sites on Stone Road. These mark the remains of the William Beard farm, which featured an expansive house and tavern built in 1793, which later burned in 1920.
Please note: If you plan to access the trails from Guinea Road by car, please be aware that for most of its length it is an unmaintained Class VI Town Road, and a high-clearance vehicle is advisable.
Please respect this area
To maintain public access and to encourage respectful use of this area, we ask you to follow these guidelines to make this a safe and enjoyable experience for all:
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For the safety of students, this trailhead is only open when Dunbarton Elementary School is NOT in session. Please do not park in the school lot or use this trail access during school hours: 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Failure to abide by this may result in closure of the trails.
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Prohibited activities include: use by motorized vehicles, camping, littering, fires, and consumption of alcoholic beverages.
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Please do not use the parking lot or access the trails after dark.
Thank you for your cooperation.
Click below for trailhead map:)
The Dunbarton Conservation Commission is doing great things and could use our help. Check them out below:
https://www.dunbartonconservation.org/
Additionally Five Rivers Conservation Trust is working hard in our area.