LONDONDERRY — In the spirit of giving this holiday season, Jim and Bob Twitchell protected 186 acres by donating a conservation easement on their property to the Vermont Land Trust.
The land supports a diversity of uses - from beef cattle, to recreation trails and wildlife habitat.
The Twitchell family has owned the land on Winhall Hollow Road and Livermore Mills Road for nearly 160 years. The two brothers are deeply connected to the town, with Jim serving as Town Clerk for five decades and Bob serving on the Londonderry Conservation Commission for 20 years.
“This farm and land have been the center of our entire lives,” said Bob Twitchell in a news release. “It is our hope that by removing the development options, that the land can stay intact for the enjoyment and use of future generations, for as long as water flows and green grass grows.”
The property was protected by a legal tool called a conservation easement, which limits development on the land. The landowners continue to own, manage, and pay taxes on the land and can sell their land; however, the conservation easement permanently remains on the property.
The Londonderry Conservation Commission contributed $7,500 to help cover closing costs and create a stewardship endowment for the property. A stewardship allocation is set aside to ensure that VLT has the resources available to monitor and enforce the easement into the future.
“The generosity of the Twitchells and the Londonderry Conservation Commission ensures that future generations will be able to enjoy this land,” said Joan Weir of the Vermont Land Trust. “So much of the land we protect is through the donation of conservation easements by landowners who have a strong family connection with their property.”