The last 30 acres of the beautiful 55-acre Hi Bid Farm were permanently protected from development today, when conservation buyer Caroline Moran signed a conservation easement at the Trust’s office. The land will remain privately owned by Ms. Moran, and the easement limits the number of primary residences permitted on the land to just two, instead of the seven which would have been permitted without the conservation easement. The easement specifies the locations of any future buildings and ensures that the existing woodlands and sensitive streamside areas near the property’s headwaters to the Ridley Creek remain undisturbed in perpetuity. Two new trails are also outlined in the easement, which make important permanent connections to the wider trail network to the north and to the east.
“Caroline is a true hero of the countryside”, stated Trust Executive Director Bonnie Van Alen. “She loves this land and has made a remarkably generous commitment to protect and care for it so that future generations of people and wildlife can enjoy it forever. “
The entire 55-acre Hi Bid farm was purchased by a partnership of private individuals organized by the Trust and Delchester Group, Inc. in January of 2015 to hold the land until conservation buyers like Ms. Moran could be located. The Hi Bid project represents the 15th Community Conservation Partnership, resulting in nearly 2,000 acres of the Trust’s focal area protected in this way. These partnerships are a testament to the extraordinary commitment of the Willistown community to come together to preserve critical properties that might otherwise have been developed.
As is true of all conservation easements, the protection afforded by Hi Bid’s conservation easements remain with the land perpetually, even if the land is sold in the future. And as one of the most important parts of its mission, Willistown Conservation Trust stewardship staff will visit the land annually to monitor the condition of the property and provide management suggestions as requested.
