Property Name: Corneliusen Farm
Description:
Farmland and forested land. Contains an open high point
which offers a beautiful view to the south. The land also contains
a hiking
trail and goldfish pond.
| Peach Trees from original orchard | ||||
Size:
38 Acres Town owned Land, additional adjoining privately
owned protected land 68 acres. Total protected acres: 106.
Public Uses:
Hiking, Cross Country Skiing, Nature, Hunting.
Location: Northern part of Town, Between English Range Road &
Holiday Ave
Access via:
English Range Road or Holiday Ave
In phase one of this creative project, the Town
purchased the majority of the Corneliusen farm, approximately 76 acres, for
just under $784,000.
Sources of funding for this purchase included $125,000
from New Hampshire’s Land and Community Heritage Investment Program, $100,000
from
the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund, $95,000 from the USDA
Natural Resource Conservation Service’s Farmland Protection Program,
$150,000
from the Town of Derry, just under $189,000 from the Derry Conservation
Commission’s Land Fund, and $125,000 from close to 50
private contributors.
Adjoining
landowners purchased the remainder of the Corneliusen farm—just over 10
acres—for roughly $111,000. This land is permanently
protected from
development by restrictions held by the Derry Conservation Commission.
In
phase two, the town acquired an agricultural preservation easement over 30
acres of land that lie adjacent to the Corneliusen farm and are
owned by
Philip and Diane Ferdinando, whose family operates J&F Farm. In exchange for
this easement, the Town deeded a 38-acre portion
of the former Corneliusen
farm to the Ferdinando family. Before transferring ownership of this land to
the Ferdinando family, the Town placed
an agricultural preservation easement
over the property. The easement guarantees that the property will never be
developed and will continue
to be managed as active farmland.
A conservation easement over the town owned
acreage was donated to the Rockingham Land Trust so that these 38 acres of
land can never
be developed.
“My family and I are happy to be a part of the
project to conserve this land,” said Phil Ferdinando. “This kind of outcome
helps assure that
farming will continue to be a part of Derry’s future, as
well as its past.”
Management: The Derry Conservation Commission manages the
38 acres owned by the town for wildlife habitat and low impact recreation.
J&F Farms owns and operates a working farm growing a variety of crops on the
68 protected acres. Some of the land is still planted with peach trees.
Updated 2/2/06
