Annual Report - Newbury

egarding how to make our towns more farm/agriculture
friendly.
Ausbon Sargent was awarded accreditation this year by the
Land Trust Accreditation Commission, an independent
program of the Land Trust Alliance. Accredited land trusts are
able to display a seal indicating to the public that they meet
national standards for excellence and that the accredited land
trust has undergone an extensive, external review of the
governance and management of its organization and the
systems and policies it uses to protect lands forever. Less than
5% of land trusts across the country have been awarded
accreditation since the fall of 2008. Ausbon Sargent is one of
only two land trusts in New Hampshire that has achieved this
distinction in land conservation. We are very proud of this
achievement. We believe the LTA accreditation assures both
our easement and financial donors of our integrity,
professionalism and capacity to successfully execute our
mission to preserve the rural landscape of the Mount
Kearsarge/Lake Sunapee region.
As a result of numerous requests from members of Ausbon
Sargent and residents throughout our area, we have added a
button on our website indicating which of our protected
properties have trails open to the public. Many of the trails
cross privately owned, conserved land whose landowners have
generously granted public access for pedestrian uses only
(hiking, skiing, and snowshoeing). The site includes a trail
map with driving directions. For further information please
visit our website at www.ausbonsargent.org.
I would like to thank everyone involved with the Ausbon
Sargent either as an easement donor, a member, or as one who
contributes many volunteer hours to the organization. Also,
thank you to the many towns in our region that have, through
their Conservation Commissions, supported the protection of
properties either by contributing to transaction costs,
stewardship donations, survey work and other costs associated
with land protection. I am especially grateful to our generous