The Town of Tamworth owns several properties that were donated to Town for conservation purposes.  The Conservation Commission stewards these lands and maintains trails on some of them. 

The Conservation Commission also works with landowners who want to conserve their land, as long the property meets the Commission's priorities: 1) protecting the shores of ponds and streams, 2) conserving agricultural land and/or 2) enhancing connectivity for wildlife between the Sandwich Range & the Ossipee Mountains. 

Much of this work is in cooperation with other organizations, including...
Chocorua Lake Conservancy
The Society for Protection of NH Forests
Lakes Region Conservation Trust
Green Mountain Conservation Group

What is Conservation Land?

As the name implies, conservation land is land that is intended to be kept in a natural or near-natural state. Development of the property is either entirely prohibited or restricted to improvements necessary for certain allowed activities. These activities are most commonly agriculture, forestry, and recreation. A property can become conservation land by either of two methods:

Fee-simple ownership. These properties are owned outright by either land trust organizations or government agencies whose missions include the protection of natural resources. For example, the US Forest Service, NH Fish and Game, NH Division of Forests and Lands, NH Division of Parks and Recreation, and the Town of Tamworth all own property in Tamworth that is considered to be conservation land. Private land trusts that own land in Tamworth include the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests, Lakes Region Conservation Trust, Green Mountain Conservation Group, and Chocorua Lake Conservancy, among others.

Current Use. This is a NH state program that provides an incentive to landowners through property tax reductions. “The Current Use tax incentive is available to qualifying landowners who maintain their land as undeveloped forest, farm, or open space. Current Use supports wildlife conservation and outdoor recreation by encouraging the preservation of open land throughout the state” (see Fish & Game website for further information). Land placed in Current Use can still, eventually, be fully developed and is not permanently protected. However, a fee is charged when the land is taken out of Current Use by the landowner.

Conservation Easement. In order to grasp what a conservation easement is, it helps to understand that land ownership consists of a bundle of separate rights. For example, a landowner could sell the mineral rights to a petroleum company while still keeping their property to use as a residence or business. Likewise, the landowner could grant a right-of-way across the property for use for a road or utility line. In a conservation easement, the landowner is relinquishing certain rights of development and granting them to a land trust. In return, the land trust agrees to not exercise the rights and to monitor and defend the property against anyone who tries to exercise the relinquished rights. This is a legally binding contract, usually publicly recorded in the Registry of Deeds, and usually extends in perpetuity.

Deed Restriction or Deed Covenant. Placing restrictions in a land ownership deed regarding what can be done with a property is long-time practice. In NH, this form of land protection was advanced by the Chocorua Lake Conservancy beginning in the mid-1900s. The difference between a deed restriction and the more modern conservation easement, is that a deed restriction does not as clearly and formally transfer any rights. The use of conservation easement has generally replaced the use of deed restrictions for conservation purposes. See the CLC discussion regarding their historic and current land protections around Chocorua Lake.

For more information on conservation easements, visit these pages:
Land Trust Alliance
The Nature Conservancy

Conservation Land in Tamworth

These three pages outline how the Conservation Commission is involved in land conservation:

The Legacy: early land protection efforts
Local Support: land conservation in town planning
Where We Are Now: results of past efforts and where we are headed.

How Much does this Cost the Town?

Nothing. In fact, conservation land subsidizes the town residents. Every municipal cost of services study done in NH has shown that taxes collected from conservation land are greater than the cost of services rendered for the properties. Conservation land is assessed and taxed like other property, sometimes at a lower tax rate. But it doesn't add to local school enrollment, emergency services, or most other town expenses. In addition, conservation land helps keep the landscape in a condition attractive to tourism, vacation home owners, hunters and fishermen, as well as contributing to a healthy forest industry. A recent study showed that employment rates rise after land is conserved. In total, conservation land more than pays for itself and attracts additional monetary benefits.

How does all this Affect the Future Development of Tamworth?

It is difficult if not impossible to estimate what the town could or would look like down the road. However, a recent Build-out Analysis completed for the Planning Board provides some perspectives (2025; see it here).

Remember that demographic trends are always subject to change, so any estimate may need revision twenty years down the road. And because the creation of conservation land is mainly up to the landowner, it is the most difficult factor to predict. However, it's a virtual certainty that more properties in Tamworth will become conservation land. All the Town can do is decide whether or not to continue to participate by identifying candidate properties that are consistent with the goals of the Town Master Plan and the Conservation Commission’s and Town’s priorities.

Easement monitoring is a critical responsibility of the Conservation Commission.
Conservation Easement Process gives a brief explanation of how TCC acquires an easement.

For more information: ccchair@tamworthnh.gov.