Granby Land Trust acquires properties in Broad Hill Road area

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The Blackington and Goodwin Preserves have been added to the Land Trust holdings.

The Granby Land Trust has expanded its holdings in the Broad Hill Road area through the recent acquisition of two generous gifts of land.
Marty Blackington, a longtime resident of Granby, donated 8.45-acres of land, located at 33R Broad Hill Road to the Land Trust, and Beverly Goodwin of Charlotte, Vermont, who is a descendent of the Fancher and Holcomb Families of Granby, gave a 6.82-acre parcel of land located at 29R Broad Hill Road to the Land Trust.

The Granby Land Trust already has substantial holdings in this area, including: the Diamond Ledges Preserve given by Mary Edwards (10± acres); the Frances B. Petersen Preserve (30± acres;) and the Beman Family Preserve (two parcels: 6.3 ± acres and 26.6± acres). “We are so grateful to these landowners for these gifts of land,” says GLT President Rick Orluk. “We now have a significant block of permanently preserved land in this beautiful area of town, which serves as home to all kinds of wildlife and gives us all a place to enjoy nature.”
“Even more importantly, these properties fall within a larger block of protected open space,” continues Orluk, “which includes the McLean Game Refuge, Enders State Forest, Granby Land Trust preserves and easements, and the Town of Granby’s Holcomb Farm.”

The Blackington and Goodwin Preserves fall within the West Branch Salmon Brook sub-watershed of the Farmington River major basin. A small perennial watercourse flows to the south through the Petersen Preserve from a small wetland / pool. According to the Connecticut DEEP Natural Diversity Database (digital layer dated June 2017), there are state-listed wildlife or plant species and “critical habitats” within close proximity to the preserve. The Broad Hill Road Preserves contain high quality, un-fragmented forest habitat that likely supports a wide diversity of birds and other wildlife. The preserve contains mixed hemlock/hardwood forest with steep topography, numerous rock outcrops, ledges and sheer rock faces.

There are currently no blazed trails through the preserve, but there are several wooded “paths” that have been created by visitors to the Preserve. Access is via Broad Hill Road. There is a small parking area at the end of Broad Hill Road, which can accommodate 3-4 vehicles. An abandoned woods road leads to a former cabin site and scenic overlook within the Petersen Preserve where a small hiking trail leads to a scenic overlook within the Goodwin parcel. To the west of the Beman parcels is the Blackington parcel.