Conserving a key view from Houghton Hill and Mimi’s Trail, and more

Written By Matthew Parno and the Thetford Conservation Commission

Of the many outdoor recreational areas in Thetford, Houghton Hill is a unique gem. The top of Houghton Hill lies less than two miles from Thetford Elementary and Thetford Academy but feels more remote when you take in the broad views of the White Mountains to the east (Smarts, Cube, and Moosilauke) and the Green Mountains to the west. Whether you reach the Houghton Hill summit using the 2.5-mile Mimi’s trail or via the short Houghton Hill Trail, you will pass through undeveloped forest to arrive at a truly special location that is beloved by the Thetford community. The Houghton Hill area also has significant conservation value, as it is central to one of the highest priority forest blocks in Thetford. Maintaining this un-fragmented forest block is important not only for maintaining existing habitat, but also for ensuring ecosystem resilience and the ability to adapt in the face of climate change.

A Resource for the Community

Thetford’s fondness for Houghton Hill is exemplified in the many community events that take place there. Each year, the elementary school hosts a “Trailblazers Against Hunger” walk where students hike Houghton Hill to raise food for the Thetford Food Shelf. Volunteers at the nonprofit organization Vital Communities also maintain a self-guided “Houghton Hill Quest” where anyone can follow clues to explore the area. This is part of their Valley Quest initiative that envisions “an Upper Valley where residents experience a strong connection to their community by learning more about the geographies, histories, cultures, economies, diverse peoples, and ecologies of the region.”

Such a strong connection with Houghton Hill was on display in 2023 when a group of more than 20 volunteers gathered to maintain the open character of Houghton Hill’s summit by clearing scrub and small trees.

The recreational value of the area continues into the winter as well. Skiers and snowshoers frequent Mimi’s trail and snowmobilers pass through the forest on the VAST trail to the north. Such broad vistas and year-round recreational opportunities of Houghton Hill are rare in Thetford and these events demonstrate how important public access is to the community.

Development Pressures

Like Wright’s Mountain for Bradford, Gile Mountain for Norwich, or the Pinnacle for Lyme, the summit of Houghton Hill has become an emblem of Thetford. However, despite the incredible public benefit that this area provides and the community's passion for its maintenance, Houghton Hill lies on private land and is only open to the public due to the gracious benevolence of its owners, the Ingbar and Mack families. The family owns the 120-acre parcel that contains the top of Houghton Hill and extends north to touch the northwest corner of the conserved Pegjack Memorial Forest. As a result of its large size, extensive frontage on a town-maintained road, and broad easterly views, there could be extreme pressure to develop the property if sold to another owner. Development would negatively impact the recreational value of the property while also undermining the overall character of upper Houghton Hill Road, which itself is a popular destination for walkers, hunters, and gravel bikers. Additionally, developing this property would not align with the “smart growth” goals identified by the town, which aim to focus new development in the villages and reduce sprawl.

Ecological Importance

The Ingbar-Mack parcel is not only valuable from a recreational perspective, it is also important to the ecological health of the region. In its VT Conservation Design, a science-based framework for identifying the features most critical to an ecologically functional landscape, the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources and VT Fish and Wildlife have identified certain large continuous blocks of forest that are of the highest priority for maintaining the forest’s ecological functions. They are also critical to supporting viable populations of large fauna like bobcat, American Marten, and black bear. The Ingbar-Mack parcel lies at the heart of these blocks. Development would fragment the forest and negatively impact the surrounding habitat, while protecting the Ingbar-Mack parcel could have an outsized positive impact on the forest. With its close proximity to the conserved Pegjack Forest, the two parcels would together create a protected “core” to the forest block and provide more benefits than either parcel individually. Protecting the forest would also preserve vernal pools on the property, which are critical breeding areas for amphibians.

A Case for Conservation

By allowing public access, the Ingbar-Mack family has enabled countless people to enjoy the summit of Houghton Hill and the surrounding area. As a result, the property has become a cornerstone of both summer and winter outdoor recreation in Thetford. The property’s location in the center of a large undeveloped forest block also makes it uniquely valuable from an ecological and environmental quality perspective. However, if the property were to change hands, the public-spiritedness exhibited by the Ingbar-Mack family would likely not be transferred with the property’s deed. Conserving the property is the only way to ensure perpetual public access and preserve the legacy of the Ingbar-Mack family’s generosity. There is a wide base of public interest and commitment to maintaining this property, which strengthens the case for conservation and assures the current owners and Upper Valley Land Trust that this property will be well cared for into the future. Several options exist for conservation and the Thetford Conservation Commission has devoted time and effort to helping the Ingbar-Mack family find a path that will work for them.

As of this past Monday, October 5th, the Thetford selectboard, heeding the advice of the Conservation Commission, voted to appropriate $5,000 from the town's Conservation Trust Fund towards the conservation of the Ingbar-Mack property through the Upper Valley Land Trust.

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Krista Karlson and the rest of the Thetford Conservation Commission for brainstorming and providing valuable feedback.