Fundraising goal: $22,000 by September 30, 2025

The CC Putnam Forest Expansion Project protects these 83 acres through a fee acquisition by FPR as an addition to the Perry Hill Block of the CC Putnam State Forest. In addition to the fee ownership by FPR, the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board will hold a conservation easement on the property, ensuring the property is never converted from forestland or closed to public access. 

As an addition to CC Putnam State Forest, the property will go through a long-range management planning process that includes public engagement and will be managed to promote its full suite of conservation values. FPR's management will consider and balance the land's recreational, ecological, scenic, and cultural values. Vermont Conservation Design identifies the property as Highest Priority land to conserve from a landscape scale, as part of a Highest Priority Interior Forest Block and as part of a Highest Priority Connectivity Block. Responsibly planned and managed recreation and forest management are both compatible with maintenance of an ecologically functional landscape. 

The property supports natural communities of Hemlock-Northern Hardwood Forest, Hemlock-White Pine-Northern Hardwood Forest, and Red Oak-Northern Hardwood Forest. Much of the property is mapped as deer wintering area and shows evidence of bear activity. A small tributary to Graves Brook flows through the property. Maintenance of forested cover and natural vegetation will absorb and slow down future heavy precipitation events, helping to mitigate downstream flooding.

This project preserves public access to the land in perpetuity and will be open to the public for dispersed recreation such as walking, hiking, hunting, cross country skiing, and snowshoeing. The site's proximity to Waterbury Village makes it easily accessible from much of Waterbury's housing and many local businesses. This provides equitable access to public land and recreation opportunities, and the health benefits that come along with it. While initially the property will be available for dispersed recreation, the project preserves the opportunity to develop recreational trails on the property and expand the Perry Hill trail network in the future.