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Connecticut Lakes Timber Company (CLTC) The 146,400-acre Connecticut Lakes Headwaters Forest is located at the northern tip of New Hampshire and includes the majority of the state’s boundary with Canada. It represents over 3% of the total area of the state and, as the name suggests, encompasses the watershed of three lakes that form the headwaters of the Connecticut River. It is the largest private land holding in the state. The property has been a working forest for nearly 150 years and is regionally important for economic, cultural and environmental reasons. The property was acquired from International Paper in a complex and high profile transaction involving The State of New Hampshire, The Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests, The Trust for Public Land and The Nature Conservancy. As part of the transaction, the State purchased a Working Forest Conservation Easement over the property. The easement retires the development rights and guarantees public access to the property in perpetuity. In parallel to the Lyme purchase, The Nature Conservancy bought 25,000 adjoining acres which were then sold to the state as a Wildlife Management Area. Since 2002 the management focus has been on stand quality improvement and growing hardwood sawtimber. The property’s forest management practices have been certified under the principles and criteria of The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).
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