The Barkley Property

In December, the Conservation Commission completed the purchase of the Barkley Property. The Commission is excited to announce that this ecologically rich 22-acre property on North Shore Road is now conserved and available to the public for passive recreation. This land is held in a conservation easement by the Southeast Landtrust (SELT). SELT will monitor the property annually to ensure the terms of the easement are being met, supporting the land’s long-term ecological integrity. The No Trespassing signs will soon be removed and replaced with No Hunting signs, as this property is too small to allow legal hunting. With your support on the ballot last spring and with your donations, we were able to acquire such a valuable piece of property in Hampton.  


The Commission would like to extend a sincere thank you to all who helped make this possible and we hope to see you out there soon!

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Photo Credit:Jerry Monkman / EcoPhotography

The Barkley Property includes wooded uplands, Nilus Brook, and the Grist Mill Pond. The property is a highly-ranked wildlife corridor and habitat and it is part of Hampton’s Aquifer Protection Zone.

The Barkley Family had many options with their 22 acre plot of undeveloped land on North Shore Road, but thanks to their generosity and their dedication to conservation and environmental integrity, this land will be protected forever.

View maps of the area.


What is the Barkley Property like?

This property checks off all of the boxes of ecological value.  It includes part of Nilus Brook and the Grist Mill Pond as well as wooded upland.  The full property is a significant regional wildlife corridor, as identified by The Nature Conservancy through the Connect the Coast project. In Hampton, only 17% of the identified wildlife corridors and prioritized habitat blocks are conserved. The New Hampshire Fish and Game’s Wildlife Action Plan identified portions of the Barkley property as a Highest Ranked Habitat in the Biological Region and includes some Supporting Landscapes.

The property also plays a highly significant role in Hampton with respect to flood storage capacity and protection of the Town’s drinking water resources. The entire property is within the Well Head Protection Area and approximately half of the acreage is in Hampton’s Aquifer Protection Zone. In addition to providing protection of a valuable Town of Hampton water resource, flood storage capacity, preserving a wildlife corridor and conserving valuable land, the Property will offer carefully developed trails, providing passive recreational and educational opportunities to Town residents and visitors.

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