On August 22 the Koch family hosted a ceremony, on their property in Canterbury , dedicating the first ever, conservation easement to the Wolf Den Land Trust. Thanks to the Koch family, fifty acres of lovely forestland, bordered on one side by the Little River, will remain undeveloped, in perpetuity. The property, which is owned by Becky and Bill Koch, will be called the Frank C. Koch Memorial Forest in honor of Bill Koch’s grandfather who purchased the land over 70 years ago.
Representing the ECFLA/Wolf Den Land Trust were president, Jeff Perkins, Steve Broderick, and Dave Schroeder. Dan Donahue, the Koch’s forester, was also in attendance. In addition to Bill and Becky all of the Koch children were at the dedication. After speeches by several members of the group, refreshments were served and we took a short tour of the property. In the evening the Koch family entertained their neighbors, who are also beneficiaries of this generous gift. A sign designed by Emily Koch will mark the property. Bill Koch remarked that the “dedication represented a very high point in the Koch family history and a most happy event for all of us assembled there under the trees”.
The land is part of the upper watershed of the Little River, which flows into the Shetucket River . It is a registered tree farm containing mostly mixed hardwoods that has been managed under the Stewardship plan for a number of years. Members of the family have used the property for recreational purposes for over 60 years and Bill, who is a member of our organization, has been active in managing the forest for many years. Members of the Land Trust are very pleased to have the responsibility of assuring that this land remains forever forested.
This article originally appeared in the December 2002 ECFLA/WDLT Newsletter.