When the Van Loan family donated a conservation easement covering 68 acres of its land to the Bedford Land Trust in December 2000, it did more than preserve land close to the town’s historic center; it offered an opportunity for the town’s people of all ages to exercise close to home and to enjoy close-to-nature experiences. The land, one of the last undeveloped large parcels in Bedford center, is located at the corner of Wallace and North Amherst roads, adjacent to the Van Loan family homestead.

When the BLT opened hiking trails at the Van Loan Preserve in May 2007, it became possible for visitors to walk from Muller Park on North Amherst Road – through the Van Loan Preserve – to Benedictine Park on Wallace Road for a one-way distance of approximately 0.8 miles. Under the conservation easement, only passive recreation is allowed, such as hiking, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and bird-watching. No wheeled vehicles are allowed. A narrow strip of land between two stone walls (donated to the BLT by Wally and Alison MacDermott) connects the Van Loan Preserve to Wallace Road opposite the driveway to Benedictine Park.

What can the visitors to the preserve expect to see? According to an analysis by Jon Nute, the county extension forester, the acreage consists of approximately 53 acres of forestland, 7 acres of wetland and 6 acres of old field habitat. The forest is predominantly white pine, mixed with red maple, oaks, birches and other hardwoods. There is old field habitat under the Public Service of New Hampshire power lines running north to south across the property. At the southwest corner of the parcel, there is a 6.5-acre cattail marsh. At the northwest boundary, there is a half-acre beaver pond. Riddle Brook bisects the property twice, south to north and then north to south.

Because the property has examples of three habitats – forest, old field and wetland – the property is ideal for a wide variety of wildlife. Nute reported evidence of moose, deer, coyote, beaver, rabbit, porcupine, pileated woodpecker, downy woodpecker and chickadee. Because of its acreage, the property also serves the larger range requirements of hawks, owls, woodcock and songbirds.

Visitors to the Van Loan Preserve should be mindful of the following:

? Trail corridors are generally cleared but not hard-surfaced. Wear proper footwear and use bug spray.

? There is no public parking at the Van Loan Preserve. Please use the parking lots at either Muller Park on North Amherst Street or Benedictine Park on Wallace Road.

In July 2011, the Van Loan family donated the fee simple ownership of the Van Loan Preserve to the town of Bedford. Even though the family has transferred ownership of this beautiful and pristine land, the conservation easement permanently preserves the land “in its undeveloped, scenic, and open space condition” under the stewardship of the Bedford Land Trust.

For a printable map of the Van Loan Preserve, visit the Bedford Land Trust’s website, www.bedfordlandtrust.org, and click on “Properties,” then scroll down to “Van Loan Preserve.”