LOVELL — The Greater Lovell Land Trust has received a gift from a Lovell family that forever preserves 237 acres of land in the heart of the Kezar Lake watershed.

Landowners Moira and George Yip and family have generously donated a conservation easement on land they have cherished for 40 years.

The Mill Brook Pond easement land is undeveloped woodlands lying between Sabbatus Road and Slab City Road in Lovell. It includes one shore of Mill Brook Pond, a large beaver pond, plus other streams, wetlands and forest lands. The land is important for its rich variety of wildlife and plant species.

The family shares the land with more than 27 species of mammals, including otters, bobcats, minks and muskrats. They have seen 115 species of birds, including Yellow-Billed Cuckoos, Scarlet Tanagers, Indigo Buntings, and Northern Shrike. The land hosts significant breeding areas for Wood Ducks, Tree Swallows, and Common Yellowthroats, and numerous species of amphibians, reptiles, mushrooms, butterflies and insects. In addition, it provides habitat for more than 123 species of wildflowers, including spikenard, swamp candles, cardinal flowers, and Allegheny monkeyflowers.

GLLT’s Interim Executive Director, Rhyan Paquereau, noted that the conserved land is a key part of conservation efforts to protect the waters flowing into Kezar Lake.

“The easement property connects to the land trust’s 808-acre Heald and Bradley Pond Reserve to the north. Heald Pond flows out via Mill Brook, which itself feeds into Boulder Brook, which flows directly into Kezar Lake. With an additional property already under a conservation easement, more than 1100 acres along these waterways are protected forever,” Paquereau said.

A conservation easement is a voluntary, legally binding agreement that permanently restricts the uses of land in order to protect its conservation values. The land stays in private ownership, and the landowner keeps many rights of property ownership. The landowner still decides what kinds of access are permitted on the land, and most conservation easements do not have full public access. It is an important way for landowners and for conservation organizations to work together to preserve environmentally significant places.

“I want to thank the Yip family for their important contribution to conservation in Lovell,” Paquereau said. “Their generosity will help make possible the kind of natural environment that makes Lovell such a special place for residents and visitors alike.”

The Greater Lovell Land Trust serves the communities of Lovell, Stoneham, Stow and Sweden, protecting over 7,500 acres of land located within the Kezar Lake, Kezar River and Cold River watersheds. Its preserves are accessible through almost 20 miles of trails and GLLT offers guided walks, talks, and events throughout the year. Please visit GLLT.org to view programs and events.