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Places We Protect

Maidstone Bends Preserve

New Hampshire

An aerial view of a river winding through a forested landscape.
Maidstone Bends Preserve Floodplain forests are the crowning jewel of this preserve along the Connecticut River in Northumberland, New Hampshire. © Darrell Bodnar

Located along the banks of the Connecticut River, these lands help protect drinking water for people while providing vital habitat for wildlife on the move.

Viewing

Overview

Description

Nestled near the confluence of the Connecticut and Upper Ammonoosuc Rivers lies the Maidstone Bends Preserve, a special place spanning 1,250 acres in the town of Northumberland and village of Groveton.

Boasting a mix of farmland, woods and wetlands, what truly stands out are the preserve's expansive floodplains—those areas along the river that flood each spring, filtering water and providing irreplaceable wildlife habitat.

Over the years, the Connecticut River and its watershed have seen a dramatic decrease in the abundance of floodplain forest and wetlands as lands were cleared for agricultural and other land development. But in the northern part of the watershed, in and around what’s known as the Maidstone Bends, the river meanders across the landscape and includes some of the most intact floodplain in the watershed. This is a critically important area of the river for floodplain habitat and flood storage given that the floodplain is nearly a mile and half across in some locations.

The many curves and turns of the Maidstone Bends create oxbows, streamside wetlands and remnant patches of floodplain habitat that attract migratory birds, bald eagles, bear, moose and other wildlife. Meanwhile, the meandering nature of the river channel and areas of intact wetlands and floodplain forest help to absorb floodwaters during major flooding events.

Visitors to the Maidstone Bends Preserve can enjoy a variety of recreational opportunities including hiking, walking, nature observation, birding, hunting, fishing, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. Please note that there is no formal trail system and there is no boat launch at the preserve. Please do not attempt to launch a vessel from the steep, sandy river banks. Formal boat launches maintained by New Hampshire Fish and Game and local municipalities can be found in the area.

Access

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Please respect private residence and seasonal haying operations.

Hours

Open dawn to dusk.

Highlights

Maidstone Bends Preserve is great for hiking, walking, nature observation, birding, hunting, fishing, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing.

Size

1,250 acres

Explore our work in New Hampshire

Since 2009, The Nature Conservancy in New Hampshire and Vermont have been working on both sides of the Connecticut River to protect important floodplain habitat and agricultural lands within the Maidstone Bends region. In 2010, TNC purchased Potter Farm, a 326-acre property in Northumberland and Groveton that established the Maidstone Bends Preserve. It features river shoreline and floodplain on both the Connecticut and Upper Ammonoosuc rivers and includes riparian wetlands, hayfields and more than 250 acres of upland field and forest which extend to the Cape Horn ridgeline and abuts Cape Horn State Forest. This initial acquisition connected 2,500 acres of conservation land in the region.

Conserving the Applachians

We're working to ensure a healthy, resilient and connected Appalachians landscape.

Explore the Apps

The Maidstone Bends Preserve is located in the northern reaches of the Appalachians, a diverse and productive range of peaks and valleys that stretch from Alabama to Canada. TNC is committed to stitching together a connected landscape of climate resilient lands, corridors and waters at the pace and scale necessary to mitigate climate change, protect biodiversity and ensure the Appalachians remain a place where all life can thrive. The initial acquisition of the Potter Farm in Groveton kicked off local efforts that connected 2,500 acres of conservation land in the region—efforts that we continue to champion today.

A map showing Appalachians circled and animal migration routes in different colored arrows.
Nature's Highways As the climate changes, plants and animals are shifting their ranges to adapt and thrive. This map shows where mammals, birds and amphibians are moving–circled in red is the Appalachians landscape, a virtual superhighway for nature. © Dan Majka/The Nature Conservancy (adapted for print by Nicholas R © Dan Majka/The Nature Conservancy (adapted for print by Nicholas Rapp)

The floodplain and river habitat protected by the conservation of the Maidstone Bends Preserve conserves the lands surrounding a unique section of the Upper Connecticut River. The Federal and State Endangered dwarf wedgemussel uses the sandy shifting river bottoms throughout the Maidstone Bends area of the river for habitat. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ducks Unlimited, New Hampshire Fish and Game and several other bird conservation organizations have identified Maidstone Bends as an important migratory corridor for ducks that overwinter in the Atlantic like American black duck, greater and lesser scaups, and ring-necked ducks. Other species of conservation concern like bald eagles, northern harriers, American bitterns, and American woodcocks find food and breeding habitat in the oxbows and wetlands of Maidstone Bends. Numerous songbirds use the area as a stopover point. Osprey nest upstream and likely use floodplain and shoreline trees at the preserve for perching habitat.

Additionally, several rare and unusual plant and natural communities have been identified in the uplands protected through the original Potter Farm acquisition. These features are associated with the volcanic ridgeline and forests of Cape Horn State Forest, and include beaked panicle, green adder’s mouth, slender cliffbrake and smooth woodsia.

Green fields flooded by river water with mountains in the background.
Comes The Flood With Spring comes the rush of snowmelt, flooding the banks of the Upper Connecticut River and inundating the floodplains of Maidstone Bends in New Hampshire and Vermont. © Jeff Lougee/TNC
× Green fields flooded by river water with mountains in the background.
Three people planting trees in a field.
Planting The Future Volunteers plant trees at the Maidstone Bends Preserve. © Connecticut River Conservancy
× Three people planting trees in a field.

Since the acquisition of the Potter Farm, TNC has worked together with landowners along the Connecticut River to add to the Maidstone Bends Preserve, conserving more floodplain, fields and forests and protecting more wildlife habitat and drinking water supplies while also helping to mitigate flooding. With the addition of 750 acres in 2022, Maidstone Bends Preserve is now 1,250 acres and growing.

Now we're working to restore up to 200 acres of floodplain forest habitat at the preserve. Over the next five to ten years, TNC will partner with nurseries to grow thousands of native trees and shrubs, which staff and volunteers will plant in the areas most vulnerable to flooding. If the project is successful, it will be the largest active floodplain restoration project in the history of New England. This work will create important wildlife habitat and facilitate local regional connectivity, support flood abatement and help to build climate resilience for nature and people.

Special Visitation Guidelines

The entrance to the preserve shares a driveway with a private residence. Please be respectful—this is their home! Note that portions of the preserve support active agricultural use and that haying operations may be occuring throughout the year. Please be respectful of hayfields, operations and equipment.  

 

Please enjoy the preserve responsibly

• No camping or open fires allowed.

• Motorized vehicles and horses are prohibited.

• Keep pets leashed to avoid disturbance to birds, other wildlife and preserve visitors.

• Hunting is allowed on portions of the preserve. Tree stands and blinds are prohibited. Please obey all posted signs and contact NH Fish & Game for dates and regulations.

• No removal or destruction of plants, wildlife, minerals or cultural items.

• Carry in/carry out trash (and any you find).