Conservancy acquires land on Equinox

MANCHESTER-The Nature Conservancy announces the expansion of the Mount Equinox Highlands Natural Area by 118 acres, bringing the total of conserved land at the natural area to 2,568 acres. The natural area, located in Manchester and Dorset, is one of the most beautiful and biologically diverse mountain ecosystems in Vermont.
The recent addition protects mountain springs that feed into the groundwater aquifer that provides the town of Manchester with its water supply. The 118-acre tract alone produces thousands of gallons of water per day. The springs also funnel cold water into the Batten Kill River, creating superior temperature conditions for trout.
Mount Equinox Highlands Natural Area and other Nature Conservancy natural areas also represent nature’s strongholds that are predicted to help plants, wildlife, and people withstand the growing impacts of climate change. Nature’s strongholds represent resilient landscapes that allow species to move as they adapt to changing temperatures. Land protection is a key strategy of the conservancy’s climate work.