Hilltown Land Trust | We moved to conserved land

By Conan Deady, HLT Member & Conservation Restriction Landowner

Conan and Cynthia stand arm in arm, wearing hiking clothes and standing in front of a wild mountain landscape. — Conan Deady and Cynthia Berliner, who hold title to HLT-conserved land in Chesterfield.

We purchased our home in Chesterfield after 30 years away from the Valley, where we attended college and lived briefly in the early 90’s.

Our house is situated on 230 acres of fields, woods, and swampland, and when we first moved in, we were a bit intimidated by the size of the property and the responsibilities that came with it.

A portion of the land was already under a conservation restriction with Hilltown Land Trust. After learning more about the mission of HLT, we became supporters because we believe that the most valuable resource of the Hilltowns is the natural environment, which is unique in Massachusetts. Preservation of that resource for its human and non-human residents, as well as visitors, seemed to be a very worthy goal.

Since our early days on the land, we have gotten more comfortable, and we are particularly enjoying cohabitating with the local wildlife. In addition to the many deer we see on almost a daily basis, moose have strolled through our yard, choruses of coyotes have serenaded us in the early evening, and a pair of sandhill cranes has decided to call our house home. We have set up a trail camera by the swamp that has filmed these neighbors, as well as bobcats, raccoons, mink, beavers, porcupines, and assorted others. This morning, I watched our resident red-shouldered hawks flying between treetops, scanning the newly mowed fields for prey.

A collage of wildlife images. Clockwise from top: bobcat, sandhill cranes, moose, red fox, fawn, turkeys, and black bear.

Just some of the wildlife that’s shown up on Conan and Cynthia’s land. All photos by Conan Deady and Cynthia Berliner.

Land conservation in the Hilltowns has many benefits, but an important goal for us is to maintain the land for the benefit of all of its non-human creatures, all of whom have a right to enjoy the land that is no less than ours. They seem so comfortable here, so unbothered by us, so healthy and vigorous. I am grateful that we can partner with Hilltown Land Trust to preserve a place here in the Hilltowns where they can continue to live as they were meant to live.