Diane Schott was one of the Conservancy’s earliest champions, serving multiple terms on the board of trustees, including as president. Before she and her husband John passed away, the Schotts made plans to establish the Kermit A. Schott Forest Preserve in honor of their son, who died in 2010. Now, we are truly honored to have become the owners and stewards of this special place, and we are grateful to Diane and John’s surviving children, Jared and Jennifer, for working with us to make their parents’ wish a reality. 

The preserve consists of 216 acres along the northern boundary of Francestown, on the eastern edge of the Monadnock region. With 1,400 feet of shoreline on scenic Shattuck Pond - the last remaining unprotected corner of the pond - and 45 acres of wetlands, water is the star of the Preserve. The land also connects and enlarges to more than 1,000 acres a major block of previously conserved land, and nearly the entire property is classified as top-tier wildlife habitat by the New Hampshire Wildlife Action Plan. 

Conservation can be many things at once - in this case, a way of both honoring family and leaving a legacy for future generations.