The Northeast Wilderness Trust (NEWT) has announced the creation of a new wilderness preserve (Spruce Ridge Wilderness Preserve) spanning 2,000 acres along a stretch of the Appalachian Trail in New Hampshire. The land, purchased for $5.5 million, will be entered into a conservation easement that will protect it from development or logging in perpetuity.

Essentially, the preserve comprises a wilderness buffer zone along 1.5-mile stretch of the Appalachian Trail around Mount Cube in Orford that will protect the scenic beauty of the AT and serve as a corridor for wildlife moving along the trail. Another goal of the “forever wild” designation is to create stands of old-growth forest and accompanying habitat benefits and climate change resiliency. Public access to the preserve will include a parking lot and walking paths.