John Hay National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Planning

Refuge History

• Alice Hay donated the property to USFWS, under two life-use reservations:
• 143 acres for her,
• 20 acres for her children, John and Adele.

• Alice Hay passed away, ending her life use reservation.

• A volunteer advisory committee was formed.
• A Special Use Permit was issued to the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests (Society) to conduct public programs at the Refuge.

• The Service contracted with the National Park Service for a Historic Structures Report.  The report concluded that several buildings were in need of repair, and later that year Senator Warren Rudman secured a $491,000 appropriation for restoration.

• The Service and the Society signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) delineating educational uses at the Refuge.

• The John Hay Commission was created by Governor Judd Gregg to promote protection of the historic facilities, engage in fund-raising activities for The Fells, accept contributions on behalf of the state, and cooperate with the Refuge and other partners.
• Volunteers formed Historic Landscape, Historic Preservation, and Education committees to assist at the Refuge.

• New Hampshire State Parks (State Parks) signed a MOU with the Service to operate the Refuge.
• State Parks signed a MOU with the Society to deliver educational programs.
• Lake Sunapee Protective Association and the Society contributed $24,000 to renovate the gate house into a headquarters building.
• The Historic Landscape committee submitted the “Cultural Landscape Policies and Philosophies” report to the Service, State Parks, and John Hay Commission. The report was designed to guide work on the grounds and gardens.

• State Parks completed work on the main house restrooms and installed a new roof.

• The National Garden Conservancy (Garden Conservancy) adopted the gardens as a species restoration project and signed a MOU with State Parks.

• The Fells were formed as a non-profit organization dedicated to the continuance of on-site education, short- and long-term programming objectives, and oversight of daily operations.
• State Parks relinquished responsibility at the Refuge.

• The Fells, the Refuge friends group, signed an MOU with the Service that authorized them to manage 62 acres, including routine maintenance of all buildings, grounds, and other facilities, and provide public education programs.
• The Fells signed additional MOUs with the Society, Lake Sunapee Protective Association, and the Garden Conservancy for management and programs.

• John Hay informed the Service that he and Adele wanted to relinquish their 20 acre life estate.

• The estate buildings, grounds, and gardens were listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
• A Station Management Plan was completed and approved for the Refuge. The plan included five management objectives.

1. Protect and manage the Refuge forest habitat and wildlife populations.
2. Protect and manage historical resources.
3. Work with cooperators to protect resources and to develop public use programs.
4. Protect human health and safety.
5. Develop public use programs.

• Senator Judd Gregg secured a $1.0 million appropriation to remediate moisture damage to the main house, gate house, and carriage house. This work was completed in 2001. Unfortunately, the carriage house collapsed early in 2001, obviating the need for restoration.

• The Fells implemented a vista restoration project based on the “Management Strategy for Views, Vistas, and Woodland Edges at The Fells, Newbury, New Hampshire,” prepared by Garden Conservancy Fellow, Marion Murray.

• Senator Judd Gregg secured a $150,000 appropriation to restore the collapsed carriage house.

• The Service presented a conceptual plan for a land exchange to the Newbury, New Hampshire Select Board on May 15, 2006. A public open house with 24 participants was held in Newbury, New Hampshire the evening of June 28, 2006.

• The Draft Environmental Assessment was made available for public review from August 20 through October 1, 2007. A second public meeting was held in the Town Hall on September 6, 2007 to introduce the Draft EA and solicit feedback from the public.

• Final Environmental Assessment approved, land exchange completed. Currently, the refuge consists of approximately 80 acres on the southern half of the original property, allowing the Service to focus its efforts on fulfilling the purpose of the refuge beyond maintaining the estate buildings and grounds. The land exchange gave The Fells fee title ownership of the house and grounds of the estate, for 727 acres of northern forest to be appended to Lake Umbagog NWR. The John Hay NWR is currently the southern 80 acres of the former estate.
• USFWS Initiates Comprehensive Conservation Planning for John Hay NWR.