Prouty Woods – Lessons Learned

• The key to conserving land is the people involved. Partnership with local community is critically important. The relationship between the Prouty family and the town of Littleton were what made this project succeed.
• Find ways to meet needs of all parties: this was a bargain sale, but still gave enough value to make it worthwhile for family
• Work closely with state agencies for Self Help funds and other groups providing funding. It is critical to avoid simple mistakes such as closing at wrong date for Self-Help funds. Closing after the fiscal deadline could invalidate the grant and derail the project.
• Ongoing partnerships with local groups, such as the garden club and conservation commission in this project, are ways that a group can facilitate the long-term stewardship of land, as well as create vital connections between land and its local community.
• The actions of individuals at critical junctures can make all the difference for a project. From Dick Perkin's original recommendation of NEFF, to Carey Prouty's speech, and Roger Prouty's lead gift for the fundraising, diverse actions by individuals had far ranging impact on the success of this project