Preservation of Horseshoe Pond

When the old Concord Lumber site was cleaned up many years ago, plans were made to establish the current business park opposite Horseshoe Pond.  The ‘deal’ was to not intrude on the pond in any way.  Much time and money was spent to preserve this small jewel within the City of Concord.

This arrangement held for many years as evidenced by the foliage growing and falling along the road.  In fact, this roadside foliage provides a safe ‘curtain’ for local and migrating birds to ‘hide behind’, in spite of close foot traffic and an ever increasing amount of auto travel noises.

About six years ago, flowers with border landscaping stones were planted in an area marked ‘Adopt A Spot’ by Page Belting apartments dwellers. While this effort went against the original concept of preservation, it appeared under control, and was accomplished by ‘local residents’ living across the street from the pond.

In the fall of 2008, 3 park benches appeared in the middle of the stone foot path, with a small plate on the back of them advertising Delta Dental.  A few weeks later, a crew of four landscapers from the company Groundwork Concord ‘opened up views’ to the pond from these benches.  I happened upon these four people one Saturday afternoon, when there was little traffic, removing small trees, brush and vines.  They were also planting rose bushes and other non-native plants around these benches in an effort to 'beautify' the site.  I asked them about the original ‘deal’, but they knew nothing about it.  A few weeks later, a layer of mums and corn stalks appeared around the benches as if this was someone’s home that needed this seasonal decoration.

A few days later, as if to emphasize the path this sort of land management can inadvertently create, a very crude, simple advertising sign for ‘Entrepreneurs’ appeared at the Delta Dental end of the pond.  Perhaps it was just coincidence, or perhaps this is simply what happens when the line of preservation is crossed. 

Creeping commercialization of a wetland concerns all of us, particularly an urban one.  Once the door opens (which apparently it has), protecting a piece of land for the sake of its natural beauty and the wildlife it supports, degrades over time.  Although the casual passerby may not get alarmed, these small changes add up dramatically over time.  As if to underscore such slow change, the City of Concord added a fourth bench in March 2009, increasing the number ever so slightly.  This seems like a small matter 'now that we’re used to the idea of benches'.  And so it goes… 

As much as I enjoy sitting on a bench in a beautiful spot, I understand that clearing natural growth for the sake of a better view, and landscaping to enhance the property cannot exist if the goal is to preserve a piece of nature, especially one so close to a growing city.  It's gems like Horseshoe Pond that continue to make Concord special in a busy, populated environment. 

I appreciate and encourage everyone to be vigilant concerning matters of unnecessary landscape ‘beautification’ to a piece of land that really needs no help from humans.  Throughout this small website you'll find photographs of the pond, and some of the birds that frequent it to convey the natural beauty of this land.  Please note that most photos are from ‘behind the curtain’ of trees and brush that ring the pond’s perimeter.  It means that we need to physically move a few steps to the left or right to have a better look of the pond, a small effort in the grand scheme. With many voices together, we can continue to preserve this natural site as a respite from the rest of the city.  The City of Concord, like many communities has lost monumental sites that cannot be brought back.  I  encourage you to please do everything you can to make sure that Horseshoe Pond does not slip into this category, and remains well preserved for many generations to come.

Thank you all for your continued reflection & support!! 

Larry Levinson
Concord, NH

Preservation of Horseshoe Pond

June 14th, 2022