our name: Kawasiwajo
(Pronounced “kah-wah-SEE-wad-ZOH”)
The Abenaki language tells us that local Indigenous peoples called the mountain in Warner Kawasiwajo, which means “windfall” mountain. Commonly known as Mt. Kearsarge, the name Kearsarge has long been thought to be an Indigenous word for the mountain, but the Abenaki language does not include the letter “r”. Extensive research has revealed that the guides who brought the first Euro-explorers to the area were not local Abenaki people, but originated in what is now Massachusetts, and a version of “Kearsarge” may have been their name for this mountain. Guided by Sherry Gould, citizen of the Nulhegan Band of the Coosuk Abenaki Nation and KCLT steering committee member/advisor, and through conversations with Don Stevens, Chief of the Nulhegan Band of the Coosuk-Abenaki Nation, we decided to honor and promote this local Abenaki word in the name we chose for the Community Land Trust. We hope the depth and power of this place-word will reflect the work of this project, strengthening the connection between the land around the mountain to the people who live here and our responsibility to this place. Part of that reciprocity involves working to establish cultural easements for culturally significant gathering/harvesting and remaining in conversation and collaboration with local Abenaki members as we continue in this work together.
our story
This work began in the winter of 2019/20 with conversations around the need for workforce housing, and the potential for projects that would insure long-term stability in housing and land tenure for people living and working in the Warner area. In the spring of 2020 a small group joined together and decided on the idea of starting a community land trust, a model which would allow us to focus on and promote the interconnections of affordable housing, regenerative agriculture, small-scale economic development, and the preservation of open space. The Foster Farm property on the edge of the Mink Hills in Warner was identified and pursued as a potential first project.
In the fall of 2020, the Foster Farm property was purchased by a private individual and with the help of many dedicated volunteers, we began to revitalize the property. By 2022, we embarked as an official organization with a board of seven members, as well as other community advisors and partners, and will grow as time goes on.
We have over 25 dedicated volunteers who have helped get this idea off the ground and joined in on many work days. Our work continues with the Foster Farm project, and we are looking forward to identifying other projects within the Kearsarge area to bring into the community land trust.
In our work going forward, we are guided by the desire to:
Support the intersections of land, housing and livelihood
Act as a conduit between lands and buildings and the people who use those spaces
Conduct a strategic planning process to identify other potential projects and properties
Build a portfolio of properties in the Kearsarge area that addresses the need for access to housing and land in an equitable way
Foster community support and understanding