Selling development rights to the State of NH would probably only get done if the Ames family were willing to sell for just one dollar.
In about 1930, the Wellington family of New York City sold their 100's acres Wellington State Park property on Newfound Lake, which has a 1600' long natural beach, to the state for one dollar.
And a similar deal occured when the state aquired Ellecoya State Beach from the Ellecoya. In exchange for 48 LL Bean wool blankets, two cases of Jenkins scotch whisky and ten scratch tickets, the state came back with the deed to beautifull Ellecoya State Beach.
Maybe the Lakes Region Conservation Trust can raise 20-million from bass boaters and then close off Ames Farm to all except for natural wood dugout canoes, paddled by granola eat'n paddlers, and carved from 100% organically grown trees on Timber Island?
