Milne Nature Sanctuary

Mill Pond Road   |   1.5 acres

DIRECTIONS: From Durham Town Hall take Mill Pond Road; parking along right (north) side of road. Milne Nature Sanctuary on opposite side of road bordering Mill Pond. Google map

Milne Nature Sanctuary Map and Property Summary

ABOUT THE PROPERTY:

Come spend some time at the Milne Nature Sanctuary and sit on the bench overlooking the Mill Pond or the bench facing the memorial stone. Enjoy some quiet time in nature to relax, reflect, refresh. As native plants are restored to this one acre site and invasive plants removed, birds, butterflies and other local fauna will make this area their home or stopping over place. This site on Mill Pond Road was given to the Town by Margery and Lorus Milne: zoologists, UNH professors, authors of over 55 books on natural history, world travelers. Margery lived in Durham for over 57 years, Lorus pre-deceasing her.

From their home on Garden Lane the Mill Pond was the end point, the goal of their early morning daily walks. During these times they noted the day to day, week to week, season to season changes in the nature they passed through. On their homeward walk the Milnes would plan their day together—especially if they were writing a book, article, review which they almost always were. They would decide who would write what, and which would do what research. 

The acre of land they purchased in approximately 1961 (now the MNS) had on it a retired commercial laundry building that had washed laundry for UNH students when UNH was a much smaller university. That building was removed and the site became a refuge for nature, as well as for the Milnes themselves.  

The Milnes desired to give their personal sanctuary to the Town so that residents could come, not for active recreation, but to enjoy the site as a “source of serenity” and “a place to observe undisturbed nature”. 

The Milne Nature Sanctuary Committee works to remove invasives, establish native plants, make the Sanctuary a place for pollinators, birds, insects and other animals….and welcoming to residents.