An Appreciation: David Taplin

In 1990, when Dave “Red” Taplin bought and conserved 320 acres in Strafford and Thetford, VT, he was thinking about his community, his neighbors, and the values he lived by.

Just a few miles away as the crow flies, Huntington Farm, a landmark equestrian center, was struggling. Its miles of scenic fields along a main road were at risk of sale and development. UVLT, founded in 1985, was in the early years of our conservation mission and teamed up with local residents. A grant application being prepared would be more competitive if matched with promises to conserve additional land, and as we discussed this with community members, we were introduced to Dave.

Dave felt most close to nature while working in the woods on this land a mile or so up a class four road from his original house site. The conservation easement he quietly donated was the largest we had received to date. It became a conservation anchor in the ecologically rich forest block he cared deeply for and was key to the successful campaign protecting Huntington Farm.

Over the next 35 years, Dave acquired more land and tended it with care. When facing his terminal illness, he and his loved ones took steps to conserve his exceptional piece of the Upper Valley landscape for coming generations. He passed away on April 1 after protecting over 700 acres.

“From UVLT’s earliest days, Dave Taplin was always a trusted partner and steward of the landscape we all love,” said President Jeanie McIntyre. “Without fanfare or fuss, his gentle, generous, neighborly way contributed so much for nature and people here.”

Dave’s partner, Courtney Dobyns, and her children, Rye and Travis Keller, were family to Taplin. The well-being of the environment and its inhabitants has always been central to their shared interests and they are pleased the land has been conserved forever.

“Conservation was of great importance to David,” said Dobyns. “It was a concept larger than just his own appreciation of the land. He gained his love of nature from his mother, stepmother, and father and carried on this legacy into his own life. His father put over 250 acres in Windham County into conservation and was the honorary chairman of the Environmental Defense Fund’s 21st Century Campaign. Dave learned the value of philanthropy and environmental conservation and became an early adopter of the concepts.”

“Dave valued the land for its habitat values and carefully stewarded its resources,” said Vice President for Conservation Peg Merrens. “Together with his passion for historic preservation, he made the Upper Valley a better place.”

Taplin’s civic-mindedness and generosity of spirit were recognized with the Strafford Lions 2024 Citizen of the Year award. He was a longtime trustee for both Vermont PBS and the Preservation Trust of Vermont and delighted in advancing his community as a volunteer, planner, and participant.

We are grateful to have had the opportunity to work with Dave Taplin and his family through so many years, and The David Taplin Conservation Fund has been established so their example and leadership will live on and inspire others.

Vital Statistics

• Over 700 acres ranked as a priority interior forest block by the state of Vermont
• Protects forestland with intact wildlife connectivity and abundant natural biodiversity
• Designated as highest conservation priority by the state of Vermont
• Includes multiple tributaries of the West Branch of the Ompompanoosuc River and has significant frontage on Abbott Brook tributaries
• Within four miles of Baker Sugarbush and Bradley UVLT-held easements and the Podunk Wildlife Management Area
• Provides access to a locally significant trail
• In an area prioritized by both Strafford and Thetford conservation commissions
• Conservation easements donated in 1990 and 2026

David Taplin Conservation Fund

To honor Dave’s legacy of land conservation, a fund has been set up in Dave’s name to support and encourage the permanent protection of outstanding land and water resources in the towns of Strafford and Thetford. Donations to the David Taplin Conservation Fund may be directed to the Upper Valley Land Trust at 19 Buck Road, Hanover, NH 03755, or donate online.