The 923-acre Bear Pond Natural Area in Canaan, N.H., is situated south of the Mascoma State Forest and north of the Canaan Town Forest. These three areas, combined with a private parcel of land in conservation easement comprise nearly 1,500 acres of conserved land. This is all situated within a principal groundwater recharging area for the Mascoma River and thereby significantly contributes to flooding abatement and sustained pure water for the town of Lebanon, which relies on the Mascoma River as its main reservoir.

The Bear Pond Natural Area was preserved through funding from the New Hampshire Land Conservation and Heritage Investment Program, the Sweetwater Trust, and other public and private donors.