News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
February 6, 2009

CONTACT:
Ryan Owens, (603) 357-0600

REGIONAL LAND SUMMIT HIGHLIGHTS
TOWN CONSERVATION EFFORTS

( KEENE)—On January 31st, 188 town conservation leaders, government officials, and environmental professionals gathered at Keene High School to discuss how conservation and land use planning can help communities sustain their rural character while accommodating needs for growth and development. Decision makers representing 32 towns in the Monadnock Region spent an entire Saturday learning from experts and one another about strategies for protecting their communities’ special places and unique natural resources.

Richard Ober, Vice President of Civic Leadership and Communications at the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation and former Executive Director of the Monadnock Conservancy, kicked off the day with an inspired keynote address. Drawing from 22 years of professional work in land protection, Ober spoke of how land conservation is rooted in New Hampshire values, how current economic and environmental challenges make community-based initiatives more important than ever, and how “the successful land conservation efforts of town leaders in this region could be a model for solving some of the other challenges we face as a state and a nation.”

Participants spent the bulk of the day in workshops and facilitated discussions. Topics ranged from establishing priorities and town funds for land conservation to issues of workforce housing, wetlands mitigation, and community development with conservation in mind. Important themes were the importance of human resources, volunteer leadership, and local values. “As with any town initiative, successful conservation work takes respected leadership, community engagement, private-public partnerships, and, in this case, personal ties to the land. The community leaders in attendance heard and shared many stories illustrating the importance of these resources,” said conference organizer Dee Robbins.

Numerous workshops touched on developing open space plans, including the importance of first understanding which resources are present on the landscape before writing the plan. In describing a town-wide natural resource inventory, one speaker observed that most landowners in his town responded with enthusiasm upon learning that unique features were discovered on their properties. Three town leaders noted the importance of including cultural interests when prioritizing lands to conserve—interests such as outdoor recreation, local food production, and scenic views—in additional to natural resources like water and wildlife habitat. All presenters emphasized the importance of hard-working volunteer leaders to the process of creating and implementing conservation plans.

A workshop entitled “How to Get More Citizens Involved in Community Work” drew the largest audience, who themselves contributed numerous examples of successful activities, such as telling the tales of local “rural characters” and celebrating efforts to protect places important to the community. Selectmen joined an exclusive focus discussion reserved for these holders of the highest town office, and all came away with an important lesson from three selectmen with significant land conservation experience: communication, communication, communication.

The Land Summit was the final piece in the pilot phase of the new Monadnock Community Conservation Partnership. Launched in October 2007 by the Keene-based Monadnock Conservancy, the Partnership includes five other organizations: Southwest Region Planning Commission, Antioch New England Institute, the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests’ Center for Land Conservation Assistance, UNH Cooperative Extension, and the Harris Center for Conservation Education. Each partner brings special expertise to the program’s mission: to help town leaders strengthen their community’s capacity to identify and protect the most important wildlife habitats, water resources, working farm and forest lands, and other places important to their town’s identity and quality of life. Other activities in the pilot included focused conservation planning work with five towns and a five-session conservation leadership training series.

Employees of the Monadnock Conservancy, the conference host, were pleased with attendance. “We were thrilled to see such a high and diverse turnout, from conservation commission and open space committee members to select board and planning board members,” said Peter Throop, director of the Community Conservation Partnership. “Town-led conservation spans all branches of municipal government.”

Gary Long, President and Chief Operating Officer of Public Service of New Hampshire, addressed conference participants over lunch. He opened his talk with a summary of the electric utility’s response to the December ice storm that crippled the region, then moved quickly to his company’s commitment to a new energy future that ensures “ New Hampshire’s forests are not diminished in ecological health or capacity as the demand for biomass energy grows.” The company has backed this commitment with funding for forest conservation research and education. In 2007 it awarded grants to three projects, including $60,000 to the Monadnock Conservancy to help launch the Community Conservation Partnership.

The day ended with success stories and advice from Geoff Jones, chair of the Stoddard Conservation Commission, and Victoria Barlow, chair of the Swanzey Open Space Committee. Both talks described the efforts of local leaders to raise both awareness of their community’s natural heritage and funds for land protection projects. Jones walked the audience step-by-step through photographs and maps of Stoddard’s tremendous conservation successes over the last 30 years, culminating in a $50,000 appropriation of town funds to protect Robb Reservoir in 2008.

Barlow’s talk focused on ways that Swanzey harnesses both the unique qualities of the community and the varied skills of town residents when protecting open space. She ended her presentation by unveiling of a new tool for community leaders: a “fun-o-meter.” Shifting the dial back and forth between shades of green (fun) and red (not fun), she measured the “fun” level of several tasks required of town officials, reminding the audience of the importance of having fun while serving the community. “You deserve to be having a great time while you give of yourself to your town,” she said. “If it isn’t going to be fun—for you, and for everyone else—figure out another way to do it.”