Conservation Groups Support NH Legislation

CONCORD, NH, 1/18/02: The following is a joint statement by the Trust for Public Land, the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests, and The Nature Conservancy of New Hampshire, supporting the filing of New Hampshire House Bill 1000, which authorizes up to $10 million in state funding to help conserve the 171,500-acre Connecticut Headwaters property, located in the towns of Pittsburg, Clarksville, and Stewartstown. The bill also establishes a citizens committee to oversee the public interest in these lands.

“This project has come a long way since July, thanks in no small part to the extraordinary leadership from the Governor, the Legislature, and the Congressional Delegation,” said Jane Difley, president/forester of the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests. “The unanimous standing ovation in response to this initiative during the Governor’s speech last week gives me confidence that the state is ready to step to the plate with quick passage of HB1000. What a powerful message this will send to Senator Gregg and the delegation as they begin the process of securing matching federal funds.”

“The filing of this bill is a crucial step in the effort to conserve the Connecticut Headwaters property, and we are delighted by the strong bipartisan support it has already received,” said David Houghton, field office director for the Trust for Public Land. “The State of New Hampshire now has an unprecedented opportunity to use its own funding to leverage federal and private funds for the protection of these important lands.”

“The commitment and support of our legislative leaders to make this conservation effort a reality has been extremely critical to its success thus far. We applaud their vision,” said Daryl Burtnett, state director of The Nature Conservancy of New Hampshire. “The passage of this ambitious bill will help ensure that future generations of New Hampshire residents will be able to enjoy these important natural resources.”

The Trust for Public Land is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to conserving land for people to enjoy as parks and open space. Since 1972, TPL has protected more than 1.4 million acres nationwide, including nearly 30,000 acres in New Hampshire. For more information, visit www.tpl.org.

Founded in 1901, the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests is a 10,000 member non-profit organization that has helped protect over one million acres of land in the state. Visit www.spnhf.org for more information.

The Nature Conservancy is an international conservation organization dedicated to preserving the plants, animals and natural communities that represent the diversity of life on earth by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive. The Conservancy has helped to protect more than 92 million acres of ecologically significant land worldwide, including nearly 92,000 in New Hampshire. Visit www.nature.org for more information.