New Hampshire Association of Conservation Commissions SERVING NEW HAMPSHIRE’S COMMUNITIES SINCE 1970 44th Annual Meeting & Conference: Inspiring Young Conservationists November 1st, 2014 // Laconia, NH Session A – 10:15 – 11:15 AM A1: Climate Change Adaptation: Planning and Making Resilient Communities – Sherry Godlewski, NH Department of Environmental Services This session will highlight regional and state efforts focused on climate change adaptation. Conservation commissions can be a part of building resilient communities by helping prepare for and accommodate the changes we are already seeing in our climate. New Hampshire has already experienced impacts to natural communities and important features that define communities. These extreme weather events and the knowledge that there will be more are bringing people together to plan across "silos". Encouraging youth involvement is imperative and will help them be a part of planning for their future. A2: Special Session on the Status of Conservation in New Hampshire – Senator Martha Fuller Clark – Rodger Krussman, The Trust for Public Land – Jim O’Brien, The Nature Conservancy Learn how land conservation not only protects important ecological and natural resources, but how it also supports key local businesses that depend on the availability of high quality protected land and water. A recent study by The Trust for Public Land determined for every $1 dollar spend by the state on land conservation, $11 in natural goods and services was returned. Finally, we will discuss the status of a legislative study group that is charged with studying the state's role in encouraging land protection in the future. A3: Conservation Projects from the Landowner’s Perspective: Motives, Tax Advantages and Concerns – Thomas Masland, Esq., Ransmeier & Spellman Each landowner brings a new perspective to a conservation transaction, and it is useful to understand the motives and concerns of the individual or family with whom you are dealing. This is particularly true when the landowner is seeking an income tax deduction for the gift of an easement or title to the property. During this session, enjoy a wide-ranging and interactive discussion of issues that arise in donated and purchased conservation transactions. A4: New Commissioners Workshop: Spreading your Wings: Moving Beyond Wetlands Protection – Tom Duston, NHACC Board and Chesterfield Conservation Commission – Lynne Borofsky, Chesterfield Conservation Commission The purpose of this presentation is to illustrate with specific examples the myriad assortment of activities that can be undertaken under the rubric of paragraph 1 in RSA 36-4. According to RSA 36-4, towns may establish a conservation commission to " ... ensure the proper utilization and protection of the natural resources and for the protection of watershed resources of said city or town,” a very broad charge with no specific authority. The RSA is not entirely useful as a guide to specific actions to achieve the mission it lays out. Specific examples of possible conservation commission activities will include trail construction and maintenance; open space and wetlands protection; organizing and leading hikes; selective timber cut for wildlife; surveying invasive species; utilizing volunteers; grant writing and conservation fund management; esthetic improvement of public land; managing protected land; partnering with other like-minded groups on many of these activities; and public environmental education related to all of these. 1 A5: Empowering Land Conservation with Solar Energy – Jonathan Gregory, ReVision Energy Leveraging the revenue potential of a clean energy solar array to maintain the long term protection and preservation of conservation land is increasing becoming a credible solution for land owners across the country. This presentation will provide insight into the growing opportunities that land owners and conservation trusts can seek through the adaptation of solar energy into our open spaces. In a time where environmental protection and clean energy alternatives are at the forefront of importance, connecting our land with the abundant sunshine offers us a uniquely effective solution to combat these modern threats. The presentation will discuss how New Hampshire can create meaningful, mission-oriented relationships that empower conservation commissions and put greater context into the realm of resiliency. A6: Farm-friendly Easements – Amy Manzelli, Esq., Co-owner and Attorney, BCM Environmental & Land Law, PLLC – Ian B. McSweeney, Director, Russell Farm and Forest Conservation Foundation Learn about farm easements with two experts in the field. The presenters will: provide methods to engage absentee landowners and farmers towards land conservation; encourage sustainable agriculture; examine a farm easement; discuss how agriculture is defined; explore how agricultural easements protect commercial operations and natural resources; identify the laws related to agricultural easements; provide follow up resources for those interested in learning more; and field participants’ questions. A7: Engaging Youth with Trail Building and Maintenance – Brendan Taylor & Alison Violette, Appalachian Mountain Club This workshop will detail the process of engaging teen volunteers on trail crew. We’ll discuss a range of topics, from the big picture of planning the experience and interacting with the volunteers and their parents ahead of the program, to the small picture of how to make a volunteer trail experience fun and engaging for the teens while they are on the trip. A8: Natural Resources Inventory - From Conservation Planning to Engaging Young Conservationists – Jeffry N. Littleton, Conservation Ecologist, Moosewood Ecological Has your Conservation Commission conducted a basic NRI? Wondering where to go from here? This workshop will focus on helping Conservation Commissions on how to refine basic NRIs to expand on more meaningful conservation and land use planning techniques. Examples will be illuminated through a variety of case studies from towns in New Hampshire. This will include the use of the NH Wildlife Action Plan and other concepts of conservation biology. We will explore the many opportunities available to help Conservation Commissions develop successful ecological land management options while providing a means to prioritize lands for protection. We will also explore ways to engage young conservationists with Conservation Commissions and the NRI process, as well as how they may make a career in conservation. Session B – 11:30AM – 12:30 PM B1: Evaluating the Hydraulic Capacity of Your Community’s Infrastructure – Colin Lawson, New England Culvert Project Coordinator, Trout Unlimited – Gabe Bolin, Eastern Stream Restoration Specialist, Trout Unlimited Trout Unlimited has developed a community / watershed based tool to assess the hydraulic capacity of road stream crossing under severe weather conditions. This GIS and Excel model tool has been designed to allow community's to assess infrastructure vulnerability to better help prioritize restoration of critical road stream crossings. It is being made available to all communities free of charge. 2 B2: How "Wood is Good" for NH: A look at the economic impact of timber harvesting in the Granite State – Jasen Stock, Executive Director, NH Timberland Owners Association – Steve Patten, Program Director, NH Timberland Owners Association This workshop will look at a recently completed report by Plymouth State University that looks at the economic impact that timber harvesting has to New Hampshire's rural economy. Special emphasis will be put on examining a "typical" load of logs and how it translates into dollars and cents. B3: Taking Action for Wildlife – Beyond the NRI – Amanda Stone, UNH Cooperative Extension – Emily Preston, Wildlife Biologist, NH Fish and Game Department – Emma Carcagno, Land and Water Conservation Extension Field Specialist, UNH Cooperative Extension You have completed your NRI, and perhaps have a conservation plan in place. What next? In this interactive workshop we will discuss on-the-ground actions you can take to put these resources to work. Using the World Café Approach, we will address land conservation, habitat management, and public outreach in the context of protecting wildlife and their habitats. A common thread in this discussion will be to explore how high school and college students can assist communities with this work. The World Café activity involves rapid brainstorming in facilitated groups to develop actions to address wildlife and habitat protection. By the end of the workshop, you will have been involved in discussions about all the three topics listed above, and will take away some ideas that you can implement with your community. B4: Discover, Appreciate and Share the Forest: A service-learning project with students building, maintaining and using a trail – Lynne Borofsky, Chesterfield Conservation Commission This is a slide presentation and discussion sharing the experience of a middle school educator engaging students in a service-learning project in Putney, VT. The student's educational journey was to design, build, maintain and utilize a mountainside trail in a school forest incorporating reading, writing, storytelling, math and hard work. The discussion will include practical suggestions and details needed to organize learning opportunities through a trail development project, which includes educational standards. This presentation will increase awareness of how a forest setting can be