Just a few days after International Paper Company announced plans to sell its North Country property, Governor Jeanne Shaheen announced an agreement between the paper company and the Trust for Public Land. The plan effectively will safeguard the 171,000 North Country acres from ever being developed. NHPR’s Dan Gorenstein reports.
Just a few days after International Paper Company announced plans to sell its North Country property, Governor Jeanne Shaheen announced an agreement between the paper company and the Trust for Public Land. The plan effectively will safeguard the 171,000 North Country acres from ever being developed. NHPR’s Dan Gorenstein reports.
The governor, legislative leaders and conservationists announced a plan that could protect much, if not all, of International Paper’s 171,000 acres. The move would greatly restrict development of a tract of land that is about ¼ the size of the entire White Mountain National Forest. The non-profit Trust for Public Land, or TPL, would purchase the property from Internatioinal Paper before the end of this year. TPL would eventually sell the development rights to the state, under what is called a conservation easement. TPL’s Dave Houghton:
…we would be looking to sell a conservation easement using federal state dollars which would prevent development, sustain timber harvesting and provide recreation to the property.
Under an easement, future owners of the land must obey strict guidelines on its use. Conservationists say that arrangement would preserve the property and its many uses. Local businessman Jim Tibbets says that is a luadable goal, but until he sees the details of the plan he is reserving judgment. Tibbets, president of the 1st Colebrook Bank, says a deal must maintain the area as a working forest, and preserve the North Country way of life.
Good portion of land is used for recreation…our concern would be if there is any change that would affect the economy up here. Since tourism and harvesting is our main economic base.
Tibbets and others will have a chance to comment on how exactly the land should be used. In addition to public meeting to be held in the North Country, Senator Gregg will hold a meeting tomorrow in Concord to discuss federal involvement in the project and Governor Shaheen is putting together a task force to develop a thorough plan for the Granite State’s northern tip.
Charlie Neebling of the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests, says it is encouraging that elected officials, North Country residents and conservation groups are quickly reaching consensus.
If we are going to keep NH from becoming NJ or CT in 10,20 or 50 years from now, this is the kind of bold, visionary thinking we have to contemplate now. These are the sorts of steps we have to make now.
But Neebling says keeping out strip malls and superhighways will come at a cost. If the state wants to protect the land, it will not only have to purchase the easement, but commit to spending money to monitor the land, in perpetuity. For NHPR News I’m Dan Gorenstein
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