One hundred years ago this year, a handful of New Hampshire leaders met one evening in Concord to discuss what could be done to prevent the whole-sale destruction of New Hampshire�s forests. By that time, 80-percent of the state had been clear cut. That night, the group founded a new organization with to two goals: to improve forestry practices, and to conserve forest land.
This year, as �The Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests� celebrates its centennial, much of the group�s success can be traced to its ability to hang onto that dual mission. N-H-P-R�s Doug MacPherson reports.
JANE DIFLEY SAYS ONE OF HER FAVORITE JOBS AS HEAD OF THE SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION OF NEW HAMPSHIRE FORESTS IS WELCOMING VISITORS TO THE NEW ADDITION TO THE SOCIETY�S CONCORD HEADQUARTERS � WHICH RENTS SPACE TO SEVERAL OTHER CONSERVATION GROUPS.
TAPE 3, JANE DIFLEY 029 all of which work together. We don�t always agree on every little thing, but we talk over the coffee pot. We talk in the lunchroom. And we share our views, and we try to come to some resolution of issues before we go to the state legislature, before we go to the press�. :15 [FADE AND HOLD UNDER]
DIFLEY�S OFFICIAL TITLE IS �PRESIDENT-FORESTER.� SHE IS ONLY THE FOURTH PERSON IN THE SOCIETY�S 100 YEARS TO HOLD THE POSITION. IN A WAY, HER DUAL TITLE REFLECTS THE ORGANIZATION�S DUAL MISSION.
THAT MISSION HAS CHANGED LITTLE SINCE IT WAS FIRST WRITTEN DOWN IN 1904: �TO PERPETUATE THE FORESTS OF NEW HAMPSHIRE THROUGH THEIR WISE USE, AND THEIR COMPLETE RESERVATION IN PLACES OF SPECIAL SCENIC BEAUTY.� TODAY, THE SOCIETY ADVOCATES �COMPLETE RESERVATION� FOR A HOST OF CONSERVATION VALUES BEYOND SCENERY. AND �WISE USE� HAS DEVELOPED INTO THE SCIENCE OF SUSTAINABLE FORESTRY.
BUT DIFLEY SAYS AMONG CONSERVATION GROUPS ACROSS THE NATION, THE SOCIETY�S EMBRACE OF BOTH CONSERVATION AND FORESTRY REMAINS VIRTUALLY UNIQUE.
TAPE JANE DIFLEY, PRESIDENT-FORESTER, SPNHF, SIDE ONE 194 when the forest society was founded there were other organizations that embraced those two notions in the same way that we still do. But over the years, the two notions have evolved and sort of separated. And we�re one of the very few organizations that has held onto both of those notions. :19
SEEN THROUGH THE LENS OF TODAY, THE NEED FOR A FOREST SOCIETY AT THE TURN OF THE LAST CENTURY SEEMS OBVIOUS. HUGE CLEAR CUTS LEFT BEHIND SLASH THAT FUELED FIRES ACROSS TENS OF THOUSANDS OF ACRES. WITH NO TREES TO TAKE UP WATER, RIVERS OVERFLOWED THEIR BANKS AND FLOODED CITIES AND TOWNS. THE SOCIETY�S FIRST ACCOMPLISHMENT WAS TO PUSH FOR LEGISLATION RESULTING IN THE WHITE MOUNTAIN NATIONAL FOREST. OVER THE DECADES, IT WORKED TO CONSERVE THOUSANDS OF ACRES, AND PUSHED FOR TAX POLICIES THAT PROMOTED BETTER FORESTRY. AROUND THE COUNTRY, A HANDFUL OF OTHER GROUPS WITH SIMILAR MISSIONS DID THE SAME. BUT FOR MOST GROUPS, EVERYTHING STARTED TO CHANGE SOON AFTER THE FIRST EARTH DAY IN 1970. AL SAMPLE IS HEAD OF THE PINCHOT INSTITUTE FOR CONSERVATION, A WASHINGTON-BASED FORESTRY THINK-TANK. SAMPLE CITES THE EXPERIENCE OF �THE AMERICAN FORESTRY ASSOCIATION� - AN ORGANIZATION THAT PREDATES THE FOREST SOCIETY.
TAPE LOG, MD TRACK 8, AL SAMPLE, 250 members that tended to have a strong environmental tilt to their views tended to gravitate after the 1970s toward national conservation groups like the sierra club or the wildlife federation. And the foresters tended to drift off to other more professionally oriented organizations like the society of american foresters, left organizations like the american forestry association sort of high and dry, and their membership declined fairly precipitously. :27
IN CONTRAST, THE SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION OF NEW HAMPSHIRE FORESTS NOT ONLY SURVIVED THE 1970�S, IT GREW. SAMPLE SAYS THAT�S BECAUSE THE SOCIETY FUNCTIONED AS A KIND OF BRIDGE.
TAPE AL SAMPLE 552 they really had a foot in both camps. That is the forestry camp and the enviro camp. And they served as almost as shuttle diplomats, if you will, between the two. And helped educate the forestry community on the legitimate concerns that citizens had about these other values in forests. And also went the other way, helping to educate the people with environmental concerns over the ways that forestry could be practiced in a way that would be sustainable and would be environmentally sensitive.
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TODAY, THE FOREST PRODUCTS INDUSTRY CONTRIBUTES 4-BILLION DOLLARS A YEAR TO NEW HAMPSHIRE�S ECONOMY, AT THE SAME TIME 83-PERCENT OF THE STATE IS COVERED WITH TREES. ACROSS THE NATION, ONLY MAINE IS MORE FORESTED.
AND WHILE NEW HAMPSHIRE HAS MANY CONSERVATION GROUPS, THE SOCIETY IS EASILY THE MOST POWERFUL. IT OWNS 30-THOUSAND ACRES IN NEW HAMPSHIRE, MOST OF WHICH IT ACTIVELY MANAGES FOR TIMBER. IT HOLDS EASEMENTS ON ANOTHER 70-THOUSAND ACRES.
NO OTHER CONSERVATION GROUP GARNERS AS MUCH ATTENTION FROM NEW HAMPSHIRE�S GOVERNOR, WHETHER HE OR SHE IS REPUBLICAN OR DEMOCRAT.
AND NO OTHER ORGANIZATION ENJOYS AS GREAT A REPUTATION AS A CONSENSUS BUILDER AMONG JUST ABOUT ALL THE GROUPS WITH A VESTED INTEREST IN NEW HAMPSHIRE�S ENVIRONMENT. U-S SENATOR JUDD GREGG SAYS WHEN IT COMES TO GETTING COMPETING INTERESTS TO SIT DOWN AT THE TABLE � IT�S THE SOCIETY THAT USUALLY SUPPLIES THE TABLE.
TAPE JUDD GREGG 430 they have this unique capacity to take parties which maybe in other states would have been at each other�s throats and trying to destroy each other, and bring them together and work a consensus towards agreement on what are significantly difficult, extremely difficult policy issues involving the environment. :19
IN MOST STATES, IN AN ERA IN WHICH MANY GROUPS RAISE MONEY THROUGH WHAT GREGG CALLS DIRECT MAIL SCARE TACTICS, HE DOUBTS IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE TO LAUNCH A FOREST SOCIETY TODAY. WITH ITS FEET IN BOTH CAMPS � IT JUST WOULDN�T BE ABLE TO RAISE ENOUGH MONEY, GREG SAYS. AND IT WOULDN�T HAVE THE LONG TRACK RECORD NEEDED TO PLAY THE ROLE OF HONEST BROKER.
TAPE JUDD GREGG 934 in some parts of the country, in fact, regrettably I think in a majority of the country, there is no dialogue. It�s essentially a confrontation from day one. Each side goes to the battlements and shoots at each other. :09
THE SOCIETY HAS CRITICS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE, ALTHOUGH ONE MEASURE OF THE GROUP�S POWER MAY BE THAT NONE OF THOSE CRITICS AGREED TO BE INTERVIEWED FOR THIS STORY. STILL, JANE DIFLEY KNOWS THEY�RE THERE.
TAPE JANE DIFLEY SIDE TWO 113 there are those who think we are a preservationist organization. That we only want to lock up the woods. That we don�t believe in forestry, that we don�t allow people to use land. That�s one misconception that we battle. And on the other side, there are people who think all we care about is cutting trees and that we aren�t interested enough in protecting new hampshire�s forests. :22
LAST MONTH, THE SOCIETY USED THE OCCASION OF ITS ONE HUNDREDTH ANNUAL MEETING TO LAUNCH A NEW GOAL: TO PERMANENTLY PROTECT BY THE YEAR TWO-THOUSAND-25, ONE MILLION ACRES FROM FUTURE DEVELOPMENT. THAT�S ONE SIXTH OF THE STATE. THE SOCIETY�S RESEARCH DIRECTOR, SARAH THORNE, SAYS THAT�S WHAT IT WILL TAKE TO SAFEGUARD NEW HAMPSHIRE�S WORKING FORESTS AND FARMS, ITS DRINKING WATER, AND ITS WILDLIFE HABITAT.
TAPE, SIDE 2, SARAH THORNE 046 As each year goes by, our opportunities will be slimmer and the costs will be more expensive. That�s why it�s all the more important that we initiate this effort now, and not wait until it�s too late, as new jersey has done for example, where they�re having to pay very extreme values for conserving the open space that they�re suddenly waking up to realize is going to be gone. :27
THROUGH A REFERENDUM, NEW JERSEY VOTERS DEDICATED A BILLION DOLLARS � ONE HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS FOR EACH OF NEXT TEN YEARS � TO PROTECT AN EQUAL AMOUNT OF LAND IN THE GARDEN STATE. BY CONTRAST, NEW HAMPSHIRE�S FLEDGLING L-CHIP FUND WILL SPEND FIVE MILLION DOLLARS THIS YEAR � SEVEN MILLION NEXT YEAR. FOREST SOCIETY OFFICIALS SAY THERE�S NO WAY THEY CAN ACCOMPLISH THEIR GOAL ALONE. THEY SAY IT WILL TAKE ALL OF THE STATE�S ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS, BUSINESS GROUPS, STATE LAWMAKERS AND INDIVIDUAL CITIZENS � WORKING TOGETHER -- TO FIND CONSENSUS. FOR N-H-P-R NEWS, I�M DOUG MACPHERSON.
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