Layoffs and Cutbacks Affect Environmental Organizations

Last year alone, the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests protected more than 6,000 acres in 25 communities across the state.

This year the organization hopes it can keep that pace, but it’s already experiencing tough times.

Spokesman Jack Savage.

1:58 we eliminated six fulltime and two part time positions, it still leaves us with 40 people on staff at the Forest Society and most of the changes are programmatic.

For example, they eliminated an assistance program that helps communities and other organizations protect land.

They’ve also eliminated their research department, which recently analyzed forest cutting trends in the North Country.

Savage says donations are down slightly as well- but he doesn’t think the downturn will affect their mission.

4:30 we take a very long view and we try to do thing in perpetuity, when we conserve land, its forever, so I’m not sure that we’re concerned that what we expect to be a two or three year downturn in the economy will have long term negative impacts on the environment.

But Savage admits in the short term, some conservation projects may take longer to complete.

He points to a project in New Durham where the Forest Society had struck a deal with a developer to conserve 2000 acres.

16:45 however LCHIP suspended its grant round, some of the other funding sources that we thought might be applicable to this project aren’t in a position to fund it right now

LCHIP, or the Land and Community Heritage Investment Program, gives matching grants to communities and non-profits to conserve land.

But Governor John Lynch ordered the independent state agency to return three million dollars and not award grants this year to help offset the state’s budget deficit.

LCHIP executive director Deborah Turcott Young says the organization is now relying on fees from real estate transactions and other documents.

1:15 that money we anticipated to be about six million dollars when the fee was set in place, but at this time we’re looking at maybe between 2.5 million and 3 million that will come in this fiscal year, so we may not even make up for the three million dollar reduction.

She promises LCHIP will honor all current grant commitments.

But Turcott Young says with a smaller grant pool, the reductions may mean only smaller land conservation projects get funding.

3:30 it has a dramatic impact any reduction in LCHIP funding you can basically look around and say well, that means there’s going to be less conservation work happening, because our funding is such a critical part of that.

// 4:35 I’m certainly concerned at the prospect of LCHIP not getting adequate funding…

That’s Daryl Burtnett, Director of the Nature Conservancy in New Hampshire.

He says LCHIP funding motivates local communities to identify important natural environments and preserve them.

The Nature Conservancy has had its share of troubles lately as well.

Burtnett says donations are down 20 to 30 percent.

:45 we’ve not only cut back on some of our spending but we have also had to cut back a little bit on our staff…two full time people and one part time person.

He says the cutbacks will put an extra burden on the 21 people still working there, but he doesn’t think land protection will suffer.

6:06 The big thing is that we tend to be a little bit less opportunistic in these times, more focused on what science tells us our top priorities are

And with the economy straining local budgets, many towns are looking at using money designated for conservation to fill the gap.

In Sandown New Hampshire, some citizens tried unsuccessfully to put the conservation commission’s funding into the general fund.

The Commission gets its money from tax revenue gained when land is taken out of current use.

Mark Traeger with Sandown’s Conservation Commission.

1:13 we’ve always been pretty much on our own and have used current use penalty monies to finance land purchases, but it’s a two-sided coin, the more we get, the more open space has been developed.

Lately land development has slowed - which means less money coming to Sandown’s Conservation Commission.

But if development continues to stagnate, land prices may come down.

If that happens, environmental organizations may be able to afford to conserve more property.

For NHPR news, I’m Amy Quinton.