Representatives with New Hampshire's Land and Community Heritage Investment Program (LCHIP) today announced awards of almost $4 million in matching grants.
At total of 42 natural and historic resource projects will receive the L-CHIP money.
The largest grant of $350,000 will support the Southeast Land Trust of New Hampshire's efforts to conserve the Birch Ridge Community Forest in New Durham.
Jason Scruton runs a dairy operation in Farmington where his son is a fifth generation farmer. Nearly a quarter of a million dollars will go toward an agricultural easement there.
"It's gonna help us conserve and keep this land from development and help us to be able to use it to continue to farm and take care of our cows," Scruton said.
Smaller awards were announced too, including about $36,000 for the Milton Free Public Library. Once a school, the building's bell tower is in need of repair.
Assistant Librarian Ruth Gutman said the place is more than just the structure.
"We are one of those communities who still many our families do not have internet access at home, so we provide internet access,” Gutman said. “For our small library, which is a real hub of our community, we would never have been able to do this work without L-CHIP."
Governor Chris Sununu, who attended the event, said L-CHIP efforts to preserve the state's resources "defined the 603."
