The New Hampshire Department of Natural and Cultural Resources has rejected a carbon offset company’s stewardship proposal for 146,000 acres in the North Country, citing the plan’s potential negative impact on timber production.
The North-Carolina based company, now known as Aurora Sustainable Lands, purchased the land, known as the Connecticut Lakes Headwaters Forest, in 2022. Since then, timber harvesting has already decreased in the forest, raising concerns from members of the local forestry community.
The forest is under a conservation easement, which dictates that the land remain a working forest and requires the landowner to submit a forest stewardship plan every 10 years. According to the state’s natural resource department, Aurora’s proposed plan violates the purpose of this easement because it did not adequately protect timber harvesting in the forest or support the local economy.
Officials pointed out it could reduce the harvest volume by 30% to 60%.
Despite the site’s goal of reducing overall carbon output, some forestry experts said it might not do that across the board.
Andy Fast, a forest industry state specialist with the University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension, said the reduction in timber harvesting in the forest has increased the carbon footprint of some local businesses.
“I know some of the wood that was being harvested [in the forest] was getting sent to local mills,” he said. “And I know one mill in particular had to source their wood from farther away.”
The state said it is open to Aurora adjusting the plan to better align with the easement’s goals while harvesting carbon credits.
Blake Stansell, Aurora’s president, said the company is reviewing the rejection and holding additional discussions with state officials.
“Aurora and DNCR have a shared goal of ensuring the Connecticut Lakes Headwaters Working Forest continues to support local timber harvesting and forest products industries, wildlife, recreation, and related businesses as it has for more than a decade,” he wrote in a statement to NHPR.
