By GEORGE BALD
Conservation easements are designed to protect the public interest by ensuring that land remains accessible for recreation and preserves its historical uses and environmental significance. When such easements are funded with public tax dollars, there is a clear expectation that the land will be managed in a way that aligns with the core purposes of the easement. In the case of the Connecticut Lakes Headwaters Trust, that includes logging that follows the best forestry practices, wise recreational uses and access to the land. Anyone acquiring this property would be aware of these requirements prior to closing.
On October 9, 2003, as Commissioner of the former Department of Resources and Economic Development, I had the honor, alongside Governor Jeanne Shaheen, Senator Judd Gregg and others to sign into protection the largest tract of land in New Hampshire’s history. It was a remarkable effort on the part of many State agencies, recreation organizations, Federal partners, the local Towns, Environmental groups and Conservation nonprofits. My agency played a key role in this effort as we included Parks and Recreation, Forest and Lands, Travel and Tourism and Economic Development, divisions that were affected by the project. We acquired the development rights and established an easement to ensure the property’s future remains consistent with the planned vision and commitments made to all stakeholders.
State Parks took on the responsibility of managing the road system to allow recreation access as well as the ability of trucks to reach areas that where logging was occurring. The Division of Forest and Lands was tasked with insuring that the logging operations followed sustainable forestry initiatives.
This property has been a major component of the region’s economy for more than 100 years. It contains outstanding recreational values as a result of a long history of multiple use management, including nationally significant cold water fisheries, approximately 150 miles of groomed snowmobile trails and the opportunity for hunting, hiking, snowshoeing and other activities. The easement allowed for the expansion of recreation and tourism. The land is vital not only for the local communities, but the entire State.
Today, the 146,000-acre CT Lakes Headwaters Trust easement, once a balanced model of working forest and conservation, is now being mismanaged by the current owner. The business is prioritizing its company’s carbon-first approach to land management which completely disregards the original intent of the easement.
Going counter to the easement, Carbon-first forest management, which focused on maximizing carbon sequestration, sacrifices other essential values. It will severely curtail logging operations, affecting the community’s revenues, reducing the revenue to the Parks system effort to keep access for recreation, and providing lumber for regional sawmills. The carbon credits that stop logging on the property will be sold in California.
We must remember this easement was purchased with federal funds, state funds, and the support of many conservation organizations. The public, who funded this easement with their tax dollars, deserve that these lands fulfill their intended purpose, and provide a return on that investment. Reducing or stopping timber harvest will lead to direct and indirect job losses, diminished investments in traditional and innovative forestry industries, decreased municipal revenues from timber taxes as well as the loss of income for local loggers, truckers, mechanics and sawmills. Keep in mind, forest products make up the 3rd largest part of the State’s economy.
Now more the ever, strong leadership is needed to strengthen oversight of this easement. The Attorney General, the Commissioner of the Department of Cultural and Natural Resources and the Director of Forest and Lands need to enforce the original intent of the easement.
21 years ago, a remarkable group of people came together to develop an easement that thoughtfully preserved traditional uses, but in a way that helped the environment and the recreational opportunities for our citizens and our visitors.
Carbon-first forestry management is a bad idea for this piece of land. It requires the State of New Hampshire to subsidize California’s objectives instead of achieving our own.
George M. Bald
Rochester, NH
George Bald served as Commissioner of the Department of Resources and Economic Development under Governors Shaheen, Benson and Lynch.
Editor’s note: George Bald is also a member of InDepthNH.org’s board of directors. Board members do not influence editorial policy or decisions.