Walpole Community Conservation Partnership Task Force Forming; Seeks to Educate the Community about Conservation

 by Sue Bingaman, Contributing Writer

     The Monadnock Conservancy has selected Walpole as one of five contiguous towns to participate in the Community Conservation Partnership, an initiative to address the challenge of development growth, measured by the increasing number of building permits issued in a community, that could compromise the towns' rural character that many people value and want to preserve.

   The goals of this collaborative effort of towns and the Community Conservation Partnership are to: 1. Have each community's members identify what they want their town to look and be like in the future. 2. Have the communities consider how conservation could contribute in achieving their visions. 3. Have the communities identify and locate landscape features that contribute the most to defining their town. 4. Determine, through consensus, the highest conservation priorities. 5. Take steps to protect land while it is still relatively inexpensive.

     Monadnock Conservancy literature highlights several concerns that they want to address: "New Hampshire is the fastest growing state in the North East. Many towns are experiencing unplanned growth. The community character and local resources of communities are threatened. Conservation is becoming more expensive. And easement and land donations are becoming more rare."

     Fortunately, from conservationists' point of view, the Monadnock region still reflects historic settlement patterns and many consider the region an undiscovered gem. The Conservancy believes there is still potential to protect important lands at low cost. However, development pressures are beginning to be felt through increasing land prices and some land that is the easiest to develop, frequently rich agricultural land, being lost to other uses. Walpole has an unusually high percentage of rich agricultural land.

     Some towns, realizing the importance of conservation, are forming open space committees and setting aside funds. Other towns don't understand the importance of conservation. As part of its role in the Partnership, Walpole will be expected to form a task force that will seek consensus on what conservation priorities and steps the town should take.

     Throop continued, "The challenge of your Task Force is how to make the townspeople  aware of conservation options and how to move them toward community based action. We need to help the town see itself--what makes it unique. The key is getting a good broad cross section of people and interests on the task force. You want the results to be representative. You want people who have lived in the community for generations, new people, business people, farmers, hunters, snowmobilers , hikers, birders, artists- a diverse group with diverse interests and concerns for the use of the land to participate with input."

    Throop added, "It is very important to develop a broad understanding in the community about the need for conservation, how it can benefit your town and to do something about it in time so land is still there for generations to come. You can't make more land."

     The Task Force is planning a 'Gathering' in Walpole where interested community members can join in the dialog.