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White Mountains Initiative (NH)

Photo by: Monkman/www.ecophotography.com

One of the best loved natural treasures in the Northeast, New Hampshire's White Mountains are located within a day's drive of Boston, New York City, and Montreal, and draw more than 6 million visitors each year--as many as Yosemite and Yellowstone National Parks combined. The 800,000-acre White Mountain National Forest, under the leadership of Forest Supervisor Tom Wagner, is the region's signature attraction, encompassing five National Wilderness Areas and four dozen peaks above 4,000 feet. The National Forest is complemented by roughly 40,000 acres of additional private, local, and state conservation land, including nine popular state parks.

Photo by: Ned Therrien

The foundation for the region's tourism economy, the White Mountains also provide critical habitat for wildlife, filter and store drinking water, provide raw materials for the forest products industry, and offer area residents a tranquil place to connect with nature and enjoy the outdoors. Hundreds of volunteers help maintain hiking trails and shelters in the region by working with organizations like the Appalachian Mountain Club, Dartmouth Outing Club, Randolph Mountain Club, and Wonalancet Out Door Club. Thousands of others simply enjoy their favorite scenic views, mountain peaks, and fishing holes.

Despite the popularity and importance of the White Mountains, growing rates of land development are threatening the region's ecological and recreational integrity. For the last two decades, New Hampshire has lost an average of 13,000 acres of forestland to development each year, impacting important trails and wildlife habitat in the White Mountain region.

In the National Forest, for example, land sales and construction have forced the abandonment of at least six trails and the relocation of more than 15 others since 1985. In addition, second home and commercial development has the potential to fragment sections of the forest, and in particular to disrupt the connection between the Presidential and Kilkenny Ranges, degrading this critical wildlife and recreation corridor.

 

The White Mountains Conservation Initiative

The Trust for Public Land (TPL), a national nonprofit organization, has made a long-term commitment to the White Mountains, helping to protect nearly 20,000 in Coos and Grafton Counties. Today, TPL is advancing major initiatives in the region to 1) protect popular trails and trailheads and 2) link the Presidential and Kilkenny Units of the National Forest with a mix of federal, state, municipal, and private conservation land. The success of these initiatives will help ensure the long-term ecological health of the White Mountains and its popularity as a destination for recreation-based tourism.

Protecting White Mountain Trails

Photo by: Ned Therrien

In 1998, TPL joined forces with the Appalachian Mountain Club and the White Mountain National Forest to form the White Mountain Trail Protection Partnership. The three organizations updated a study of trails and trailheads in the White Mountains and found that nearly one-quarter of the National Forest's trails originate on or cross private land. The study also identified 55 privately owned properties within the boundary of the National Forest that contain portions of hiking trails, including the Appalachian Trail.

Thanks to assistance from New Hampshire's Congressional delegation, the National Forest Foundation, the Martin Foundation, and other supporters, the Partnership has already made significant progress towards protecting key trails, including:

• permanently conserving 60 acres in Albany surrounding the trailhead for the popular Piper Trail, which leads to the summit of Mt. Chocorua,
• adding 325 acres in Bartlett to the National Forest, including portions of both the Moat Mountain and Red Ridge Trails, and
• negotiating an agreement to purchase 10 acres in Hart's Location that includes the trailhead of the Davis Path, one of the oldest hiking trails in the country. This parcel is slated to be added to the National Forest by December 2003.

In 2001, the Partnership updated the White Mountain trail study and prioritized properties based on the potential for development, popularity of each trail, and the willingness of the landowner to conserve the property. As a result of this process, the Partnership has identified 15 top priority opportunities for protection. Over the next five years, we hope to protect at least 10 of these properties, including portions of the Mount Kinsman Trail in Easton, Carr Mountain Trail in Warren, and both the Castle Trail and Sylvan Way in Randolph.

"The Trust for Public Land was instrumental in adding my land to the White Mountain National Forest. I got a fair price for the property and am pleased that the land will now remain undeveloped, with sections of the Red Ridge and Moat Mountain Trails permanently protected." - Chet Lucy, former owner of 325 acres in Bartlett

Connecting the White Mountain Ranges

Photo by: Monkman/www.ecophotography.com

Larger than the state of Rhode Island, the White Mountain National Forest and adjoining state, local, and private conservation land form one of the largest ecological and recreational greenways in New England. Safeguarding the integrity of this corridor by linking the Presidential and Kilkenny Units of the National Forest will maintain critical habitat for wildlife, especially for wide-ranging mammals like black bear and moose, and for neotropical songbirds that require large areas of unbroken forestland to thrive. In addition, it will protect the outstanding opportunities for long-distance backcountry recreation and wilderness exploration that the region offers.

TPL has been working since 1999 with a large coalition of partners to link together conservation land in the Presidential and Kilkenny Ranges of the White Mountains. A major milestone in this effort was reached in 2001 when TPL helped the Town of Randolph purchase 10,198 acres that straddle the gap between the National Forest units. At the same time, with funding from the federal Forest Legacy program, the State of New Hampshire purchased a conservation easement over this land to permanently prohibit development, guarantee public access, and mandate sustainable forestry practices. In 2002, TPL helped add approximately 3,200 adjacent acres around the Pond of Safety to the National Forest's Kilkenny Unit.

The Randolph Community Forest and Pond of Safety lands provide a strong foundation upon which to build a solid corridor of conservation land linking the two ranges of the White Mountains. Now, TPL is reaching out to other landowners in the area, with the goal of broadening this corridor. Over the next five years, we hope to protect 10 priority properties along the Route 2 corridor, totaling roughly 7,000 acres.

"I have always considered preserving the unique facets of New Hampshire's pristine environment a top-most priority. By working to protect land in the White Mountains, the Trust for Public Land is helping to achieve this goal and to conserve one of the state's most valuable gems. Together we can ensure that residents and visitors will enjoy its scenic beauty and untamed wildlife for years to come." - U.S. Senator Judd Gregg

Your Support is Needed!

To protect the exceptional recreational and ecological values of the White Mountains, and to leverage public funds for land acquisition, TPL is seeking private contributions of $1 million over the next five years. These funds will cover hard costs associated with real estate transactions, such as appraisals, legal fees, surveys, and closing costs. In addition, they will help cover the continuing research needed to update trail surveys and landowner information. Finally, they will play a critical role in supporting TPL's conservation staff working in the White Mountains. The partnership of people who know and care about this special part of New Hampshire will be essential in protecting what is irreplaceable in the region. To make a gift, please contact Jonathon Hopps at (603) 224-0103 or (207) 772-7424 ext. 1.

"The White Mountains Trail Partnership is a model effort that demonstrates how recreation and conservation can be linked. The forward-thinking nature of this endeavor will help ensure that the White Mountain National Forest will be enjoyed forever." - Bill Possiel, President, National Forest Foundation

A Legacy of Land

Photo by: Ned Therrien

Since 1987, the Trust for Public Land has worked with communities, the State of New Hampshire, U.S. Forest Service, New Hampshire's Congressional delegation, the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests, Appalachian Mountain Club, The Nature Conservancy, and other partners to protect more than a dozen properties in the White Mountains, totaling roughly 20,000 acres. These include 450 acres near the Mount Washington Hotel, 857 acres around Glen House at the base of Mount Washington, 5,000 acres around Lake Tarleton, and 13,000 around the Pond of Safety in Randolph and Jefferson. These lands protect critical habitat for wildlife, provide public access to the Appalachian Trail and other trails, maintain wild and scenic views, and help supply timber for the local economy.

Just north of the White Mountains, TPL has also helped protect 8,000 acres around Lake Umbagog.This wild and scenic lake is located east of the state's Nash Stream Forest along the Maine/New Hampshire border and provides outstanding habitat for wildlife and opportunities for outdoor recreation. To date, TPL has helped create New Hampshire's Lake Umbagog State Park on the southern tip of the lake and added critical wildlife habitat in both states to the Lake Umbagog National Wildlife Refuge.

At the top of the state, TPL is spearheading a joint campaign with the Forest Society and The Nature Conservancy to conserve 171,000 acres surrounding the headwaters of the Connecticut River in Pittsburg, Clarksville, and Stewartstown. Constituting 3 percent of the state's total area, this property has enormous significance for New Hampshire's natural environment, timber and tourist economies, and cultural identity. With the property's sale by International Paper, New Hampshire citizens have a once-in-a-lifetime chance to guarantee that this land continues to provide the economic, recreation, and ecological benefits that it has provided for generations.

Partner Web Sites

Appalachian Mountain Club

White Mountain National Forest

Updated 5/2006