[at-l] An article from the Manchester Union Leader today

[revmrf@kingcon.com (Martin Fors)]

North Country wary of more fed land

By PAULA TRACY, Union Leader Staff

PITTSBURG, N.H., Aug. 30 - U.S. Sen. Judd Gregg yesterday assured there 
will be no major strings attached to any federal money he might seek for 
the protection of International Paper Co.’s North Country land.

       The New Hampshire Republican acknowledged significant resistance to 
the idea that the federal government gain control of the 171,000 acres 
which International Paper put on the market for sale in July.

      The Trust for Public Land reports it is about to enter a purchase and 
sales agreement for the entire tract, and will hold it until local and 
state government leaders devise a plan to protect the land for recreation, 
continued logging and resource protection values.

      In the past, the senator has helped secure funding for land to be 
added to the 780,000-acre White Mountain National Forest.

      But rather than advocate that this — the largest tract of privately 
held land in the state — be added into the national forest, Gregg already 
has secured $4 million which could be used to buy an easement to keep the 
land open for recreation, logging and on the tax rolls.

      After he chaired the second meeting of the Connecticut Lakes 
Headwaters Partnership Task Force at Pittsburg High School yesterday, Gregg 
said his efforts in Washington to get this funding and more should not be 
construed as a federal initiative that will eventually mean federal control.

      The task force received a report yesterday of a technical committee — 
also appointed by Gregg and Gov. Jeanne Shaheen — that shows the IP lands 
have a substantial influence on the region’s economy, not only from the 
standpoint of logging, but from tourism.

      The committee estimates the land represents $57 million in economic 
impact to the state each year.

      It has more than 200 miles of snowmobile trails and over the past 40 
years, more than 100,000 cords of wood have been cut on the land.

      The land for sale is in Pittsburg, West Stewartstown and Clarksville 
at the northern tip of the state where snow bases are more reliable.

      Task force members discussed the issue of who should ultimately own 
the land.

      Gregg said he sees two possible scenarios.

      “You could do it with a private company owning the land and we (the 
public) buy the easement so that the land is just used for sustainable 
forest activities and recreation. Or we can do it the other way around and 
have the state government, with local support and input, own the land and 
you lease the forest activities to private enterprise. I think I opt toward 
the second scenario because that assures you that you have the land in 
perpetuity.”

      The task force worked yesterday on a list of priorities through 
consensus that members would like to see for the land that include 
continued timber management for sustainable forestry, and protection of 
ecologically sensitive resources and special places.

      Members agreed that recreation interests need to be protected and the 
third priority is using the land to sustain economic vitality.

      Meanwhile, an inventory of rare plant species and wildlife is being 
done on the land, as is an appraisal of its value.

      IP has indicated it wants to close the sale on the property by Jan. 1 
and that means the task force and its technical committee are working on a 
tight time frame to determine if they will go forward to acquire easements.

      Gregg called the progress extraordinary.

      “I am very impressed with the local community leadership here in the 
North Country. All the players are actively participating. I am especially 
impressed with the state leadership,” he said.

      Following the meeting in the evening, a public hearing was held. Only 
six people came to speak and only about nine of the 24 members of the task 
force were in attendance, although the hearing was taped for them. This 
contrasts to close to 100 who attended an initial hearing on the issue in 
late July in Pittsburg.

      Ron Rodrigue of West Stewartstown said a loss of cutting logs on the 
land would mean a loss of jobs, something that the region can ill-afford 
now with mills in trouble in Berlin and Gorham.

      Jamie Sayen of North Stratford said the land has already been cut 
very hard and he feels people are mistaken if they think there will be lots 
of sustainable harvesting and plenty of jobs cutting it over the next 20 
years.

      The task force will meet next in Concord on Sept. 11 from 1 to 4 p.m. 
at the Unitarian Church on Pleasant Street. That meeting will be followed 
by a public hearing from 6 to 7:30 p.m.

"...the music of the songs I love is found in the open air."
	From a Danish children's song.

Martin R. Fors.