New Hampshire Association of Conservation Commissions

New Hampshire Association of Conservation Commissions

2013 Annual Meeting Itinerary

Dedicated to the 50th Anniversary of the

Establishment of Conservation Commissions in New Hampshire

Registration Begins – 8:00

Lobby

Sunshine Morning Start – 8:00

Cafeteria – Prepared By Annie’s Café and Catering of Laconia

Business Meeting Begins – 8:30

Activity Room

Governor’s Commendation – 9:15

Activity Room

Governor Hassan has been invited to present the Governor’s Commendation commemoratingthe 50th Anniversary of the enabling legislation for conservation commissions in New Hampshire.

Keynote Presentation: Understanding Angry People: Bringing Civility Back to Public Meetings – 9:20

Activity Room

Description TBA

Speaker

Malcolm Smith, PhD, Extension Professor and Youth and Family Specialist, Department of Education at the University of New Hampshire and Founder of The Courage to Care Program

As a Youth and Education Specialist, Dr. Smith provides support, service and leadership to all Cooperative Extension Programs serving New Hampshire families. He designs and implements parenting support and training curriculum and programs to improve the quality of family life in New Hampshire. Malcolm is also a member of the Department of Family Studies faculty, teaching courses in Family Policy and serves on the Department's Graduate Committee and Advocacy Committee. He is also currently serving on the New Hampshire Legislative Task Force on Work and Family. Malcolm also writes a monthly column on work and family issues for the New Hampshire Business Review.

Dr. Smith has recently assisted in the founding of the Family Education Collaborative, a unique effort based in Manchester, which unites Cooperative Extension with the YWCA of Manchester, UNH Manchester, UNH Department of Family Studies and Family Support New Hampshire to make a meaningful contribution to family research and parent education.

Malcolm is the co-author and project director of the Courage to Care project - a school climate and culture curriculum designed to reduce bullying and peer victimization by increasing empathy, compassion and civility in young people. Smith's publication "Understanding Bullying" has been distributed widely across New England and the U.S. with over 100,000 in print.

Dr. Smith is a 2010 Graduate of Leadership New Hampshire.

Session A – 10:00-11:00

(Concurrent Sessions):

1. New Commissioners Workshop

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This session will introduce conservation commissioners (new and those looking for a refresher) to the New Hampshire Association of Conservation Commissions and what NHACC does to help municipalities and members in their work. In addition, there will be a review of the Handbook for New Hampshire Conservation Commission Members, and discussion of key concepts such as how to go through the wetlands permitting process, land management strategies, an overview of legal concepts like Right to Know and Conflict of Interest, and landowner relations. Lastly, the session will serve as a reminder that conservation commission work can infuse energy in the community and how to work with community members to enjoy the best their communities have to offer.

Presenters

NHACC Board Members

2. Conservation Projects from the Landowner’s Perspective: Motives, Tax Advantages and Concerns

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Each landowner brings a new perspective to a conservation transaction, and it is useful to understand the motives and concerns of the individual or family with whom you are dealing. This is particularly true when the landowner is seeking an income tax deduction for the gift of an easement or title to the property. During this session, enjoy a wide-ranging and interactive discussion of issues that arise in donated and purchased conservation transactions.

Presenters

Thomas Masland, Esq., Ransmeier & Spellman

Mr. Masland is an attorney with the Concord, NH law firm of Ransmeier & Spellman, P.C., and represents both landowners and conservation organizations in land protection and conservation transactions. Tom is also a trained Mediator. In addition, Tom is a frequent lecturer on both conservation and estate planning topics to professional audiences as well as the general public. A Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel, Tom also concentrates his practice in the areas of estate planning and administration, elder law and probate matters. Tom is a member of the Board of Conservation New Hampshire, a statewide political advocacy and education organization, and has been a board member of two regional land trusts.

Paul MacDonald, Esq., Ransmeier & Spellman

Mr. MacDonald has more than 20 years of experience representing and advising individual and institutional clients in real estate transactions, land use and conservation law matters. He also provides estate planning advice and services. Paul was born in Concord, Massachusetts and grew up in Underhill, Vermont. He graduated from Dartmouth College in 1985. After a short stint at Boston University’s graduate school of English, Paul received his J.D. in 1991 from Vanderbilt University School of Law, where he was an Associate Editor for the Vanderbilt Law Review. Paul lives in Hopkinton. A long-time fly fisherman and fly tier, Paul is active in conservation issues, and is a regular presenter at the Land Trust Alliance’s National Rallies and at the “Saving Special Places” conferences of the New Hampshire Center for Land Conservation Assistance. In addition, Paul is a past Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Five Rivers Conservation Trust. Paul is also a past Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Capital Region Food Program and continues to serve on the program’s Holiday Food Basket Project.

3. Community Forests: Creating a Community Asset

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Citizens create community forests as places for public recreation, wildlife, preservation of rural character, and as long-term sources of income to their towns. Learn how to create a community forest, from activating volunteers to winning support at Town Meeting.

Presenters

Julie Renaud Evans, Director of Forestry, Northern Forest Center

Ms. Renaud Evans manages the Community Forest program for the Northern Forest Center, working with community leaders across northern New England who want to acquire and manage forest land as a community asset. She facilities the process from concept to completion, helping to create community forests for community and economic development and to generate a wide range of ecological and community benefits.

Rebecca Brown, Executive Director, Ammonoosuc Conservation Trust

Ms. Brown managed the creation of the Cooley-Jericho Community Forest, the state's newest community forest, which involves four towns and the land trust. As a former journalist and newspaper editor and as a current state representative, she is keen on how the conservation community grows support for our work.

4. Low Impact Development Strategies and Methods

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A high impact seminar for conservation, environmental, development, building and remodeling communities who wish to reduce the potential environmental impacts of residential or mixed use development through a coordinated effort bringing together all these diverse interests from project planning through final construction. A few examples of the practices to be covered include: exploration of infill sites used for development; efficient use of greyfields or brownfields for development; crafting a design strategy for land development through a mission statement; conservation of natural resources; preserving and enhancing wildlife habitat; and others.

Presenter

Philip LaRocque, President, LaRocque Business Management Services, LLC

Mr. LaRocque one of the top 20 National Green Building Standard (NGBS) Accredited Verifiers out of the 450 Verifiers nationally and was recently awarded the NGBS Green Building Partners of Excellence award. He has consulted and certified hundreds of single-family new homes, single-family renovations, and hundreds of multi-family dwellings on the National Green Building Standard which includes hundreds of low impact development practices. He serves all of New Hampshire, New England and New York.

5. Layman’s Guide to Creating Maps for Conservation Planning

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The creation of computer-based maps used to be difficult, technical and expensive. However, new advances in mapping technologies have made it possible for almost anyone to create and share their own maps for little or no cost. This session will cover the use of online maps and smartphone apps for conservation work, including documenting features in the field and making/sharing maps online.

Presenter

Shane Bradt, PhD, Geospatial Extension Specialist, UNH Cooperative Extension

Mr. Bradt leads UNH Cooperative Extension's outreach efforts involving geospatial technologies, the three main categories of which are geographic information systems (GIS), global positioning system (GPS) and remote sensing. As one of 12 Geospatial Extension Specialists in the country, Shane develops educational workshops and works to advance geospatial tools to help organizations make good decisions regarding community planning and natural resource conservation.

6. Love Your River? Don’t Procrastinate: Nominate!

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Your river is special and deserves all of the recognition and protection that the State of New Hampshire can offer. We will discuss the state’s Rivers Management and Protection Program; its levels of protection; how it dovetails with other laws, programs, and ordinances; how you can conduct a nomination process with river communities; and what resources are available to help. You will gain the knowledge, referrals, references, and other resources to begin a study and nomination process so that one day, you will be proud as you stand next to the Governor while she signs your nomination into the Rivers Management and Protect Act.

Presenter

Michele L. Tremblay, Principal, naturesource communications

Ms. Tremblay serves as a consultant to nonprofit organizations, governments, and businesses from her office in Boscawen. She helps her clients with their organization management, capacity building, communication, and natural resource planning needs. For two decades, she served on the Boscawen Conservation Commission and was its chair for fifteen years. A New Hampshire native, Michele has been recognized for her service with variety of land, planning, river, and lake conservation groups. This summer, she received a River Advocate Award for her work with the state Rivers Management and Protection Program (1988-2013)as well as a 2003 National River Hero award, “Catch of the Year” volunteer award, has been named the first NH River Conservationist of the Year in 1998 by the NH Department of Environmental Services, and Environmental Hero by Proctor Academy in 2002.

7. Picking Our Battles: Invasive Plant Projects on Town Lands

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Invasive plants are changing the face of America. They can cause significant ecological and economic harm and are a common focus of restoration projects. However, these projects may not be successful in the long-term when conducted at the individual stand or property scale without regard to a regional strategy or coordinated planning. For example, invasive plants know no boundaries and can easily reestablish from surrounding areas unless a landscape-scale strategic approach is taken to prioritizing control projects. This presentation will cover new and upcoming information available on a town-by-town basis that can be used for local invasive plant control planning. We will then discuss project planning in relation to scale and objectives, as well as how organizations such as UNH Cooperative Extension, County Conservation Districts, and the Natural Resources Conservation Service are available to assist with local projects.

Presenters

Rachel Stevens, Stewardship Coordinator, Great Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve / NH Fish and Game

Ms. Stevens is the Stewardship Coordinator for the Great Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. She is alsoa member of the statewide NH Natural Heritage Bureau and NH Fish and Game Department Invasive Plant Working Group, the Lamprey River Wild and Scenic Advisory Committee and Conservation Chair for NH AMC Paddlers.

Leonard A. Lord, PhD, District Manager, Rockingham County Conservation District

Dr. Lord is a certified wetland scientist and certified soil scientist and has collaborated on several projects to control the spread of invasive plants. He is also a licensed pesticide applicator.

Malin Clyde, Wildlife Program Education Coordinator, UNH Cooperative Extension

Ms. Clyde works for UNH Cooperative Extension doing wildlife education work with the NH Coverts Project and other volunteer efforts. Her most recent endeavor is launching The Stewardship Network of New England, a way to coordinate volunteers and conservation activities in support of the stewardship of NH's natural resources. She's a former member of the Durham Conservation Commission, and a current chair of the Durham Land Stewardship Subcommittee of the Commission.

8. Strategies and Solutions for Dealing with Difficult People

Activity Room

Description TBA

Presenter

Malcolm Smith, PhD, Extension Professor and Youth and Family Specialist, Department of Education at the University of New Hampshire and Founder of The Courage to Care Program

Dr. Smith is a 2010 Graduate of Leadership New Hampshire.

Morning Field Trips – 10:00-12:15

1. Culvert Assessments and Instream Aquatic Habitat Development

Start in Cafeteria

This field trip will review actual road stream crossing conditions that may impact the vulnerability of crossing during high flow events. Attendees will work with the field trip leaderto identify how undersized and inadequately installed crossings lead to geomorphic incompatibility with stream dynamics and the potential negative outcomes from extreme storm events. We will also review the development and improvement of aquatic habitat through reintroducing large wood to headwater stream channels.

Leader

Colin Lawson, New England Culvert Project Coordinator, Trout Unlimited

Mr. Lawson joined Trout Unlimited (TU) in 2010 as the New England Culvert Project Coordinator. His focus is to reconnect Eastern brook trout habitat in priority New England watersheds through the removal, replacement or retrofit of currently impassable stream crossings. Colin also strives to improve aquatic habitat utilizing large wood and other structural additions during instream channel restorations on both private and public lands. Colin works with TU’s state councils and chapters, local, state and federal agencies, landowners, and other non-profit organizations in the Green and White Mountain National Forests and across Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont. Prior to joining TU, Colin managed cross country ski areas in Vermont before returning to graduate school to study environmental science at Antioch New England University.

2. Putting the NH Method to Work: Wetland Evaluation in the Field

Start in Cafeteria

At this field-based session, we will evaluate selected functions from the 2013 NH Method for Bow Town Pond, a diverse wetland complex just a few minutes drive from Rundlett Middle School. You’ll learn how to use the NH Method for wetland evaluation, as well as learning about wetland functions, values and ecology. What to bring: Clothing appropriate for any predicted weather, closed shoes (e.g. waterproof boots/old sneakers), clipboard, pencil with eraser, personal drinking water. Be prepared for damp, muddy conditions.

Leaders

Amanda Lindley Stone, Extension Specialist, UNH Cooperative Extension

Ms. Stone is Extension Specialist, Land and Water Conservation, with UNH Cooperative Extension. She provides technical assistance, guidance and facilitation to communities working on natural resources inventories, land conservation planning, identifying and prioritizing resources for protection, education and outreach planning, wetland evaluation, and using NH’s Wildlife Action Plan and related resources. Amanda co-authored the original 1991 NH Method and led the effort to revise and produce the 2011 and 2012-2013 NH Method updates.

Frank Mitchell, Professor Emeritus, UNH Cooperative Extension

Mr. Mitchell is Emeritus Extension Professor and Specialist, Land and Water Conservation, with the University of New Hampshire. He has served on the NH Method Wetland Evaluation Revision Committee and is a contributing author and editor of the NH Method. Mitchell is active in his community, Deerfield, where he has served on the Conservation Commission and continues volunteering for special projects. He is also a member of Bear-Paw Regional Greenways’ (land trust) Board of Directors.

Nancy Rendall, Owner, Blue Moon Environmental

Ms. Rendall has more than 30 years of experience in natural resource consulting in New Hampshire. She is a certified wetland scientist and a certified soil scientist.Nancy is a contributing author of the NH Method and is an active participant in the NH Method Review and Training Committee. She also serves the profession as a governor-appointed member on two State committees.

Session B – 11:15-12:15

(Concurrent Sessions):

1. Who Can You Partner with to Reach Your Goals? (And How to Work with Them!)

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A presentation and discussion on the various municipal, regional, state and federal organizations a Conservation Commission can tap for help in achieving its goals. Come hear some ideas and examples of where to find knowledge, money, and power to help you help your community. A member of the Rockingham Planning Commission will be part of the presentation to outline the services Planning Commissions can provide Conservation Commissions.