You're Invited to a Public Discussion about the Mascoma River!

Come find out about a non-regulatory, community-based approach to river management.
Share what you value about the Mascoma River and its watershed and voice your ideas and concerns for the river’s future.

The Mascoma River Nominating Committee, a tri-town citizen’s group concerned about the river’s future, is working to nominate the Mascoma River into the NH Rivers Management and Protection Program. Successful nomination would create a broadly representative Local Advisory Committee to address river-related issues cooperatively in the wider watershed area.

Please attend any of the sessions in three riverfront towns!
Public Discussion with the Lebanon Planning Board and Conservation Commission
Monday, April 26, 2010 at 7:00 pm, Lebanon Opera House, 51 North Park St, Lebanon

Public Discussion with the Canaan Board of Selectmen
Tuesday, April 27, 2010 at 7:00 pm, Canaan Fire Station, 62 NH Route 118, Canaan

Public Discussion in the Town of Enfield
Thursday, April 29, 2010 at 6:30 pm, Enfield Community Building, 308 US Route 4, Enfield

For more information, please go to www.uvlsrpc.org/MascomaRiver.html or call Rachel at 448-1680. Sponsored by the Mascoma River Nominating Committee with support from Upper Valley Lake Sunapee Regional Planning Commission.

Where the Wildlife Roam

Free Public Presentation

Bobcats Moving Through Our Valley:
Envisioning a Shared Landscape

Earth Day, Thursday, April 22, 7 pm
VINS Nature Center Classroom
6565 Woodstock Road (Route 4), Quechee, VT

Joint Program by
Kimberly Royar
Wildlife Habitat Biologist, Vermont Fish & Wildlife
Jens Hawkins-Hilke
Conservation Planning Biologist, Vermont Fish & Wildlife
Linking Lands Alliance
Townspeople Working Together on Regional Issues

Hosted by
The Vermont Institute of Natural Science
Free refreshments will be available

Jeanie McIntyre Receives 2010 Sarah Thorne Award

Jeanie McIntyre, President of the Upper Valley Land Trust (UVLT) in Hanover, was presented with the Sarah Thorne Conservation Capacity Award on Saturday at the annual Saving Special Places Conference in Weare, NH. The award was created in 2005 as a way to recognize people who make successful land conservation happen in the state of New Hampshire. Recipients are people who, in the course of their own conservation efforts, have enhanced the capacity of others to accomplish land conservation.

The award was created by the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests (SPNHF) to honor Sarah Thorne, who dedicated nearly 20 years of her career to land conservation in New Hampshire. Jane Difley, President of SPNHF, presented the award to Jeanie McIntyre at the Saving Special Places Conference on Saturday, April 10, at John Stark Regional High School in Weare, NH. McIntyre said she was honored to be recognized for her work in the Upper Valley region. “New Hampshire is distinguished among the 50 states for the vibrancy and effectiveness of its grassroots land conservation. That SPNHF, a statewide organization, has chosen to celebrate this kind of capacity building through statewide recognition is so wonderful. Thank you, Forest Society.” McIntyre’s name, along with those of previous recipients, will be inscribed on a permanent exhibit at the Conservation Center in Concord.

The Upper Valley Land Trust was created in 1985, as the Upper Valley Community Land Trust when Frances Field, who owned a small farm in Lebanon, asked “How can we keep all the farms in farming?” Jeanie McIntyre, a Lyme, NH native, has been a critical part of UVLT and land conservation in the Upper Valley for over 20 years. Serving in the capacity as Executive Director/President of UVLT for the last 15 years, she has largely shaped the growth of the organization. Over the years, UVLT has grown to hold conservation easements on more than 400 properties, amounting to more than 40,000 acres, across 44 towns, in two states and including over 27 miles of Connecticut River frontage. McIntyre has overseen the development and continual maintenance of over 22 community trails and seven canoe campsites, which are visited by scores of people each year.

Beyond advancing the goals of land conservation in the region, McIntyre seeks to improve and enhance the health of the Upper Valley community, as well as the viability of its landscape. McIntyre’s focus on the whole community includes encouraging collaboration between land conservation advocates and supporters of other nonprofit and educational organizations. She volunteers on the Board of Twin Pines Housing Trust, recognizing the need for affordable housing and its link to working lands and open spaces. She also has built enthusiasm for land protection in connection with school communities. McIntyre’s passion for this type of collaboration was evident in the recent successful community effort to protect Zebedee Headwaters in Thetford, an important property used as an outdoor classroom by the Thetford Elementary School.

Staff and Trustees of the Upper Valley Land Trust cordially invite friends and community members to join us in acknowledging McIntyre’s receipt of the Sarah Thorne Award and in celebrating her many years of dedication to land conservation in the Upper Valley. The organization will host an Open House on April 28, at 6 pm at their offices, 19 Buck Road, Hanover. For more information or to RSVP, please contact Nora Doyle-Burr at noradoyle-burr@uvlt.org or (603) 643-6626 ext. 102.

Photo courtesy of the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests.

2010 Green Choice Campaign

If you love our work then tell the world!

You have an exciting opportunity to help make even more of a difference in our community. GreatNonprofits – a site like Amazon reviews – is conducting a campaign to find the top-rated environmental nonprofits.

Won’t you help us participate in the campaign by posting a review of your experience with us? All reviews will be visible to potential donors and volunteers. It’s easy and only takes 3 minutes!

Go to:www.greatnonprofits.org/reviews/upper-valley-land-trust-inc

Be sure to choose “Green Choice Campaign” from the drop down menu of campaigns in the review template. With your help, we can gain greater visibility in the community.