On November 3rd 235 conservationists gathered for the NH Association of Conservation Commissions 37th Annual Meeting. 27 workshops and 3 field trips were offered on various topics such as land protection and stewardship, legislative issues, agriculture & energy committees, wetlands, shoreland protection, planning and more.
The keynote address was provided by NH Department of Environmental Services Commissioner Tom Burack. He addressed topics of Climate Change and growth. Commissioner Burack also mentioned DES' new Partnership Program and announced that NHACC would be the first of such partners. NHACC Executive Director Carol Andrews and Commissioner Burack signed the partnership agreement following the keynote address.
NHACC announced its intention to make events more carbon neutral. There were no plastic water bottles provided for participants, though there was plenty of wonderful local food and organic, fair-trade coffee. Participant comments included: "Lunch was delicious, great to have washable forks," "Hooray for progress toward carbon neutral!" "Coffee was especially tasty" and "great speaker- I'm glad to see a man of action at the helm of DES- very pertinent."
Thank you to Woodmont Orchards in Londonderry for donating apples and to A & E Coffee Roastery in Amherst for their donation of coffee and a loan of equipment to make it. Morning muffins and scones were provided by Aesop's Tables in Peterborough and lunch catering was provided by Theresa's Catering of Henniker.
On October 2, 2007 NHACC launched its newly redesigned website.
In an effort to provide more modern and improved services to its member commissions the NHACC has re-designed its website. This redesign is the first phase of the website project. We hope the improved navigability and features will make this a more valuable and user-friendly tool to find out more about the NHACC and NHACC events, conservation issues as well as other commissions around the state.
In the future we hope to add features that will eventually include an NHACC members only section as well as other improvements and enhancements.
Please feel free to us with comments, suggestions or opinions.