Richard DeMark: Supporting the Belknap County Conservation District

To The Daily Sun,

This letter was submitted to the Belknap County Delegation. I urge residents of Belknap County that cherish our land and water resources to contact the delegation in support of the Belknap County Conservation District.

I am contacting you to urge your support of the $50,000 budget request for the Belknap County Conservation District. This request is the same amount approved last year.

For 75 years, the Belknap County Conservation District has protected land and water resources in Belknap County. It provides conservation assistance to Belknap County landowners, communities and organizations. BCCD is a county institution and hardly an "outside" agency.

A budget allocation of $50,000 equates to 35 cents for a $200,000 property. On the flip side, for every dollar of county funding, BCCD generates $18 in products and services for Belknap County residents through donations, volunteers, grants for conservation projects and technical assistance. In 2021, BCCD’s monetary value to Belknap County is estimated at just under $1 million, $973,875. Funding from Belknap County is essential to BCCD’s ability to leverage grant funds from private, state and federal sources that put soil and watershed conservation projects on the ground. These projects conserve and enhance the Lakes Region's environment and economy. These funds are critical to enable BCCD to respond quickly and effectively to requests for assistance from landowners, businesses and towns.

BCCD accomplishments in 2021 include:

• Direct assistance to the Lake Winnisquam Watershed Management Plan.

• Completed 2.7 miles of stream restoration for water quality and eastern brook trout habitat in Alton and Sanbornton

• Completed stream crossing and culvert assessments in Alton and Sanbornton for flood resiliency and conducted stream assessment for one mile of Reservoir Brook in Meredith.

• Received three-year grant to continue stream restoration work in Meredith and Sanbornton and complete forest management plans on town lands in Alton, Belmont and Gilmanton.

• Donated 12,000 pounds of fresh produce to food assistance programs through NH Gleans in partnership with local farmers that provided surplus produce to food pantries and seniors and pop-up markets to distribute food.

• Secure grant funds to create a county volunteer coordinator to assist conservation and food assistance programs county-wide and held a Countywide Volunteer Recognition Day and Volunteer Job Fair.

• Received grant to purchase no-till seed planter for local farmers to use through a rental program beginning in 2022.

As you consider the overall budget for Belknap County, please include the full request from the Belknap County Conservation District.

Richard DeMark

Meredith