FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


Contact:
Amanda Littleton
District Manager
Cheshire County Conservation District
11 Industrial Park Dr. Walpole, NH 03608
401-578-1608
Amanda@cheshireconservation.org


CCCD Honors the Monadnock Conservancy with
75th Anniversary Conservation Legacy Award

Walpole, NH (August 11, 2021) – In honor of the 75th anniversary of Conservation Districts in NH each of the ten County Districts will be awarding a Conservation Legacy Award.  This Award seeks to honor the nominees’ sustained commitment to the stewardship of natural resources in the County.  The Legacy Award endeavors to shine a spotlight on those who embody the mission of the Conservation Districts. The Cheshire County Conservation District (CCCD) Board has selected the Monadnock Conservancy as the 75th Anniversary Conservation Legacy Awardee.

The Monadnock Conservancy is a non-profit land trust based in Keene NH that got started in 1989. Their mission is to work with communities and landowners to conserve the natural resources, wild and working lands, rural character, and scenic beauty of the Monadnock Region. They serve 39 towns including all of Cheshire County, Western Hillsborough County, and Southern Sullivan County. They have conserved 240 properties for a total of 21,500 acres in a little over 30 years.
These achievements have been rooted in a locally driven process focused on being responsive to the community’s needs. They create their conservation priorities based on what people value, love, and want to preserve in the Monadnock Region.  This award is as much for the Conservancy as it is for all the individuals and families who have partnered with them to forever protect the land they love.   

The land the Conservancy works to conserve will remain in an undeveloped state and serve our community’s health and well-being. The working lands serve the region with enhanced food access and food security as well as enable strong farm and forest economies. The Wildlands serve the community with recreation opportunities, connection to nature, wildlife refuge, and the protection of our water quality.  The ten person staff of the Conservancy strive to strike a balance on their focus of both wild and working lands as they know how important both elements are to the heritage of our region. 

Beyond the staff, their organization is supported by a strong Board of Trustees that is composed of passionate community volunteers from different walks of life to come together in support of the Conservancy’s mission. This volunteer body has guided the organization, taken risks, and set high standards of professionalism.  As a result, in 2008 the Monadnock Conservancy was the first land trust in NH to be accredited by the nascent Land Trust Accreditation Commission. The strength and stability of their organization has built trust in the community and made way for the force of conservation they have become. 

As the Monadnock Conservancy looks to the future they are prioritizing community conservation, an approach that puts human needs and people into the center of their conservation work. One prime example of this work is their partnership with the Winchester Learning Center where they are creating a 3.5 acre park that will be a gateway for increasing youth access to the outdoors and connecting kids with nature; a foundation of healthy early childhood development.   This emerging focus is based on a new awareness that they can use their strengths and resources as an organization to move forward important community projects that contribute to the health and wellness of more community members. 

The Conservancy attributes their success to a philosophy of responsiveness and focus on local priorities, alongside strong partnerships with the community. These partnerships are with the families and individuals who have made the decision to conserve their beloved properties and the organizations and municipalities that support their mission. The CCCD is proud to be one of those partners and looks forward to seeing the positive impact of the Monadnock Conservancy continue to grow and flourish in the County. 

Please join us in congratulating the Monadnock Conservancy for their impressive contributions to natural resources stewardship in the region as our 75Th Anniversary Conservation Legacy Award Recipient. For more information about 75th Anniversary celebrations, visit our website at http://cheshireconservation.org/75-years-of-conservation


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Cheshire County Conservation District | www.cheshireconservation.org