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About Us
The intent of the program is to conserve and preserve this state's most important natural, cultural, and historical resources, through the acquisition of lands, and cultural and historical resources, or interests therein, of local, regional, and statewide significance, in partnership with the state's municipalities and the private sector, for the primary purposes of protecting and ensuring the perpetual contribution of these resources to the state's economy, environment, and overall quality of life.
The general court finds that in order to maintain New Hampshire's quality of life and economic vitality for its citizens, growth and development should be balanced with careful protection of the state's most important natural, cultural, and historical resources. Permanent protection of these resources, through acquisition of lands, buildings, and other physical assets, or interests in these assets, must be accomplished along with their planned long-term stewardship. The general court further recognizes the importance of public-private partnerships to achieve these ends. To protect and preserve New Hampshire's natural, cultural, and historical resources for this and future generations, the general court establishes in this chapter the New Hampshire land and community heritage investment program. The intent of the program is to conserve and preserve this state's most important natural, cultural, and historical resources through the acquisition of lands, and cultural and historical resources, or interests therein, of local, regional, and statewide significance, in partnership with the state's municipalities and the private sector, for the primary purposes of protecting and ensuring the perpetual contribution of these resources to the state's economy, environment, and overall quality of life.
In July of 1998, the state legislature recognized the increasing problems facing our natural,
cultural, and historic resources and established the NH Land and Community Heritage Commission. The Commission was charged with studying the feasibility of
creating a new land conservation and historic preservation program to help communities protect important lands and historic structures. This blue ribbon
panel of leading citizens met more than 20 times in a 16-month period and released their final report in November of 1999.
The Commission made a visionary recommendation and urged that the state
establish and fund a new, permanent, public-private partnership to conserve
priority lands and historic structures. The Commission recommended a $12 million
annual funding level. During the 1999 legislative session, Senate Bill 401 the Land and
Community Heritage Investment Program bill was introduced. This bill
faced a tough battle in the legislature where it was competing with the
education funding crisis. Many hours of volunteer advocating and many
legislative meetings following its initial introduction, the legislature passed
Senate Bill 401, (RSA 227-M) in May 2000 creating the Program.
In September of 2000, the NH Land & Community Heritage Investment Authority was formed. The Governor
nominated 12 individuals to serve with 6 other agency heads designated by state
statute, comprising the 18 member Board of Directors. Convening in September
2000 and working through December 2000, the Authority met six times to establish
their by-laws; hire an executive director; hold a series of five public
meetings; construct the Procedures, Guidelines and Criteria document that became
the nuts and bolts of the program; design and release the application
materials, and set a very ambitious goal of getting grant monies working on
projects by the end of the 2001 legislative session.
