MMRG’s first Visioning Session held at the Wakefield Opera House; photo courtesy of Steve Whitman.

MMRG invites all who care about conserving our land and resources for future generations to contribute to a shared vision for preserving the special places of our region. A Saturday-morning Community Visioning Session is planned from 9 am to noon on February 11 at the New Durham Elementary School, 7 Bay Road in New Durham, NH. A program of concurrent kids’ activities, “Kids Map Their Special Places”, is scheduled to make it convenient for parents of school-age children to participate.

The upcoming Visioning Session II is the final event in our year-long process to develop a strategic conservation action plan, “Our Home, Our Land, Our Tomorrow”, for MMRG’s seven-town service area. Prominent New Hampshire planners, Dan Sundquist of GreenFire GIS and Steve Whitman of Resilience Planning & Design are spearheading the planning process and will lead Visioning Session II, which is designed to be fun, informative, and interactive. The event will include short presentations by the planners followed by breakout sessions on topics such as environmental education, wildlife and habitat, recreation and trails, historical features, wetlands and water resources, agriculture and forestry.

Approximately 65 people attended our first Visioning Session last fall, where they brainstormed, studied maps, and discussed resources that need protection. Since that kickoff event, more than 300 people completed an on-line survey, dozens have ‘mapped their favorite places’, and a dedicated group is engaging in stakeholder interviews. The planning team has also met with each town and reviewed master plans. They have mapped the findings and will bring the maps to Visioning Session II. According to MMRG Executive Director Patti Connaughton-Burns, “The enthusiastic participation from the MMRG community has inspired us! The input from those who live, work and play in our region is critical and I hope many more people, especially those raising families, will join us on February 11 for this final opportunity to help create a shared vision of conservation in our region.”

The upcoming Community Visioning Session II is free to all and includes complimentary healthy light refreshments by Chef Gracie of Sheehan Gardens. In case of snow, the event will be postponed to March 11; check our website calendar for updates. Click here for an informational flier about the event and concurrent children’s program. Pre-registration is required for children and requested of adults; please call MMRG Education Coordinator Kari Lygren at 603-978-7125 or email info@mmrgnh.org.

MMRG’s Conservation Planning project is supported by funds from the sale of the Conservation License Plate (Moose Plate) through the NH State Conservation Committee grant program. We are also grateful to the following sources for their support of this project: the Jack and Dorothy Byrne Foundation, the Davis Conservation Foundation, the Adelard A. Roy & Valdea Lea Roy Foundation, and other generous donors.