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Amherst Recognized for Model Forest Management - 4/9/08
Master Plan Meeting - 4/9/08
Amherst Adds Online Vehicle Registration - 2/12/08
Independent Evaluation of Recent Flooding by NH DES - 12/5/07
Master Plan First Draft Available - 11/18/07

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Amherst Recognized for Model Forest Management: (4/9/08)
Amherst forests managed by the conservation commission have been recognized by the Forest Guild as a Model Forest. According to the Forest Guild website, "The Forest Guild Model Forest program recognizes places, people, and relationships that foster sustainable forest management and demonstrate successful silviculture." The Guild’s Model Forest program is intended to promote and demonstrate excellent forestry and to exemplify the guiding principles of the Forest Guild.

From its beginning, the commission has worked to obtain lands having important environmental values. The commission now manages or oversees 2,138 “fee owned” acres and 198 “conservation easement” acres that provide wetlands, forest protection, wildlife habitats, and opportunities for hiking, skiing, and personal enrichment.

Since 1996, the Amherst Conservation Commission has commissioned Forest Guild founding member Charles Koch to develop and implement forest management plans for 7 parcels covering over 1,200 acres. No significant recent logging had taken place on most of these parcels prior to the initiation of the planning process. Since 1996, five timber harvests have been conducted, yielding about 700,000 board feet of logs and 300 cords of firewood. Another three harvests are planned for the current cutting cycle (1996-2011).

The commission’s forest management goals place a high priority on wildlife, recreation, aesthetics, and aquifer protection and a medium to low priority on income. These objectives generally guide actions that enhance non-financial values, create emotional connections to the land, and grow large diameter trees. Revenue is seen as a minor consideration. This presents an ideal situation to showcase sustainable forestry practices: there are no pressing financial burdens and good access to a variety of wood markets exist.

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Master Plan Meeting April 30th: (4/9/08)
The next Amherst master plan meeting will be at 7 PM in the town Hall on April 30th. Attendees should plan to complete a vision stament for the town and to set a schedule for meetings to discuss each element of the master plan and the goals necessary to accomplish the chosen vision for the town.

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Amherst Adds Online Vehicle Registration: (2/12/08)
Amherst Town Clerk, Nancy Demers, has added the ability to register vehicles online. Vehicles can still be registered in person at the town hall, or by mail, as explained in your renewal notice.. Now vehicle owners can also register their car or truck online at the Amherst town web site, by clicking on the E-REG license plates found on the website. Only a renewal of an existing registration may be done online. Registration of a new vehicle, must be done in person at the town hall. In addition, vanity plates, with owner selected plate numbers and text can be purchased at the town hall for an additional fee of $25.00. Online registrations will cost up to an additional $1.85 to cover the costs of the online registrar, and at present, online registration must be paid with an online check or bank transfer. Credit cards may be supported in the future.

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News from the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: December 3, 2007
CONTACT: Jim Gallagher, 603-271-1961

Independent Evaluation of Recent Flooding
in New Hampshire

First Public Information Meeting to be held December 12

Concord, NH – The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services announced today that an independent evaluation will be performed to determine the specific causes of recent floods in New Hampshire and provide recommendations for improving water management procedures and dam operations to reduce the impacts from future flooding. The evaluation was requested by Governor Lynch following the floods that devastated Southern New Hampshire last April. That independent evaluation is now getting underway, and the first of three public meetings will be held on Wednesday, December 12, 2007, at 7:00 PM in the auditorium of the Department of Environmental Services on 29 Hazen Drive, Concord, New Hampshire. The purpose of this meeting will be to introduce the public to the study team and provide an opportunity for the public to comment on the scope of work. Residents from the flood-affected communities are encouraged to attend.

The $330,000 study is being funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and performed by a team led by the URS Corporation, an international engineering firm under contract to FEMA. In addition, an independent panel of national experts in water resources management will oversee the entire study to ensure that the work and recommendations meet the highest level of professional independence and expertise.

As part of the study, the engineering firm will determine the causes of the flood in the Piscataquog, Souhegan, Soucook, Suncook, Contoocook, Cocheco, Lamprey, Oyster, Salmon Falls and Isinglass river basins. The team will also examine the policies, programs and mechanisms for coordination of flood control operations and notification of flood-prone areas; assess the effects of dam operations on flood conditions in the Salmon Falls, Souhegan, Piscataquog, and Suncook basins; and determine the differences between the April 2007 flood and other recent flood events in these basins, including the May 2006 flood. Based on the results of these evaluations, the team will provide recommendations for any remedial, protective or management measures that would help mitigate the effects of future flooding.

As the evaluation proceeds, two additional public meetings will be held: one in mid-March 2008 to present the interim findings of the factors contributing to the April 2007 flood, and the other in May 2008 to present the final results of the evaluation.

For more information, please contact Jim Gallagher, at the Department of Environmental Services Dam Bureau, at 271-1961.

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The First Draft of the Master Plan is Available for Review: (11/18/07)
As many in Amherst may know, the Planning Board and a number of interested volunteers have been working on preparing an update for Amherst’s Master Plan for the last 9 months. The Master Plan is a planning document, adopted by the Town that serves as the basis for zoning, land use decisions, other Town regulations and generally sets forth a vision for the future of Amherst. The plan addresses a number of areas, separated into various elements of the plan document. These areas include Land Use, Economic Development, Natural Resources & Conservation, Recreation, Cultural & Historic Resources, Transportation, Public Services & Facilities, and Population & Housing. While these elements are initially drafted separately, the plan will seek to integrate these areas of concern into one coherent policy document that balances all these areas into a single vision for the Town.

In the spring, the board and our consultants held two public sessions seeking input from residents regarding your concerns, as well as your desired outcomes for the plan. The Steering Committee, chaired by Dierdre Rodusky has worked with our consultant team on drafting an inventory of issues and concerns in each of the element areas. We now have drafts of these documents available on the Amherst Master Plan web site (www.amherstnh.gov/MP/index.html), and the work of integrating and prioritizing various issues can begin. Printed copies will also be available at a few places in town to read and comment on directly, including the library, town hall, and the recreation office. We will soon develop a list of goals and recommendations for each of the Master Plan elements. From its inception, a central goal of this planning process has been to develop a plan that reflects a consensus of the citizens of Amherst as it serves as a guide to the Town over the next 10 to 15 years. The Planning Board would like to have as much public input into the drafting of this critical policy document as possible.

We encourage anyone who wishes to have a voice in the development of this plan to get involved. This does not mean making a commitment to come to every meeting. It means visiting the web site, or one of the location where printed copies are available, reviewing the various documents posted, and providing comments to the element leaders, the Steering Committee, or the Planning Board. There are many related documents on the website, as well as some interesting Amherst history. There are also links to message boards, forum discussions, etc. There will be meetings, of course, but the primary focus should be to make your feelings and ideas known during this part of the Master Planning process.

The Amherst Master Plan Steering Committee meets the second Wednesday of the month at Town Hall in the second floor meeting room. As work continues, we will be holding further community meetings in February or March. We hope to complete work on the Master Plan by the spring of 2008. Working together, we can develop a plan that truly reflects a shared vision for the future of our community.

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PMEC receives Grant from PSNH: (5/16/07) The Peabody Mill Environmental Center has received the first installment of a $10,000 grant from Public Service of New Hampshire. The grant is to help PMEC use geothermal energy to become an energy-efficient, environmentally-friendly education center.

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Disaster Recovery Assistance: (5/1/07) Assistance may be available for those who need help following the recent floods. For disaster recovery help, call the New Hampshire Disaster Recovery Hotline at 1-800-458-2407. You may be able to apply for assistance from FEMA. If so, use these instructions to apply for FEMA assistance.

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Make Amherst Community TV: (3/7/07) Amherst Community TV, cable channel 20, needs volunteers to help record and broadcast ACTV programs. If you would like to operate a camera or help in other ways, contact the Communications Infrastructure Committee at . Instructions and training will be provided. People are needed to help record meetings and other events. Its not difficult and you can help when you are available, on your own schedule.