New Hampshire Association of Conservation Commissions

06/09/2026

Join Us for NH Gives and Your Gift Will be Doubled. NH Gives Starts today at 5 pm.

05/15/2026

Join the Derry Conservation Commission for iNaturalist training on June 1.

05/06/2026

Making Your Turtle Sightings Count

03/20/2026

Out of the mouth's of babes. This public testimony from a 9.5 year old at a recent Planning Board meeting was shared on the Kingston NH Conservation Commission page, and we think it perfectly captures the importance of wetlands. [image added for content - David Knowles 2023 Photo Contest]

"Wetlands are one of nature’s quiet miracles. They’re the places where water and land hold hands—marshes, ponds, and soggy forests that might look muddy or messy, but are actually full of life.
To a frog, a wetland is a singing stage in spring. To a salamander, it’s a safe place to grow up. To a turtle, it’s home—and also the place it returns to year after year, slowly and bravely, to find food and lay eggs. To dragonflies, wetlands are a nursery: they begin life in the water and later fly like tiny guardians, eating mosquitoes. And at night, bats sweep over the water catching insects, helping keep the balance.

Wetlands help people, too. They act like a sponge that soaks up heavy rain to reduce flooding. They filter water, helping keep streams and groundwater cleaner. When wetlands are healthy, the whole neighborhood—animals and people—benefit. It also helps ensure that nearby wells have good, clean water to use.
Protecting wetlands means protecting stories we can’t always see. It means giving wildlife safe places to live and safe paths to travel.
When we care for wetlands, we’re helping everyone. We’re saying that humans and animals are connected, small lives matter, and that future kids of Kingston deserve to hear spring peepers calling, see dragonflies sparkle over the water, and hear owls hooting after dark. Thank you."

11/26/2025

Happy Thanksgiving from NHACC. We are grateful for NH Conservation Commissions. Photo by Michelle Reinemann.

10/31/2025

We are so excited to host Ethan Tapper as our keynote tomorrow at our annual meeting. If you are excited too, give this post a thumbs up!

10/02/2025

Learn How New Hampshire's Open Spaces, Natural Lands, and Waters Enhance Our Quality of Life.

New Hampshire’s Conservation Commissions are often asked to support the protection of our natural resources and a new report has information to show how open spaces provide a broad range of benefits, support a dynamic Granite State economy, improve our health, and enhance our quality of life. Our forests, farmlands, and waters provide diverse and extensive natural resources that form the fabric of the Granite State.

A new, statewide report released by a coalition of conservation organizations shows how our farms, forests, and natural lands are more than scenic—they are essential. From providing clean drinking water and preventing floods, to supporting $3.9 billion in outdoor recreation, New Hampshire’s open space delivers lasting value.

Other key findings from The Benefits of New Hampshire’s Open Space:

--$40+ million in avoided drinking water treatment costs from land conservation in a single watershed
--$2.5 billion in annual output from the forest products industry
--$513.8 million in economic impact from agriculture
32,000 jobs supported by outdoor recreation
--$5.2 billion spent on wildlife-related recreation annually

The report was a collaborative effort between The Nature Conservancy, New Hampshire Association of Conservation Commissions, New Hampshire Audubon, New Hampshire Land Trust Coalition, New Hampshire Timberland Owners Association, The Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests, Southeast Land Trust of New Hampshire, and Statewide Program of Action to Conserve our Environment. We also wish to acknowledge the input provided by New Hampshire Housing and New Hampshire Farm Bureau Federation.

DOWNLOAD THE REPORT -https://www.nhacc.org/application/files/7617/5631/4458/Benefits2025report.pdf

09/22/2025

09/22/2025

09/17/2025

Learn about the natural history of turtles in New Hampshire, and what you can do to help.