Nature Conservancy Applauds Gov. Lynch for Supporting LCHIP Funding

Governor’s budget requests $12 million over the next two years for N.H. Land and Community Heritage Investment Program.

CONCORD, N.H. — Feb. 15, 2007 — The Nature Conservancy today applauded Governor John Lynch for requesting $12 million over the next two budget years for the New Hampshire Land and Community Heritage Investment Program (LCHIP).

“Governor Lynch understands the value of LCHIP in preserving New Hampshire’s natural and historic treasures,” said Daryl Burtnett, director of the Conservancy’s New Hampshire chapter. “In his inaugural address, Governor Lynch stated that New Hampshire should recommit itself to LCHIP, and we agree. The governor’s funding request today follows through on that promise. LCHIP has a proven track record of leveraging many additional dollars while protecting places that have statewide significance and are near and dear to communities’ hearts. With this meaningful funding, these benefits are multiplied.”

Coupled with the governor’s support, in the long term, LCHIP needs a stable and reliable source of funding.

Since its first grant in 2001, LCHIP has provided crucial funding to protect more than 200,000 acres across New Hampshire and has leveraged over $100 million in land conservation funding. Every $1 invested by LCHIP leverages another $5.37.

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The Nature Conservancy is a leading conservation organization working around the world to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people. To date, the Conservancy and its more than one million members have been responsible for the protection of more than 14 million acres in the United States and have helped preserve more than 83 million acres in Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific. Since 1961 The Nature Conservancy in New Hampshire has helped protect more than 265,000 acres of ecologically significant land and currently owns and manages 28 preserves across the state. For more information, visit www.nature.org/newhampshire.