As part of Every Acre Counts: the Newfound Watershed Master Plan, the Center for the Environment at Plymouth State University (PSU) is conducting a survey of the property owners in the Newfound Lake region. The goal of the survey is to determine residents’ opinions about important issues and their desires for the future of the Newfound Lake watershed. The information from the survey will be used to develop the watershed plan to help communities plan for the future of the region.
The survey was recently mailed out to about 1,900 randomly selected property owners in Bristol, Bridgewater, Hebron, Alexandria, Groton, Orange, Danbury, and Plymouth. If you have received a survey, it is important to complete it. Property owners and residents that did not receive a survey, but are interested in completing one can contact Brian Eisenhauer, Associate Director of the Center for the Environment and assistant professor of sociology at Plymouth State at (603) 535-2497; bweisenhauer@plymouth.edu. Please provide mailing information to ensure the requests for surveys can be filled.
“We are pleased with the response to the survey and have been asked by numerous people if they could participate. Given the high level of interest we invite anyone interested to contact us for a copy of the survey,” said Eisenhauer. “If you have already received a survey in the mail, please return it as soon as possible to help us understand what residents want for the future in the region.”
Every Acre Counts is an exciting, cutting edge project working with diverse stakeholders to develop a master plan for the Newfound Lake watershed. The effort brings together many participants including the Center for the Environment, Plymouth State University, the Newfound Lake Region Association (NLRA), the University of New Hampshire, and environmental planners from Jeffery Taylor and Associates to contribute to the development of the plan.
Two PSU students are assisting Dr. Eisenhauer on the survey. Will Hopkins and Danielle Ross helped develop the survey, and will assist in analyzing and reporting the results. This experience provides them with valuable research experience during their PSU education, as well as the opportunity to contribute to the region in which they grew up and continue to enjoy.
When completed in 2009, Every Acre Counts: the Newfound Watershed Master Plan will provide a comprehensive analysis of the Newfound Lake Region environment; will present citizen opinions about issues in the watershed and their desires for the future, will benchmark local master plans, policies and regulations; and will provide a “tool kit” of methods to maintain and improve environmental quality and residents’ well-being for the long term. The project is a significant and comprehensive effort financially supported by federal Clean Water Act funds and the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services, with substantial matching contributions from project partners.
For more information about this release, contact Bruce Lyndes, PSU Media Relations Mgr., (603) 535-2775 or blyndes@plymouth.edu.
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