Help invest in New Hampshire's high quality of life by purchasing the conservation license plate -- the MOOSE PLATE!

Ready to buy a moose plate gift certificate? Click here to learn how! It's a great gift for yourself or a friend -- and for conservation in New Hampshire.

For $35 the first year and $30 in subsequent years you can help make sure that the scenic beauty, wildlife, and historic sites of New Hampshire will be here for your children and grandchildren.

For moose plate grant project information and updates, or to learn how to get a plate of your own, click here!

Since December 2000, New Hampshire drivers have registered or renewed tens of thousands of vehicles with the conservation plate, depicting a moose designed by Plaistow artist James Collins. Those sales have raised millions of dollars for an array of projects, including several administered by Fish and Game, that preserve the state's natural and historic resources and improve the quality of life for those who live in and visit the Granite State.

Click here to go to www.mooseplate.com... you'll find prices, where to buy, gift certificate info, and descriptions of the last two years' worth of projects funded by the moose plate.

Balch Hill Habitat and Diversity Restoration Project, Hanover Conservation Council
The goal of this project is to improve and restore animal and plant habitat by initiating an aggressive control program of invasive plants, to provide replacement plantings with native species known to thrive on Balch Hill and to educate the public about this project.
$2024 -- Contract Expiration Date: 6/30/04

Mink Hills Conservation Strategic Plan, Warner Conservation Commission
This project is to develop a strategic conservation plan for the Mink Hills section of Warner that addresses the protection of important natural resources and historic resources of this area.
$4,500 -- Contract Expiration Date: 6/30/04

Francestown Elementary School Playground Erosion Control and Wetlands Protection Project, Francestown Elementary School
This project is proposed to prevent erosion from the regrading of the school playground, in order to protect a wetland complex and a large aquifer. This project is a component of the school's mission to restore and protect existing habitat during the construction of the new school building. This project gives children opportunities to connect with nature with a living classroom for observation, to work on all subjects, and to demonstrate and teach principles of stewardship and ecology.
$4569 -- Contract Extended: 6/30/04

Forested Easements Pilot Project, Cheshire County Conservation District
The Cheshire County Conservation District seeks to provide education and funding opportunities for properties that are already protected with public funding or under municipal ownership (size of at least 400 acres) in Cheshire County. This project will engage willing landowners and help share costs of hiring licensed foresters to develop forest management plans and/or graduate students to complete natural resource inventories in order to promote the implementation of practices that protect the overall conservation values of the properties.
$8281 -- Contract Extended: 6/30/04

Recruiting an AmeriCorps Member to Coordinate and Integrate the Project Food, Land & People Curriculum into New Hampshire, NH Association of Conservation Districts
This one-time supported project is to train teachers throughout the state to use the Food Land and People (FLP) curriculum through the use of an AmeriCorps member, serving as the State Coordinator for FLP. Through this training program, the FLP program will teach teachers and students about soil, water, air quality, and conservation. The State Coordinator for FLP will be responsible for conducting facilitator and teacher training workshops, during which participants develop skills for using FLP curriculum lessons in the classroom.
$3,450 -- Contract terminated by applicant, $690.00 returned to grant fund.

Identifying and Conserving Critical Wildlife and Farmland in Rockingham County, UNH Cooperative Extension, Rockingham County
This project will identify at least twelve properties in Rockingham County that contain 10 acres or greater of agricultural and old field habitat. Volunteers will be trained and will then document breeding birds at selected sites to identify important habitats worthy of protection. Follow up with each landowner will occur and include information on land conservation and habitat management outreach. In addition a four part workshop series will be held to instruct communities, individuals, and local conservation groups in basic land conservation and negotiation skills and in methods for assessing and managing agricultural and old field habitats.
$4,880 -- Contract terminated by applicant, $1667.62 returned to grant fund.

Hopkinton Independent School Wetland Nature Trail, Merrimack County Conservation District
The Merrimack County Conservation District (MCCD) and the Hopkinton Independent School will work together to create a trail and boardwalk within a 10-acre wetland and forested area at the school. The fifth through eighth grade classes will work with the District to develop a conservation plan, trail and boardwalk design, wetland permits (if necessary), and to seek further funding and volunteer support to construct the trail.
$4,935 -- Project terminated by MCCD, $4580.55 returned to grant fund.

Traveling Conservation Information Displays, Strafford County Conservation District
The Strafford County Conservation District will develop five different conservation information displays covering soils, groundwater, watersheds, impervious surfaces and the water cycle. Each display will be available for local municipalities, agency groups, and school events throughout the county. The Strafford County Conservation District will set up and take down these displays at 25 different sites throughout the County, and these informational displays will be available for many different groups for several years.
$4,300 -- Contract Extended: 6/30/04

Piscataquog Watershed Association (PWA) Outreach Display, Piscataquog Watershed Association
To produce and permanently display outreach displays of the Piscataquog River Watershed in each town of the watershed. The outreach display will increase the visibility of the PWA and inform the public of the educational and land protection services it can offer to the communities.
$1,637 -- Contract Extended: 6/30/04

Natural Resource Identification Initiative, Nottingham Conservation Commission
This initiative is an outreach program intended to identify the natural resources for the public in Nottingham so that tangible and intangible values can be acknowledged and appreciated. The intent of this initiative is for the community to then initiate stewardship of these resources.
$2,815 -- Contract Extended: 6/30/04

Limited Mobility Access River Trail, UNH Cooperative Extension, Cheshire County
To plan and construct a 2100 foot limited mobility accessible trail along the Connecticut River on Cheshire County Farm property in Westmoreland, NH. This proposed trail will connect with the existing 2800 feet of river trail and will provide extended access to new audiences for enjoyment and educational awareness of the river and its diverse habitats.
$4,900 -- Contract Extended: 6/30/04

Smith Pond Bog Trail and Guide, Audubon Sanctuary, Town of Hopkinton
To allow safe access to the Smith Pond Bog, to include the restoration of 100 feet of trail from the access point off the existing trail to Smith Pond Bog. This project will also include the construction and installation of approximately 325 of boardwalk along a section of trail that is in need of restoration. A sign will be developed and installed at the head of the trail describing the resources and ecology of the area and an educational guide will be produced for all individuals that visit the site.
$4,999

Town Conservation Properties Public Awareness Campaign, Town of Atkinson
To research and develop a conservation brochure that will discuss the conservation efforts in Atkinson, and will describe all of the conservation lands within the Town. 5000 brochures will be produced, and they will be placed in the town hall and in parking lots of each of the conservation areas for use by residents and visitors.
$3,780

Campton Town Forest Public Access Project, Town of Campton
To allow safe access to a 16.47 acre site to provide safe outdoor experiences for the public that also comply with the wishes of the donor of the property. Nature trails will be created, and signs pointing out natural features and the history of the parcel will also be provided. Several areas will also be left undisturbed on this site, and an information brochure will be produced including a trail map for the property. An information kiosk, wooden benches, and an unpaved parking area will be constructed, and a bog bridge will be created with approved permits.
$2,757

Preservation of the Chase Bog Wetland Complex, Town of Dalton
To inventory and educate about the importance of protecting the Chase Bog wetland complex located in the southeast portion of the Town of Dalton, with a smaller portion downstream in the southwest portion of the Town of Whitefield. The Dalton Conservation Commission will perform an inventory and environmental assessment of the area to develop credible databases of information about the Chase Bog. This information will also be utilized for distributing educational materials, and obtaining public support for the permanent protection of this area through conservation easements. A further goal of this project may be to promote the designation of a portion of this area as Prime Wetlands.
$4,650

Pickering Brook Salt Marsh Restoration, Ducks Unlimited, Pickering Brook, Greenland
The objective of this project is to restore degraded wildlife habitat and hydrological functions caused by man-made ditching. This project involves the restoration of a 22 acre saltmarsh that will include the installation of 22 ditch plugs that will recreate 14 functioning pools and panes and create 10 runnels to connect currently separated areas that will promote better water quality. This project involves restoration activities that will be completed by specialized low ground pressure excavation equipment. This restoration project aims to raise the average water temperature of the marsh; increase open water wildlife habitat on the marsh surface; decrease successful mosquito breeding on the saltmarsh; and to enhance existing bird habitat.
$37,793

Environmental Education and Stewardship of Natural Resources within the Historic Valley Cemetery, UNH Cooperative Extension, Hillsborough County, Valley Cemetery, Manchester
To provide environmental education and public outreach to multicultural audiences through programming targeting youth and middle schools and based upon the historic, cultural and natural resources within the Valley Cemetery. To prevent additional vandalism and further decline of the trees, tree identification to include placement of plaques, as well as care and management requirements will be accomplished. A brochure will also be produced on the specimen trees and 1500 copies will be produced. Information will also be provided to supplement natural resource curriculum to include the benefits and values of these trees for the community to several schools in the area. These efforts will further promote the stewardship of these trees, and importance of planting new trees within the Valley Cemetery as well as other Manchester neighborhoods. Overall, this project is designed to help protect and improve the health of the trees in this area for future generations.
$4,750

Territory Ranking Project, Loon Preservation Committee, Lakes Region, Central New Hampshire
To conduct a quantitative review of all lakes with known loon pairs in central New Hampshire that represents the core range of New Hampshire's loon population. All lakes known to support territorial loon pairs will be quantitatively assessed according to identified stressors. The adaptive impacts of these stressors will aid in assigning a rank to that territory. Prior to the parameters being established, a review board will be created and will meet to discuss the methodology. Assessment parameters may include the following: type of loon territory; islands available; development; boat ramp presence; accessibility; maximum depth; water quality; clarity; contaminants; previous mortality; previous nest failure; quantitative territory rank; and loon productivity. With this documented information collected, a second project tier may include additional conservation and management measures.
$24,542

Natural Resource Inventory - Northfield, Town of Northfield
To produce a natural resource inventory for the Town of Northfield. This inventory will inventory all natural resources in town and include a written report and maps that indicate the location of important wetlands, rivers, wildlife habitat, open space areas and aesthetic or ecologically significant areas in town.
$4,500

Fauver Preserve Trailhead to Plymouth Mountain Preserve, Town of Plymouth
To develop trailhead parking and easy trail access to the 106- acre Fauver Preserve to the Ken Sutherland Trail on Plymouth Mountain. A preliminary resource inventory to include map overlays will be conducted on the property. The construction and marking of a trail connecting Old Hebron Road to the Ken Sutherland Trail and construction and installation of wooden painted signs will occur. An appropriate trailhead entrance will be constructed with parking available for 8-10 cars. The construction and installation of a granite bench and informational kiosk will also take place. Information materials including a color brochure & trail maps will be produced for statewide distribution.
$4,902 -- Grant amount reduced to $550 per Plymouth Conservation Commission request

Chamberlain-Reynolds Memorial Forest Clivus Toilet, Squam Lakes Association, Town of Center Harbor
To replace an existing outhouse at First Beach at the Chamberlain-Reynolds Memorial Forest by purchasing and installing a Clivus Model 12 compost system to protect the water quality of Squam Lake. A building will also be constructed to house the toilet facility and will meet the American Disability Act (ADA) requirements.
$4,750