New Hampshire
New Hampshire
Aquatic Environments
New Hampshire Aquatic Resource Mitigation Fund
The New Hampshire Aquatic Resource Mitigation Fund is a government-based program that creates accounts and funds for native New Hampshire aquatic environments. This fund goes directly towards protecting, restoring, enhancing, and conserving watersheds, wetlands, lakes, ponds, streams, rivers, etc. The funding is dispersed by dividing the state into nine territories to protect and conserve. There are quite a few benefits that can be gained from having this fund. For instance, it protects local water resources, enhances the natural beauty of New Hampshire, protects environments for key plant and animal species, and helps make local areas more appealing. Flourishing aquatic environments can also provide a boost in tourism, which in turn benefits the economy. A few things to keep in mind about this fund are that a lot of money needs to be invested into the fund to make the project work, it can be extremely difficult to decipher which aquatic environments deserve a larger budget, and it takes a lot of energy and workers to help protect these aquatic environments. However, this funding is a great way for New Hampshire to protect and conserve local aquatic environments.
NH Water Pollution Control Association
The New Hampshire Water Pollution Control Association is an organization that works to protect New Hampshire aquatic environments. This organization arranges small local projects that members participate in to protect a variety of aquatic ecosystems. These projects can range from cleaning a polluted river to planting native aquatic vegetation. There are a lot of benefits that can be gained from this organization's projects. Firstly, this project ensures that local aquatic ecosystems are conserved, protected, and restored. Another huge benefit that can be attributed to this organization is providing the community with clean freshwater resources. Lastly, this organization is member-based, meaning in order to participate in the projects you have to be a member of the organization. This can provide a great sense of community to New Hampshire locals. However, in order for this organization’s projects to run smoothly, there needs to be enough members and a large enough budget to fund the projects. Overall, if given enough funding and members, this is a great local organization to help combat climate change in New Hampshire.
Sustainable Agriculture
Green Infrastructure Systems
The green infrastructure system in Manchester, New Hampshire, focuses on regulating stormwater runoff and improving water quality. Stormwater runoff is a significant source of pollution in cities, transporting pollutants like oil, chemicals, and sediment from roads and impermeable surfaces into waterways. The system uses rain gardens, bioswales, and permeable pavements to catch and treat rainwater, minimizing flow into neighboring water bodies and increasing water quality. It also aims to enhance biodiversity and air quality through carbon sequestration. The vegetation in rain gardens and bioswales supports various animals, including pollinators and wildlife, and absorbs CO2 from the atmosphere, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and mitigating climate change effects.
The system also reduces the urban heat island effect and improves water quality, potentially benefiting people's health and well-being. The system also minimizes stormwater runoff entering the municipal sewage system, easing pressure on the city's wastewater treatment facility. The system has the potential to boost property prices and provide aesthetic benefits, making the region more appealing to inhabitants and tourists. However, regular pruning and care of the plants is necessary to ensure their health and effectiveness.
Manure Irrigation
The University of New Hampshire has developed Best Management Practices for Manure Irrigation (BMPs), a nature-based solution aimed at improving agricultural operations by reducing environmental impact. BMPs use manure as a source of nourishment for crops, diluted with water before being poured into fields via irrigation systems. This reduces the need for synthetic fertilizers and minimizes manure holding on farms, lowering the risk of water and air pollution.
Manure as a fertilizer improves soil health, structure, water retention, erosion, crop yields, and farm income. It also promotes sustainable agriculture practices, improves carbon sequestration in soil, and promotes resistance to climate change impacts like drought and flooding. However, the system requires substantial infrastructure, such as irrigation systems and manure storage facilities, which can be costly for small-scale farmers.
Urban Spaces
UNH Green Transportation
The University of New Hampshire in Durham has multiple green transportation initiatives on campus in order to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. They use a variety of systems including free transit, student housing close to campus, partnerships with local transportation companies, and improved bicycle infrastructure to ensure that fewer cars are used on the campus. They also use EcoCat, which is a clean natural gas, for their transit system. It is an alternative to biodiesel with even less emissions and is a type of clean energy (UNH, 2022). With these initiatives, there are less cars around, making it safer and less toxic for animals and plants. New roles and job opportunities at the university are created as well. The one drawback of this nature-based solution is that the initial costs of these initiatives may be high. It is unclear what the actual cost for these programs was, but they receive many grants to help pay for this. In fact, the University of New Hampshire received its largest transportation grant ever in 2022 (UNH, 2022). Despite the costs, this solution can easily be put into practice at other universities.
Urban Forestry Center
In Portsmouth, there is an urban forestry center where landowners and city workers can gain education regarding the importance of urban gardens and urban forests. The center offers multiple workshops and other educational events throughout the year to various groups of people. They also have demonstration areas that show people the best management practices. Established in 1976, the center contains 182 acres in total and has various trails and forests for people to enjoy (State of New Hampshire, 2021).
It mitigates climate change by encouraging the growth of more trees and wildlife-attracting plants, increasing biodiversity, conserving land to provide habitat for animals, increasing carbon sequestration through sustainable tree planting and management, and maximizing the efficiency of urban forests by offering assistance to urban planners. Furthermore, there are multiple social benefits that result from the urban forestry center. One is that people can walk the center’s trails and learn more about nature and native plants. Another benefit is that people are provided with many opportunities to educate themselves and socialize with others. However, the one drawback to this establishment is that it is currently funded by a trust fund, and they may have a harder time getting money once it runs out (State of New Hampshire, 2021). Other than that, this urban forestry center is an excellent educational resource for anyone interested in helping the environment.
Sustainable Forestry
The Forest Resources and Carbon Working Group (FRCWG)
The Forest Resources and Carbon Working Group (FRCWG) is a coalition of stakeholders in New Hampshire that promotes sustainable forestry and forest carbon sequestration as a nature-based solution to climate change. The group includes representatives from various sectors, including state agencies, conservation groups, forest and landowner associations, academia, and industries. Their goal is to develop a comprehensive strategy to address climate change and promote sustainable forestry practices. The FRCWG works by developing a framework for measuring and reporting forest carbon stocks, ensuring accurate accounting for carbon credits, and implementing policies and initiatives that promote sustainable forest management practices.
Sustainable forestry practices not only help mitigate climate change but also generate social and economic benefits. Economically, sustainable forestry practices result in the production of sustainably sourced forest products, such as timber and paper, which are produced without harming the environment. Socially, forests are important cultural and recreational resources for many communities, and their preservation helps maintain cultural connections and promote ecotourism.
However, sustainable forestry practices may require significant investments in time and money, such as training for forestry workers, investments in new equipment, and changes to forest management. Despite these challenges, sustainable forestry practices can provide long-term economic and environmental benefits.
