The Quabbin-to-Cardigan Partnership (Q2C) today released a request for proposals for its ninth round of Land Conservation Grants, which fund transaction-related expenses on land conservation projects in the “Quabbin-to-Cardigan” region of western New Hampshire and north central Massachusetts.  The grant program is privately funded, and administered by the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests on behalf of the Quabbin-to-Cardigan Partnership.  Non-profit land trusts, municipalities, and state agencies that have land conservation as a primary function are all eligible to apply for a Q2C land conservation grant.

The two-state Quabbin-to-Cardigan region spans one hundred miles from the Quabbin Reservoir in Massachusetts northward along the spine of New Hampshire to the southern boundary of the White Mountain National Forest.  Encompassing approximately two million acres, the region is one of the largest remaining areas of intact, interconnected, and ecologically significant forest in central New England, and is a key headwater of both the Merrimack and Connecticut rivers. 

Launched in 2003, the Quabbin-to-Cardigan Partnership is a collaborative effort of more than twenty private organizations and public agencies working on land conservation in the Q2C landscape. The partners share a vision of conserving (on a strictly willing-seller/donor basis) the region’s most ecologically significant forests, and key connections between them for wildlife passage and human recreation.  Over the past ten years, the Q2C partners have helped permanently protect an additional 90,000 acres of land in the region - 62,000 acres in New Hampshire and 28,000 acres in Massachusetts -- an increase of almost 22% over 2002 levels. 

In 2009, the Quabbin-to-Cardigan Partnership launched its Land Conservation Grants program, which underwrites transaction costs – appraisals, surveys, title research, staff time, etc. -- on conservation transactions that protect land identified in the Q2C conservation plan.  Over the past four and a half years, the grants program has awarded $600,000 to 49 separate land conservation projects that have conserved almost 15,000 acres of land. 

Before applying for a Q2C grant, applicants should carefully review the request for proposals and application materials.  These are available on the “grants” section of the Q2C website, www.q2cpartnership.org.  The website also includes information on the Quabbin-to-Cardigan region and conservation plan, maps, a list of towns in the region, etc.  

Projects must be located in the following towns to be eligible to apply for funding:  IN NEW HAMPSHIRE:  Acworth, Alexandria, Alstead, Andover, Antrim, Bennington, Bradford, Bridgewater, Bristol, Canaan, Chesterfield, Claremont, Danbury, Deering, Dorchester, Dublin, Enfield, Fitzwilliam, Francestown, Franklin, Gilsum, Goshen, Grafton, Grantham, Greenfield, Groton, Hancock, Hanover, Harrisville, Hebron, Henniker, Hill, Hillsborough, Hinsdale, Hopkinton, Jaffrey, Keene, Lebanon, Lempster, Lyme, Lyndeborough, Marlborough, Marlow, Nelson, Newbury, New Ipswich, New London, Newport, Orange, Orford, Peterborough, Plainfield, Plymouth, Richmond, Rindge, Roxbury, Rumney, Salisbury, Sharon, Springfield, Stoddard, Sullivan, Sunapee, Surry, Sutton, Swanzey, Temple, Troy, Unity, Warner, Washington, Weare, Webster, Wentworth, Wilmot, Wilton, Winchester, Windsor.  IN MASSACHUSETTS:  Ashburnham, Athol, Barre, Erving, Gardner, Hardwick, Hubbardston, Leverett, Montague, New Salem, Northfield, Orange, Pelham, Petersham, Phillipston, Royalston, Shutesbury, Templeton, Warwick,Wendell, Westminster, Winchendon.

Completed applications must be received no later than 5:00 p.m. on Monday, November 30, 2015. Completed applications can be submitted electronically to bhotz@forestsociety.org.  Completed applications may also be sent by mail, and must be postmarked no later than Monday November 30, 2015.  Mail applications to:  Brian Hotz, Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests, 54 Portsmouth Street, Concord, NH  03301.  Successful grant applicants will be notified in December 2015. 

For all questions regarding the grant program and the application process please contact Brian Hotz at (603) 224-9945 x 316 or bhotz@forestsociety.org.