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A Chronology of Work in the Development of a Northern Forest Regional Strategy The Adirondack North Country Association has developed strong working partnerships across the Northern Forest states of New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine, dating back to the late 1990s. Following is a chronology of different work activities in the development of a Northern Forest Regional Strategy: · 1990 – 1994 ANCA staff participated in the New York Advisory Committee in the development of the Northern Forest Lands Council Finding Common Ground Report. · 1999 – 2000 ANCA participated in the Northern Forest Center’s Steering Committee in the development of the Northern Forest Wealth Index Project. · November 2000 ANCA hosted the New York public meeting on the release of the Northern Forest Center’s Wealth Index Project. · March 2002 ANCA is a sponsor of the Adirondack Gateways Exchange in North Creek. The program is facilitated by Steve Blackmer and Mike Wilson of the Northern Forest Center. · At a June 13, 2002 Board of Directors’ meeting, the board endorsed the Northern Forest Community Leadership Exchange as an important and timely opportunity to leverage constructive initiatives across the region into a broader capacity to address challenges and opportunities at the local, state and federal scales. ANCA’s board reviewed and endorsed a support letter that is forwarded to the Northern Forest Center. · ANCA participated in the Northern Forest Center’s Steering Committee in the development of the November 2002 Leadership Exchange that was hosted at Dartmouth College. ANCA is a sponsor of the exchange. · ANCA’s Economic Development Committee and staff assisted the Northern Forest Center in hosting a meeting in June 2003 at the Hotel Saranac to address the potential for a regional initiative to secure targeted federal funding to support economic improvement in the Northern Forest. Of the more than twenty people in attendance representing regional and organizational interests, there was a consensus to explore the option to secure additional federal funding. · October 8, 2003 Representatives from ANCA and the Northern Forest Center attended a meeting with Governor Pataki’s staff to discuss the idea to secure federal funding for the Northern Forest. The Governor’s staff said the Governor is interested in us pursuing this option. There was discussion about the potential opportunity for the governors of the four states to commemorate the ten-year anniversary of the Northern Forest Lands Council through a joint agreement to work together in addressing federal funding needs and programming across the Northern Forest. · ANCA participated in the Northern Forest Center Steering Committee in the development of the November 2003 Leadership Exchange that was hosted in partnership with the University of Vermont in Burlington. ANCA was a sponsor of the exchange. · ANCA participated in the Northern Forest Center Steering Committee in addressing the potential for a federal policy initiative and in the development of a Draft Concept Paper for a Northern Forest Regional Funding Strategy. · April 2004 Terry Martino, ANCA Executive Director, appointed as a New York representative to the Forum Committee to address the work of the Northern Forest Lands Council at their ten-year anniversary. · June 14, 2004 ANCA staff met with Congressman McHugh in Washington D.C to review the initiative to secure federal funding for the Northern Forest. There was discussion of the potential for earmarking of existing programs versus the draft bill proposed by Congressman Michaud of Maine for a Northern Forest Regional Commission of which McHugh becomes a sponsor. Congressman McHugh recommended that we work to build local support throughout the region for a strategy that addresses economic development, community revitalization and land preservation throughout the North Country. Material was also made available to Congressman Boehlert and Congressman Sweeney. · June 14, 2004 ANCA staff attended a meeting hosted by Senator Snowe in Washington D.C. for the Northern Forest congressional delegation. The meeting was sponsored by the Northern Forest Center and the Northern Forest Alliance. At the meeting there was strong staff representation from the congressional delegation across the Northern Forest, including staff from Congressman McHugh, Senator Clinton, Senator Schumer, Senator Gregg/ New Hampshire, Senator Leahy/ Vermont, and Congressman Michaud/ Maine, amongst others. John Bartow was in attendance from the Tug Hill Commission, and there were staff present from other community development offices in Maine and New Hampshire and staff from the North East Foresters Association. The congressional staff were supportive of the need to address funding for the Northern Forest. There was discussion of the two models through the earmarking of funds within existing programs or the development of a regional commission. It was recognized nothing would be done this calendar year, but that preparatory work needs to be done to establish a comprehensive economic agenda of where funding is needed. The delegation said that when they know what is wanted from the region they can then address options for securing funding. They asked that we follow with an economic action plan and not with the design of legislation. The delegation members requested that we move forward in the development of the economic action plan and in securing broad based support for the initiative. · June 17, 2004 ANCA Board of Directors committed to work with the Northern Forest Center in the implementation of a public relations strategy and to work as ambassadors to discuss how a sustained commitment of federal funding will be useful to ANCA’s and the region’s ability to address economic development and quality of life needs for communities, residents and businesses. Directors identified the need to secure grass roots support from local government, organizational, and business representatives and ANCA members. · September 14-15, 2004 Terry Martino participated in the NEFA Northern Forest Lands Council 10th Anniversary Forum meeting to discuss the draft report, findings and recommendations in preparation for the December 10, 2004 10th Anniversary Conference of the Northern Forest Lands Council that will be a public meeting hosted at the Mt. Washington Hotel in New Hampshire. · December 9-10, 2004 Terry Martino participated in the NEFA public meeting in Mt. Washington, New Hampshire. The draft report is made available to the public and public comments are received. Staff participated in a final NEFA meeting in January 2005 in Concord, New Hampshire and assist with the editing of the final document. Staff provide support in the editing of the final report. It is anticipated that the NEFA report will be may available to the public in the spring of 2005. Charlie Levesque, NEFA Executive Director, is scheduled to report on the forum recommendations at the Leadership Exchange in New Hampshire on May 23, 2005. · ANCA staff coordinated work with the Northern Forest Center in their efforts to secure Economic Development Administration funding and in the Center’s goal to continue a regional, public dialogue and hosted the third Leadership Exchange on May 23-24, 2005 in New Hampshire. · ANCA’s Board of Directors hosted a meeting on March 17, 2005 and received an update from Andreas Colnes, Policy Director, Northern Forest Center, on various program initiatives across the Northern Forest. · ANCA staff Terry Martino and Jim Ellis attended a meeting on March 24 with Governor Pataki’s staff to discuss the Northern Forest Center’s work in the development of a regional dialogue with plans for the third Leadership Exchange, potential for EDA funding, outline of an appropriations strategy, and discussion of the NEFA Ten-Year Review process. Fran Sheehan and Rob Davies from NSYDEC were also in attendance, along with John Bartow from the Tug Hill Commission and ANCA Board. There was discussion about a request for Governor Pataki, along with the other three-state governors, to endorse the NEFA Ten-Year Review recommendations and establish leadership for future implementation of the recommendations. · ANCA staff worked with other host organizations—the Northern Forest Center, Tug Hill Commission, NY Audubon, NYS Department of Environmental Conservation and Ann Ruzow Holland in the development of a New York public meeting on the Northern Forest Regional Strategy. The meeting was hosted by the participating organizations on April 29 at the Hotel Saranac in Saranac Lake, NY. More than fifty individuals representing municipalities, organizations, and businesses attend the session. · ANCA committed to supporting the 3rd Leadership Exchange that was hosted by the Northern Forest Center and scheduled for May 23 – 24, 2005 in Plymouth, New Hampshire. Staff attended the exchange. · May 2005 the Northern Forest Lands Council 10th Anniversary Forum Final Report was released publicly with endorsements by the four Governors from the Northern Forest states. · ANCA staff participated in the July 22, 2006 Northern Forest Meeting that was hosted in Senator Snowe’s conference room in Washington for the Northern Forest congressional delegation. Discussion continued about the congressional and senate proposals and the potential for a Northeast Development Commission. Martino and ANCA Director John Bartow also met with Congressman John Sweeney who expressed support for the Michaud Bill and indicated he will follow-up with Congressman McHugh and Congressman Boehlert about becoming an additional New York sponsor of the bill. Sweeney stated he was also interested in assisting with appropriations. |
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