PREP Coastal Watershed Land Protection Transaction Grants 2008 Funding Round

In 2008, fourteen projects received PREP funds to support transaction costs associated with permanent land conservation projects in the New Hampshire coastal watershed. A maximum of $3,000 was granted to each project, with a single organization eligible to receive up to three separate awards. Funds were granted to eight different organizations, all of which were land trusts or town Conservation Commissions. Projects were completed in nine different towns, with the total acreage of land permanently protected reported at 984 acres. Nine of the fourteen projects were located in priority Conservation Focus Areas identified in The Land Conservation Plan for New Hampshire\u27s Coastal Watersheds (Zankel et al., 2006). Twelve of the fourteen projects protected stream or river shoreland habitat, with a total estimated distance of 23,510’ (4.45 miles) of shoreland receiving permanent protection. The majority of projects utilized conservation easements as the primary land protection mechanism and involved significant financial compensation to the landowner. PREP invested a total of $40,880 towards the transaction costs associated with the 14 projects, which was matched by $94,789 worth of cash and in-kind contributions by grant recipients. The total real market value of the land permanently protected through the work of project partners is estimated to be $6.56 million. This grant program provides important financial support that helps build and maintain the capacity of local governments and non-profits to complete land protection projects in the PREP watershed. The program also helps achieve PREP’s goal of permanently protecting 15 percent of the watershed by 2010. The program will continue with a new funding round and some minor administrative changes in 2009