We are a small team of two employees and a Board of Supervisors made up of five volunteer county residents who are natural resource professionals, farmers, educators and folks who love the outdoors. We serve a unique role, networking with agencies and organizations to get good conservation practices in place. 

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Staff

Lisa Morin - Laconia - Program Coordinator - lisa.morin@nh.nacdnet.net

Susan Oehlschaeger-Hildreth Volunteer Coordinator  - bccdvolunteer@gmail.com

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District Supervisors

Donna Hepp - Belmont - Chair

Dean Anson - Laconia - Supervisor

Jessica Bailey - Laconia - Supervisor

Jamie Irving - Meredith - Supervisor

Ken Kettenring - New Hampton - Associate Supervisor

Gary Maheu - Laconia - Associate Supervisor

Erin Mastine - Gilford - Associate Supervisor

Earle Chase - Center Barnstead - Associate Supervisor

The BCCD works with farmers, forest owners, landowners, schools, and municipalities to promote the use, protection, and conservation of natural resources on both private and public land, rural and urban.

 

In collaboration with environmental organizations and private sector professionals, we do on the ground work to improve and maintain Belknap County's environment through projects such as stream bed restoration, invasive species management, and pollinator plantings. We aim to educate our community through workshops, events and installations such as interpretive trail signs to help inform people about the importance of our natural resources. Our conservation programs are carried out through education and the implementation of Best Management Practices (BMPs). Technical assistance and information for the implementation of BMPs are provided for various land uses in cooperation with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).

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Conservation districts were born as a response to one of this countries worst ecological disasters, the dust bowl of the 1930's. President Roosevelt wrote to each states Governor recommending legislation that would allow local landowners to form conservation districts and in an unanimous vote, Congress passed legislation declaring soil and water conservation a national policy and priority.

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Today there are nearly 3,000 districts across the United States with more than 15,000 volunteers serving in elected or appointed positions on conservation districts' governing boards.​ New Hampshire has 10 conservation districts, one in each county, that work closely with the State Conservation Committee and USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service. The Belknap County Conservation District (BCCD) was established on on February 14th in 1946 to help implement on the ground conservation practices and serve as a resource to assist land managers to maintain the natural resources of Belknap County.

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