Blending Natural Resources & Economic Development
Abstract
New Hampshire’s natural beauty—from our coastline to the forests to the thousands of rivers and lakes that connect it all together—not only supports NH's critical tourism economy, but is also why so many visitors end up moving here. However, NH faces a significant challenge in the future. Can we maintain robust economic development and associated population growth while retaining the natural beauty and resources that are the foundation of the state’s quality of life and the real NH advantage?
Researchers with the NH EPSCoR’s Ecosystem and Society project (funded by the National Science Foundation), engaged dozens of stakeholders from different sectors statewide in discussions about NH’s future—specifically NH’s landscape during the next 20 to 40 years. We also consulted existing plans (including NH’s 2009 Climate Action Plan and the recently developed New England Food Vision) and population projections from the NH Office of Energy and Planning and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. One of several visions that emerged is a NH with a vibrant economy connected to a growing population, but also one that preserves many of its natural resources. This may be hard to imagine given the sprawl that has overtaken much of Rockingham and Hillsborough counties over the past decades, and it calls for some significant changes.
Department
Earth Sciences, Earth Systems Research Center
Publication Date
12-2014
Journal Title
Business NH Magazine
Publisher
Business NH Magazine
Document Type
News Article
Recommended Citation
Wake, CP, C Grimm, and A Thorn (2014) Blending Natural Resources and Economic Development. Business NH Magazine, December, 80-81.