Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Cooperative Extension Roundtable topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
UNH Extension pitches regional conservation roundtable for Brentwood and nearby towns
Summary
A UNH Cooperative Extension specialist proposed a multi-town conservation roundtable to share technical training and local experience; Brentwood commissioners expressed interest and agreed to circulate a survey to gauge participation.
Sarah Callahan, community conservation field specialist with the University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension, introduced a proposal to create a regional conservation roundtable for Brentwood and nearby towns.
Callahan said the roundtable would replicate a model used for coastal towns around Great Bay that mixes short presentations with peer-to-peer discussion, and that she plans to invite eight nearby communities for an initial series of online meetings with an occasional in‑person event.
The proposal is meant to provide technical assistance and peer learning on topics such as land stewardship, conservation easement monitoring, culvert and watershed issues, outreach and engagement, and mapping and inventory work. Callahan noted the model has drawn consistent attendance when offered online and that presenters’ segments are often 15–30 minutes followed by a question-and-answer period.
Commissioners discussed formats and participation. One commissioner said they preferred idea-sharing over formal presentations; another suggested splitting presenter costs among participating towns so a consultant or expert could reach a broader audience. Callahan said she will send a survey to the commission’s email list to gauge interest, availability and topic priorities, with the goal of scheduling the first roundtable in January or February.
Commissioners also suggested coordination with existing groups and resources, including the Great Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, Sea Grant, Osmond Sargent Land Trust, Moose Mountain Regional Greenways and the regional planning commission’s Connect2Protect mapping tools.
There was no formal vote. Callahan said she would follow up by distributing a survey and materials to the conservation commission’s email list, and commissioners agreed to circulate the survey locally.
