N.H. takes ownership of 7,200 acres for ATV use
By Associated Press - 02/18/06


CONCORD - State parks officials took ownership Friday of 7,200 acres of land in Berlin for a new state park expected to provide hundreds of miles of trails for all terrain vehicles.

"We’re very excited about the prospects," said Amy Bassett, a spokeswoman for the state parks division. "We have been talking about it for a year or more." Signing the paperwork came as a relief, she said.

Within the next few weeks, the state expects acquire another 300 acres around Jericho Lake that the city of Berlin has agreed to donate to add to the new park.

Once that transfer is complete, the parks division can begin planning trails. The park will be the first of its kind in New England.

The property already has about 60 miles of logging roads that could be opened as early as late May to ATVs. The Jericho Lake parcel includes parking and bathrooms for visitors.

The department will assemble a committee of state, federal and local officials, along with ATV riders and other potential park users to decide how to lay out the trails, picnic areas and other uses.

"Our goal is to have a tentative recreational plan within the next few months," Bassett said. The parks division also plans to seek public input on the design.

The deal calls for the state to pay loggers Tom and Scott Dillon $2.16 million for the property. The agreement allows the loggers to finish logging and to remove gravel in a few remaining areas. The state will pay the purchase price over the next five years with funds collected from ATV registration fees and some federal money.

Eventually, the state hopes to develop about 350 miles of off-road trails. Skiing, snowmobiling, camping, hiking, boating and swimming also will be incorporated in the park.

Berlin city officials championed the project and hope the ATV park will boost the local economy by drawing ATV riders from all over the northeast
 

The following information is about the purchase of the Dillon Property and the acquisition of Jericho Lake by the State of New Hampshire, Division of Parks and Recreation (posted 1/18/2006).

Additional information can be found here: http://www.nhstateparks.org/ParksPages/BerlinProperty/BerlinProperty.html


Dillon Property Purchase and Jericho Lake Park Transfer
Berlin, New Hampshire

DRED, the Division of Parks and Recreation, and the Bureau of Trails are all eager to proceed with an exciting project for the benefit of all people in New Hampshire as well as many of our millions of visitors.

Coos County continues to lag behind the rest of New Hampshire from an economic standpoint. DRED and the City of Berlin believe this project can provide a boost to the local economy and encourage private investment into construction and operation of associated business on private land nearby. This in turn will provide new jobs and may
encourage some business to relocate to this area because of increased amenity values.

Existing condition of Dillon Property Based on the latest Coos County Soil Survey, a vast majority of the land within the proposed purchase consists of soil units described as sandy loam, very stony, or rock
outcrop. This is a primary reason for wanting to purchase the property for a variety of trail purposes, especially motorized use.
Virtually all of the approximately 7200 acres being considered for purchased have been logged in the past twenty years with most of the activity happening within the last five.

An extensive network of gravel roads and logging skid trails exist providing access throughout the property. Conversation with the logging contractor and company forester indicates about one and a half years before completion of harvesting the remaining
accessible timber.

Because of this accelerated rate of harvest, many scenic points exist throughout the property providing views of the Kilkenny Range, the Mahoosic Mountains, and the Northern Presidential Range as well as views of local peaks and the Androscoggin and Upper Ammonoosuc River valleys. However, the young age class of trees currently on the property will continue to increase in density and height and will block many of these views within the next ten years if no
additional vegetation management is considered. Wildlife that use younger forest, both hardwood and softwood types, will increase in numbers. Partridge, woodcock, snowshoe hare, deer, moose and associated animals will become more plentiful in the short term.

Existing local uses The property has a long history of logging and timber management. The area is used by many local residents for hunting and fishing. A network of snowmobile trails is groomed
each winter and there is abundant evidence of use by 4-wheel drive and ATV enthusiasts.

There is increasing use by mountain bikers, snowshoers, and cross country skiers.

Bureau of Trails – Short-term Plan
The Bureau has been busy gathering preliminary data on the property and talking with individuals and organizations with an interest in use of the property. RSA 215-A:43 provides an evaluation process for new ATV and trail bike trails on state-owned land.

There is both a coarse filter and a fine filter component to the process. Based on information to date, the Bureau believes it can successfully meet all criteria for the initial screening through the coarse filter process. The Bureau also strongly believes it can meet all criteria for the fine filter.

Coordination to Date
Personnel from the Division of Parks and Recreation and the Bureau of Trails have met with many people and organizations in the last six months. Extensive coordination has occurred with the owners of the property, Thomas and Scott Dillon, and the City of
Berlin. Additional coordination has been occurring with the following entities:

Berlin Industrial Development and Parks Association
Dillon forester and logging contractor
White Mountain Ridge Runners Snowmobile Club
USDA Forest Service
Nansen Ski Club
USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service
Local 4-wheel drive enthusiasts
Several businesses planning to relocate to the Route 110 area

Also, personnel have engaged in preliminary conversations with local employees from DES, the Society for Protection of New Hampshire Forests, and motorized recreation groups and individuals from Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York and New Jersey as
well as New Hampshire.

Public Meetings
Two public informational meetings have been set to display location of the property, its existing condition, RSA process requirements, and potential uses for the area. The Bureau has made presentations on December 13 in Berlin and on December 14 in Concord.

Public comment opportunities are being planned for later this winter and early spring.

 

The purchase, which should be final in mid-January, would create a 7,500-acre state park with the 
potential for 350 miles of trails for ATVs. The first trails, on existing logging roads, could open as early as this spring, officials say.

The park will be the first of its kind in New England. The closest similar park is in West Virginia, though one is planned for a former strip mine in Cambria County in western Pennsylvania.

New Hampshire riders have long complained they have few places to ride, and conflicts between riders and private landowners have risen as ATV popularity has soared.

When the state last raised registrations fees, it promised some of the money would go toward trail development. But resistance to adding ATV trails to existing state parks like Bear Brook stymied those efforts.

Then a logging company offered land in Berlin, and state saw an opportunity to meet the demand in an area that welcomes ATVs. Even groups that have long opposed ATVs figure they're better off in an isolated area of Berlin than elsewhere in the state.

The city is donating 300 acres around Jericho Lake that will come equipped with bathrooms and parking. The state plans to improve the area this spring and open it to swimmers, boaters and other users this summer, according to McLean.

The park will be slightly larger than Crawford Notch State Park and more than twice the size of Monadnock State Park, but smaller than Bear Brook, in Allenstown.

Logging has removed most of the old growth, but many smaller trees remain and the hilly layout gives a sense of privacy as the road rises and falls. Most of the park is west of Route 110, but there are 1,610 acres on the east side, near Head Pond.

Steve Dayton operates a multimillion-dollar business renting ATVs at Pismo Beach, Calif. When he heard from family about the planned park, he saw a business opportunity and flew east to learn more.

That's music to the ears of Mayor Bob Danderson, to whom the park represents a chance to turn his blue-collar city into a tourist destination and to reduce its historic reliance on a single industry, pulp and paper.

The area already attracts snowmobilers in winter, but Danderson believes ATVs will be an even bigger, year-round business. Driving down Route 110, he points at potential sites for new hotels, stores, restaurants and cabins, all feeding the local economy.

"This is the start of the next big recreational sport in New Hampshire," he predicted.

Jim Bird, who is active in the New Hampshire Off-Highway Vehicle Association, agrees.

"I think it's going to be huge," said Bird, whose group represents ATV clubs statewide.

Bird also predicts the sport will grow as the population ages and more people need motorized help to get around.

"Anything that gets people out in the woods is good," he argued. "It's so much cheaper than therapy."

Sales of ATVs grew by 28 percent in New Hampshire between 2000 and 2002, according to trade industry figures. Sales have since dropped off, something locals attribute to the lack of opportunities to ride.

But nationally, ATV sales continue to grow. Dealer sales rose from 734,000 in 2000 to 912,000 in 2004, according to the Specialty Vehicle Institute of America.

According to information collected by the New Hampshire Off-Highway Vehicle Association, the Hatfield-McCoy Recreational Area in West Virginia draws visitors from 46 states and led to the opening of six equipment and supply stores, seven campgrounds, two hotels and three cabin-rental companies.

Berlin police Chief Peter Morency has talked to his counterpart in West Virginia, who said the park has been a great boost to the local economy.

Morency acknowledges that some ATV riders have a reputation for going off trails, causing erosion and damaging private land, but he supports the park, even though it will add to his workload.

The Appalachian Mountain Club did not oppose the park, but does want the adjacent White Mountain National Forest protected from rogue riders. McLean said the U.S. Forest Service will have a say in how trails are laid out to protect the national forest from motorized intrusion.

But Morency said visiting riders probably won't cause the problems.

"People don't come up here to break the law on purpose," he said. The problem is more likely to be locals taking shortcuts, he predicted.

The park will not be exclusive to ATVs. The state plans to provide for other users -- snowmobilers, skiers, hikers, boaters, hunters, mountain bikers, and dog sledders among others, McLean said. She said officials are discussing building a campground and cabins to generate revenue, as the state does in other parks.

The 133-year-old Nansen Ski Club is among the groups hoping to use the park, but members are concerned about mixing with ATVs.

"ATVs and cross-country skiing have historically not been compatible uses," said vice-president Gerry Berthiaume. "We would like a dedicated area."

While some areas will be targeted for nonmotorized use, McLean said the state will encourage different groups of users to "share with care."

Even ATVers fall into groups with different interests.

"They're going to want touring trails for the moms and pops" but rougher, steeper terrain for hotshots, Bird said. "With that much land, there'll be room for everything," he predicted.

McLean promised there will be broad opportunities for the public to help plan the park. But right now, no one is arguing and anything seems possible.

"It's very exciting," she said. "How often does a director get in on the ground floor and get to develop a park?"

December 07, 2005

Last night the Trails Bureau in the Department of Resources, Recreation and Development (DRED) made a presentation on the Berlin / Dillon land purchase.

 It was an overview of what the land looks like, its features, some current attributes and some of the challenges faced by the department, and the process they will take in developing the plan and moving the project forward.

 The challenges seem to be mostly short term and include fiscal issues and working around other activity on the land (logging and gravel pit activity).

 George Pozzuto, formerly with the Forest Service and working temporarily part-time for the Trails Bureau, made most of the presentation.  He displayed photographs he’s taken while scouting the land, most of which should be included on a brochure, the views and scenery are that good.  He displayed some areas that he identified as potentially being used for specific purposes, i.e. one area that includes flat wide logging roads for training / youth riding, and another area that might be good for motocross events etc.

 Several maps available described the land and existing logging roads; there will be a fair amount of trails not on the land the state purchased but that will link various sections.  Adding together the 7,200 acres purchased with easements for ATV use, the total land area is 10,000 – 12,000 acres.  He described the land as having a variety of types of terrain, making it attractive for all levels / ages.  There are several areas where either no timber or thin timber is standing.  He said that there would be virtually no trees bigger than 4 inches in diameter anywhere on the land.

 He showed a photo and described a particular challenge posed by a spring where locals have filled jugs for decades, which is in the middle of the property.  DRED will have to come up with a policy on the spring as part of their master plan.

 He also identified the user groups for which he is planning and prioritized them.  At the top of the list is ATVs, followed by snowmobiles, cross-country skiers (the Nansen Ski Club will be headquartered there) and other OHRV vehicles (trucks), and finally “other”.  Pozzuto said he has received inquiry from groups that don’t fit into any of the other categories wanting to know about their ability to use the land, to which he has responded “probably none”, because, in his words, it is right next to the White Mountain National Forest where there is plenty of available area for those activities.  This is meant primarily to be an ATV area.

 Pozutto made it clear several times, that full development of the land to its full potential is a multi-year process, and anywhere from 5 to 10 years should be expected to maximize the activities.

 For the near future, there is a possibility that a small area might be open for Summer ’06, but that would likely be on existing logging roads and he is still unsure where the Dillons will be logging.  His belief is that they will be finished logging by a year from now, but they have rights to log for an additional 4 years.

 It is important to note that no definite plans have been made; at this stage there are only concepts, ideas and proposals.  The Trails Bureau hopes that sometime in the Spring they will be ready for the public hearing on their proposal, which will likely lay out a the stages of development over a period of years, what the trails look like, etc., including many policy decisions.  The proposals will also include what types of camping will be available and where.

 One of the ideas is to designate trails for certain levels of skill, similar to they way ski slopes are designated with green circles, blue squares and black diamonds.

 Another recommendation that may, repeat may, come forth, is one to establish a small per-day use fee for all who want to use the land. Some reservations / concerns / opposition came from individuals representing NHOHVA at the meeting, under the premise that it has been paid for out of user fees already.  The Trails Bureau is concerned that there will be no money for trail construction because such a significant amount is going to the land purchase (a summary of how the land is being paid for appears at the end).  This discussion will need to be continued throughout the Winter.

 For the next two or three months, the Trails Bureau is looking for trail ideas; uses, design, maintenance, what kind how much etc.  It is vitally important that in the short term, the department receives input on what users want to see, what they think would be attractive to other users, etc.  That information is only useful if you include reasons for your opinion.  The “what” only matters if it is accompanied by the “why”.

 Please send all comments to:

 berlincomments@dred.state.nh.us

 The earlier the better for their planning purposes.  PLEASE remember to state clearly the reasons behind your idea.

 Chief of the Trails Bureau Paul Grey is hoping NHOHVA can be helpful to the remaining core of the Androscoggin Club to grow and be able to perform functions necessary for the trail system there.

 George Pozzuto especially wants to learn from users about mixing two wheeled use with four wheeled use,

 The possibilities for the site are numerous, including educational opportunities along trails, i.e. stops that describe wildlife habitat, etc.

 NHOHVA will remain active in monitoring the process and the progress of the proposals, and will provide input when necessary.

DILLON LAND PURCHASE DETAILS

Area around and including Jericho Lake currently owned by the City of Berlin:  Transferred from Berlin to the State of New Hampshire (gift)

Purchase of Dillon Property:        $2,100,000, as follows:

·         Approximately $760,000 from the land aqcusition account*, $340,000 from operating funds

* the land acquisition account is funded through a portion of the registration fees plus any money not used each year in the grant-in-aid program is rolled into the land acquisition account

·         The remaining balance is to be paid over 5 years from money in the land acquisition account plus interest paid from operating funds:  5 payments of $200,000 plus interest.

 During the Executive Council process to purchase the land, there was talk of bonding the balance and paying Dillon off immediately rather than paying a higher rate to Dillon.  That would take legislative action.

 Curtis J. Barry

The Dupont Group

Concord, New Hampshire

603-228-3322 ext. 102

www.dupontgroup.com