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mcdude · 12-10-2004, 08:24 AM

The Grunter’ • Est. 1859
RICHARD PIATT, Publisher
MARY SALIBA, Editor
Editorials, while unsigned, represent a consensus of the views of the
editorial board of the Granite State News and Carroll County Independent.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Let’s trust the Trust
Last week we received and printed a letter to the editor from a concerned Moultonborough resident in regards to the closing of snowmobile trails by the Lakes Region Conservation Trust on the historic Castle in the Clouds property in Moultonborough.
According to the writer, the trust’s goal all along when they raised money to purchase the property for conservation was to close the area to snowmobilers:
“Many locals were excited to see this area preserved for generations to come. Unfortunately, this ultra conservative group has managed to shut the gate on a large part of the local culture, snowmobilers. We all want to see these beautiful areas preserved, but in the same sense we want to see these areas. There are few people who are capable of snowshoeing or cross country skiing to the top of Mt. Shaw on snow covered trails,” stated the letter writer.
Since the first day we heard that the LRCT was in the process of raising funds to purchase the property, we have agreed with those (mainly the Moultonborough Snowmobile Club) who were keenly interested in making sure that the trails on the property be kept open to snowmobilers and since the first day the LRCT has maintained that it will indeed work to keep the trails open to members of the public.
Snowmobiling, when done on well-marked and cared-for trails by responsible individuals allows many people access to beautiful parts of our state that would otherwise be inaccessible during winter. In the case of the Castle property, these trails are well established and have been fantastically maintained by the Moultonborough Snowmobile Club.
Since we published the letter last week we have heard from the LRCT that closing the trails is not what they have in mind at all (see Tom Curren’s letter in this issue) as the letter writer asserted. What is happening at the current time is that the Trust is in the process of working with the Department of Resources and Economic Development (DRED) to provide access to snowmobile trails on the property without charge.
In the process of purchasing the property, the LRCT decided it needed a permanent management plan to effectively conserve the property and in order to establish that plan an overview of the property would need to be conducted.
“The Trust commissioned several studies on the property: a biological inventory of the entire 5,500-acre parcel (identifying all species of wildlife on the land), a trail analysis (identifying and mapping what proved to be roughly 35 miles of trails), a study of the historical uses of Ossipees, an analysis of the hydrogeology of the water sources on the property, and analyses of future financial obligations, including liability coverage, on the possible future uses of the property,” states Curren in his letter.
Curren goes on to state that the trust will be releasing its management plan in the coming weeks and that not everyone will “get everything he or she would want out of this plan.”
We understand the difficulties the Trust is facing in developing a plan that will satisfy everyone. We also understand the concern and frustration of those who have maintained and used the snowmobile trails on the property for years.
The rerouting and closure of some trails to avoid environmentally sensitive areas may be a necessary component of the plan and may cause limited snowmobiling access to the property. We hope that, if this does indeed prove to be the case, the arguments made as to why this needs to be done are valid and limiting access to certain areas is absolutely necessary.
By the same token, we hope that people who may feel that the plan is unfairly limiting access to the property understand that there is a proper way to voice your complaints and that ultimately the Trust (and those that support it financially) is now the owner of the property.Meredith News

Editor’s Note: The letter discussed in this editorial was printed in both the Meredith News and the Granite State News last week, and Mr. Curren’s response may be read in both papers this week.

...Wasn't it a Gilford resident?

12-10-2004, 08:24 AM	#68
mcdude Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Rock Haven Lake - West Newfield, ME Posts: 5,367 Thanks: 374 Thanked 1,057 Times in 495 Posts	Editorial from the Granite State News - 12-9-2004 The Grunter’ • Est. 1859 RICHARD PIATT, Publisher MARY SALIBA, Editor Editorials, while unsigned, represent a consensus of the views of the editorial board of the Granite State News and Carroll County Independent. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Let’s trust the Trust Last week we received and printed a letter to the editor from a concerned Moultonborough resident in regards to the closing of snowmobile trails by the Lakes Region Conservation Trust on the historic Castle in the Clouds property in Moultonborough. According to the writer, the trust’s goal all along when they raised money to purchase the property for conservation was to close the area to snowmobilers: “Many locals were excited to see this area preserved for generations to come. Unfortunately, this ultra conservative group has managed to shut the gate on a large part of the local culture, snowmobilers. We all want to see these beautiful areas preserved, but in the same sense we want to see these areas. There are few people who are capable of snowshoeing or cross country skiing to the top of Mt. Shaw on snow covered trails,” stated the letter writer. Since the first day we heard that the LRCT was in the process of raising funds to purchase the property, we have agreed with those (mainly the Moultonborough Snowmobile Club) who were keenly interested in making sure that the trails on the property be kept open to snowmobilers and since the first day the LRCT has maintained that it will indeed work to keep the trails open to members of the public. Snowmobiling, when done on well-marked and cared-for trails by responsible individuals allows many people access to beautiful parts of our state that would otherwise be inaccessible during winter. In the case of the Castle property, these trails are well established and have been fantastically maintained by the Moultonborough Snowmobile Club. Since we published the letter last week we have heard from the LRCT that closing the trails is not what they have in mind at all (see Tom Curren’s letter in this issue) as the letter writer asserted. What is happening at the current time is that the Trust is in the process of working with the Department of Resources and Economic Development (DRED) to provide access to snowmobile trails on the property without charge. In the process of purchasing the property, the LRCT decided it needed a permanent management plan to effectively conserve the property and in order to establish that plan an overview of the property would need to be conducted. “The Trust commissioned several studies on the property: a biological inventory of the entire 5,500-acre parcel (identifying all species of wildlife on the land), a trail analysis (identifying and mapping what proved to be roughly 35 miles of trails), a study of the historical uses of Ossipees, an analysis of the hydrogeology of the water sources on the property, and analyses of future financial obligations, including liability coverage, on the possible future uses of the property,” states Curren in his letter. Curren goes on to state that the trust will be releasing its management plan in the coming weeks and that not everyone will “get everything he or she would want out of this plan.” We understand the difficulties the Trust is facing in developing a plan that will satisfy everyone. We also understand the concern and frustration of those who have maintained and used the snowmobile trails on the property for years. The rerouting and closure of some trails to avoid environmentally sensitive areas may be a necessary component of the plan and may cause limited snowmobiling access to the property. We hope that, if this does indeed prove to be the case, the arguments made as to why this needs to be done are valid and limiting access to certain areas is absolutely necessary. By the same token, we hope that people who may feel that the plan is unfairly limiting access to the property understand that there is a proper way to voice your complaints and that ultimately the Trust (and those that support it financially) is now the owner of the property.Meredith News Editor’s Note: The letter discussed in this editorial was printed in both the Meredith News and the Granite State News last week, and Mr. Curren’s response may be read in both papers this week. ...Wasn't it a Gilford resident?