Preservation & Smart Growth    

It's OK to make a mistake...but learn from it!  These New Englanders are doing just that.

The battle between what is and what can be rages in New England.   Many communities face questions of preservation and development with an added environmental imperative.   The answers are seldom easy.   The organizations and groups below are varied but each is working to achieve a balance between what is and what should be.  Congratulations to the people of Littleton, New Hampshire.  Their preservation and revitalization efforts were recognized by National Main Street Center in winning the 2003 Great American Main Street Award™.  The Littleton Main Street program is also linked below. In 2004 the National Trust for Historic Preservation placed the entire state of Vermont on its list of the 11 Most Endangered Places in America, largely because of the rapid and unchecked growth of Wal-Mart in the state.   Scroll down to explore Preservation and Smart Growth sites. Recently added: The Center for Rural Strategies is an organization that seeks to improve rural life by increasing public understanding about the importance and value of rural communities.  Headquartered in Whitesburg, Kentucky, the Center works with rural communities and nonprofit organizations to develop promotional and educational campaigns that explains and celebrates the rural life in contemporary America.     Colin Goff lived in Pennsylvania but left in frustration at over development on the land.  He now lives in Old Saybrook, CT and is just as concerned about development on the lower Connecticut River.  His cause and web site, Ourriver.org is a homage to the river and a call to action to limit or restrict what people can do to their riverfront property.   The loosely knit organization-Goff is candid about being "independent and unfunded" seeks to create a Lower Connecticut River Preservation District, similar to a more urban Historic Districts. He, or they, are not modest in demands, argument or a certain amount of long term logic.  National Sites Among the many groups working to develop communities and preserve neighborhoods are the Main Street programs in New England.    The National Main Street Program was started more than twenty years ago by National Trust for Historic Preservation  and while it was very popular in the South and Midwest, New England has a growing number of relatively new Main Street organizations.    Another important program for rural New England is BARN AGAIN!   a program of the National Trust and Successful Farming magazine.   The National Register of Historic Places is the source to learn about historic buildings, districts and places in the country.     We don't know why but we shouldn't have been surprised to lean that Canada has an Office of Urban Agriculture.  They do things like that up there and by an large, they do them very well.     The Urban Agriculture Notes by City Farmer of Canada's Office of Urban Agriculture is another example of Canadians working smarter to solve problems.  Established in Vancouver, BC in 1978 the site is global in nature with sections on Africa, Asia, and North America among others with down-to-earth information on a wide range of issues that impact on our environment and how we live.   Some topics include community gardens and urban agriculture, composting, planning, collecting water, insects and urban forestry.     The Trust for Public Land Trust for Public Land has played an important part in preserving New England's natural heritage since 1972.  The nonprofit works exclusively to protect land for human enjoyment and improving the health and quality of life of American communities.  They have teams of legal and real estate specialists that work with  landowners, government agencies, and community groups to achieve these goals.    Other sites outside New England worth visiting are ,Sprawl Watch Clearinghouse  and Sustainable Conservation. The Center for Rural Strategies is an organization that seeks to improve rural life by increasing public understanding about the importance and value of rural communities.  Headquartered in Whitesburg, Kentucky, the Center works with rural communities and nonprofit organizations to develop promotional and educational campaigns that explains and celebrates the rural life in contemporary America.     New England Sites The American Lighthouse Foundation and The New England Lighthouse Foundation COOPERATIVE FUND OF NEW ENGLAND The New England Fisheries Development Association THE NEW ENGLAND WILD FLOWER SOCIETY  Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities  is headquartered in Boston but it owns and maintains historic buildings and lands throughout New England.   From June to October all of the Society's homes are open for public viewing, most of which are described, with pictures, at its web site.  A Site of the Day. The New England Botanical Club Environmental Federation of New England (Green for New England) Connecticut East Hartford Enterprise Zone is a public/private partnership that is in the forefront of changing this community on the Connecticut River. First Town Downtown is a 2001 Nationally Certified Exemplary Main Street Community in Windsor.  The attractive site includes upcoming community events, great business connections and some wonderful photographs, in the fall of course, of this fine New England community.  The New Britain Downtown District is a revitalization effort of property owners, the Chamber of Commerce and community residents.   CityCenter Danbury was one of  the first taxing districts in the state and one of the most successful. New London Main Street has an interesting site that is important for members of the organization and a good place for others to learn about what's doing in New London.  As they say, "it takes a whole city to make downtown work." Greenwich Audubon Center The Cheshire Land Trust Riverfront Recapture in Hartford has been a leader in the city's revitalization for years.  With dogged determination and hard work they have transformed Hartford's riverfront on the Connecticut into a place of beauty and activity. Appalachian Mountain Club Connecticut Chapter Schooner, Inc. New Haven,  New London Development Corporation is a non profit organization working with private and public funding to develop our salty home town, New London, CT.   As with many organizations of this kind, it is no stranger to controversy.   Maine Cape Elizabeth Land Trust Maine Appalachian Trail Club Boothbay Region Land Trust The Maine Rural Water Association  The Maine Development Foundation Eastern Maine Development Corporation Down East Resource Conservation And Development The Natural Resources Council of Maine  CHEWONKI FOUNDATION, WISCASSET Massachusetts The Association for the Preservation of Cape Cod The Appalachian Mountain Club  Allston Village Main Streets Boston Main Streets was started in In 1995 by Mayor Thomas M. Menino as the first urban, multi-district Main Streets program in the nation. The program has gown and today Boston Main Streets provides funding and technical assistance to 19 neighborhood-based Main Streets districts throughout the City of Boston.  The program focuses its effort on providing merchants and community residents with the tools for their historic commercial districts to compete in today's market.  Northeast Sustainable Energy Association South Boston Main Streets is one of the 19 organizations in Boston's ambitious Main Street program. While the challenges to South Boston's revitalization are many, the community has made great strides in improving the look and feel of the neighborhood.  It recently completed 11 storefront improvement projects, helped to reduce the inventory of vacant buildings and completed a market analysis of the community's business strengths and weakness.    Roslindale Main Street is another member of the Boston Main Street program.  The site includes a history of the community, maps, business and population data and conclusions from studies conducted by Roslindale Main Street.  There are also fine photographs of this interesting and diverse inner city community.  Springfield Business Improvement District  Environmental League of Massachusetts The Massachusetts Historical Commission The Martha's Vineyard Preservation Trust The Trustees of Reservations, is the nation's oldest statewide preservation organization. Since 1891, they have protected over 34,000 acres in Massachusetts, including 89 public reservations.   Many of the state's most important and ecologically significant areas rich are in their care.   Action for Boston Community Development (ABCD) The Appalachian Mountain Club The Massachusetts Riverways Program Massachusetts Audubon Society Historic Salem, Inc The Boston Preservation Alliance Massachusetts Bicycle Coalition Boston Cares The Friends of the Blue Hills, Milton  Massachusetts Horticultural Society New Hampshire Citizens for New Hampshire  Land and Community Heritage  in Concord, is a relatively new coalition of organizations working to anticipate problems that development will have on the state.   Spurred by the state legislature in 1998, members are examining the state's natural and cultural legacies with the goal of preserving and protecting what many of us have come to value when we think of New Hampshire.  Yes, there are opportunities to help.  See the site. A Site of the Day  New Hampshire Community Development Finance Authority   Dartmouth Outing Club, promoting outdoor recreation. Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests New Hampshire Main Street Center is the state coordinator for Main Street programs.  Members include; Team Jaffrey a new member of the New Hampshire Main Street program has a an awarding winning site that matches the vitality of the community.  A Site of the Day  Main Street Plymouth Lancaster Main Street Congratulations to the people of Littleton, New Hampshire the Littleton Main Street program .  Their preservation and revitalization efforts were recognized by National Main Street Center in winning the 2003 Great American Main Street Award™ Berlin Main Street Durham Main Street  Manchester Intown Manchester, Inc. Londonderry Project Robie's Country Store Historic Preservation New Hampshire Archeological Society Upper Merrimack Local Advisory Committee The Student Conservation Association  New Hampshire Lakes Association is a non profit that seeks to preserve and safeguard the state's hugely important lake and water resources.  Confronting economic and quality of life issues relative to  New Hampshire's lakes, they work with state legislators and governmental agencies and serve as a forum for up-to-date information on lakes, water quality, boating, species protection and public access to water areas.  They also conduct regular educational programs and offer a Speakers Bureau for other groups to learn more about the organization and the state's water environment. A Site of the Day.    Fort Constitution Historic Site The Robert Frost Farm The Wentworth-Coolidge Mansion Granite State Treasure Hunter's Club for Historic Preservation Rhode Island MILL BUILDING REVITALIZATION  Preservation Society of Pawtucket Woonsocket Economic Development  Wickaboxet Wildlife Management Area Narragansett History  One has to either live or read history.   Vermont Preservation Burlington is a non profits group that has played a key roll in making this Vermont city one of our region's more diverse and interesting places to live and visit. While they are "preservationists" they also understand the need for communities and neighborhoods to grow and prosper.  They have accepted the tasks of preserving the city's architectural, historic and aesthetic heritage while also promoting Burlington's vibrant artistic and commercial interests.  The site includes information on their Annual Old Homes Tour, an archive of old postcards, details of touring the city by foot, reports on their ambitions Awards program and news of upcoming events of interest to residents and visitors.       The Preservation Trust of Vermont is headquarter in Burlington but their reach and influence can be seen state-wide.   Among its work include providing "hands-on" experts for technical assistance and "encouragement" to local groups and communities involved in historic preservation.   In partnership with other civic minded groups, also provide seed grants in a program called "Better Communities for Vermont’s Future." It is designed to strengthen the State's downtowns and village centers and in recent years the total grants have exceed $150,000. The Park-McCullough House is in North Bennington, Vermont and is a genuine National Treasure.  Built during the Civil War under the guidance of New York architect Henry Dudley, the house is a fine example of New England's Victorian impulses in the last part of the 19th century.  Listed on the National Register of Historic Places and managed by Park-McCullough House Association, the house has an active schedule of events and functions to which the public is invited.  The site includes a history of how the house was build and wonderful photographs of some of the people who have called it home.  Randolf Vermont Main Street   Vermont Division for Historic Preservation Vermont Downtown Program  Montpelier Downtown Revitalization Green Mountain Club Waterbury Center Rutland Economic Development Corp The people of the Vermont Forum on Sprawl believe in growth that is consistent with Vermont values of environmental quality, rural working landscape and the community values of sharing and equity. While the site is simple, it has the commendable goals of assisting the people of the Green Mountain State in achieving economic development while maintaining environmental quality, a rural working landscape and the community values of sharing and equity.

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