Westminster may get federal forest legacy grant
By Karen Mann Journal Correspondent

The Forest Legacy Project may be a close to success three land parcels in Westminster.

Janet Morrison, executive director of the North County Land Trust, told selectmen at their Oct. 30 meeting that three parcels of land in Westminster located along the Midstate Trail are most likely going to be chosen for the grant.

Morrision told selectmen they will know officially when Congress passes its budget at the end of the current legislative session. She said they are about as close to receiving the money as can be without an official guarantee yet.

The forest legacy project is a national project to preserve open space in communities. Town officials would receive federal grant money after putting conservation restrictions on parcels of land that are privately owned. The North County Land Trust, along with the Ashburnham Conservation Trust, the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation as well as Westminster and Ashburnham submitted an application to receive grant money to protect land along the Southern Monadnock Plateau.

The total amount of money the town might receive could differ from the $1.3 million requested in the grant application, Morrison said. It would cost about $2 million to put the restrictions on the parcels, she said.

"This money would go directly to the landowners for putting conservation restrictions on their land," said Morrison.

Morrison said the grant would need a match from the town either through private donations, other grants or town money.

"Every grant program has a match," said Morrison. "This is a 25 percent match program."

Morrison predicts town officials will have to raise between $300,000 and $500,000 to fund the rest of the project. She says the hope is to get the money from other state grants, instead of asking taxpayers for the money.

"We will do the best we can," said Morrison. She told selectmen there has been some interest from the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife.

Selectmen and members of the capital planning commission wanted to know why the open space committee was asking for $15,000 at special town meeting for the project.

Morrison said this was to reimburse the North County Land Trust for their work on the project.

The cost-to-date so far for the non-profit's work on the project is $40,000. She predicts it will cost an additional $38,000 to continue work on the project.

She said the North County Land Trust would not ask to be reimbursed the full amount, but would probably ask for $15,000 for two additional years.

Conservation Commission Chairwoman Lois Luniewicz gave support to Morrison and the work she has done on the project.

"We have been given valuable expertise from the North County Land Trust," said Luniewicz.

Selectmen did not give an opinion on the request for the $15,000. The article remained on the warrant for special town meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 14.

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Karen Mann is a 2006 graduate of Emerson College, in Boston, where she studied journalism. She resides in Townsend.