GREENFIELD, NH — For more than 50 years Crotched Mountain has been dedicated to the health and rehabilitation of children and adults with disabilities. Throughout its history the non-profit, hospital, rehabilitation facility and school has also practiced responsible land use, sustainable forestry and preservation of its 1,400 acre campus.

In recognition of this work, Crotched Mountain was presented with the Land Ethic for Tomorrow award by the New Hampshire Land Surveyors Association (NHLSA) at its annual meeting on November 30, 2006 at the Wayfarer Inn in Bedford, NH.

The award recognizes an individual, company or government agency that has made unique and significant land-use decisions based upon accurate and complete land information gathered and used in an advanced and innovative manner.

"We are honored and humbled to receive this award," said Don Shumway, president and CEO of Crotched Mountain. "As a large institutional land owner we have always felt a strong obligation to respect the traditions in this state and community for responsible land development and preservation. And as an organization that provides services to people with disabilities we have sought ways to connect them with the beautiful world outside our doors. The Land Ethic for Tomorrow award recognizes that we carefully plan for the future of our campus and the environment, and that we truly care about the future of New Hampshire's landscape."

Bob Todd, a local surveyor/forester who has provided these services to Crotched Mountain for more than twenty-five years, nominated the organization for the award. In his application, Todd noted Crotched Mountain's long history of environmental stewardship and its ongoing work to preserve the land while making it accessible to the public and its clients.

"The philosophy of the current and past boards of directors and administrative staff incorporates fully the notion that a healthy environment, one that clients can experience daily, is as important to human health as is the first rate care and treatment they receive indoors. The implementation of their philosophy is now and always has been with the best land information and with best management practices being applied," Todd wrote.

Crotched Mountain has dedicated significant amounts of time, technology and resources to map its 1,400 acre campus, most of which is forested, while working to preserve its unique environmental features.

Crotched Mountain's preservation and land use efforts include:

• Preparing two successive 10 year forest management plans which have guided timber harvesting and addressed wildlife and recreational aspects of land management.
• Achieving Certified Tree Farm status for the forested portion of its campus for twenty-five years.
• Commissioning of a Natural Resource Inventory completed in 2004 by the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests, the Audubon Society of NH and the Heritage Bureau within the NH Department of Natural Resources and Economic Development. This report identified critical wetland and upland habitat elements, presence of threatened habitat types and uncommon plant species. The NRI has been an indispensable resource for campus development planning and protection of our land assets. Special Management Areas are now in place to protect sensitive areas.
• Creating plans for outdoor recreation opportunities accessible for everyone, including people with disabilities. When implemented Crotched Mountain will become a national model for accessible outdoor recreation;
• Applying for a Forest Legacy Conservation Easement for 1,165 acres of the campus that will forever protect it from development and preserve its availability for accessible outdoor recreation.

"The Land Ethic for Tomorrow award is one of the most gratifying ways for us as surveying professionals and members of NHLSA to honor good New Hampshire people, organizations, and projects with which we have been associated," said Doug Burnell, NHLSA Awards Chair. "Although Crotched Mountain has certainly been a household name with most of us for its wonderful work with people with disabilities, it is almost more remarkable to realize that all this good work is not being done at the expense of the environment, that indeed Crotched Mountain is practicing exemplary stewardship of its land while continuing to grow and expand."

About The New Hampshire Land Surveyors Association

The New Hampshire Land Surveyors Association exists to promote the profession of surveying, mapping, land information systems and related fields to support the advancement of technologies, and to help ensure that these professional activities provide for the safety and welfare of the general public. For more information, please visit www.nhlsa.org.

About Crotched Mountain

Crotched Mountain is a charitable organization employing more than 900 people. Its mission is to serve individuals with disabilities and their families, embracing personal choice and development, and building communities of mutual support. Crotched Mountain provides specialized education, rehabilitation, community, and residential support services for more than 2,000 consumers, including individuals with disabilities and the elderly, living in New England and New York. For more information about Crotched Mountain, visit their web site: www.crotchedmountain.org.

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