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Draft Mission Statement

What Is Tributary Trails?

Tributary Trails is an environmental organization, and its primary interests are recreational and economic development.

Some Background

The Connecticut River, an American Heritage River, and the Northern Presidentials are dominant features of the North Country. Both have been the focus of intensive research and conservation efforts over the past century.

The Riverbend area is a tremendous natural, ecological, historic and recreational resource with a vast network of state and federally supported and private trails, including the Appalachian Trail, New Hampshire's own Heritage Trail, the Cohos Trail, and several state parks, as well as numerous mountain and valley ponds and lakes which are of special significance. For example, the Cherry Ponds sit as remnants of the much larger proglacial Lake Israel, surrounded by paleoIndian sites of scientific and national importance. Therefore, the North Country generates a strong regional pride. These features not only provide opportunities for the finest heritage and conservation education and recreational programs in New England, but also serve as the basis for a well coordinated, comprehensive system of river walks, canoe/kayak trails, fishing programs and hiking trails.

A relatively short time ago tourism was the mainstay of the North Country. Because several large paper mills in northern New England have recently closed, the economy in the North Country of New Hampshire is moving back to a tourist-and forest-based economy. The North Country Council, the local Economic Development Corporation, the area's Main Street Programs, Chambers of Commerce, the Appalachian Mountain Club and the Randolph Mountain Club have expressed interest in and encouragement for developing a coordinated and comprehensive system of river walks, canoe/kayak trails, fishing programs, hiking trails, heritage and environmental programs and seminars for our area which utilizes the natural, cultural and historic resources of the valley towns, forests, ponds, lakes and tributaries.

Some More About Tributary Trails

Tributary Trails is a bi-state conservation, education and recreation organization in the valley towns just west of the northern Presidentials and in the Riverbend Area of the Connecticut River. This Riverbend area lies between Guildhall, Vt and Northumberland, NH in the north to Newbury, Vt and Haverhill, NH in the south. This great valley is a tremendous natural resource with a vast network of state supported and private trails and organizations. Tributary Trails has cultivated partnerships with many of these organizations in order to strengthen and enhance this trail network

Tributary Trails is a group of people interested in appropriate recreational, and economic development in the Connecticut River watershed. This group is creating a not-for-profit organization which encourages appropriate recreation and tourism by providing local residents and visitors with programs, information, well placed trails, and access along the tributaries of the Connecticut River. The North Country Council, Bethlehem, NH will give guidance and support to Tributary Trails as part of their River Basin initiative.

The philosophy of Tributary Trails is that economic health is directly related to environmental health and that any organization should rely on support from a broad cross section of Riverbend residents, visitors, organizations, government and businesses. Its board and committees, including its Watershed Wellness Working Group, includes business, governmental and institutional leaders from throughout the Riverbend and White Mountains areas. Its core projects are grounded in the participatory process and groups from throughout the region have enjoyed working with Tributary Trails.

The Mission of Education

Tributary Trails long-term goals are to encourage appropriate recreation and tourism by providing the local residents and visitors with programs, information, well placed trails, and access along the tributaries of the Connecticut River. The programs and information will focus on the unique heritage, ecology, and use of the Northern Connecticut River. Tributary Trails will both present programs of its own and promote the many fine programs of groups such as Bretzfelder Park and the Rocks Estate in Bethlehem, NH, the Weeks State Park Association in Lancaster, NH, the Appalachian Mountain Club, the Fairbanks Museum in St. Johnsbury, Vt., the Ammonoosuc Chapter of the Audubon Society of NH, the area schools and local colleges.

Tributary Trails relies upon partnerships, both established and new, to bring about comprehensive public conservation education in the Riverbend area not only to visitors but also to the local citizenry.

The Mission of Trails

Since many of the towns in the Connecticut River watershed are not on the river, Tributary Trails promotes the connection of town centers to the Connecticut River by means of tributary hiking trails and if possible by canoe/kayak trails. It also promotes increasing trail connectivity by connecting town centers to the major trails such as the New Hampshire Heritage Trail, the Cohos Trail and others as well as the linking of existing trails.

This promotion can be done by working with the appropriate state and local government agencies, the major trail and conservation organizations, local groups and appropriate business interests in an open and ongoing forum so that the best use of multiple and sometimes competing open space is found.

Many groups have shown interest and willingness to work with Tributary Trails in partnerships to accomplish safe and environmentally sound hiking and water trails.

The Mission of Water Quality

Several public and private organizations are monitoring water quality and studying the Riverbend area of the Connecticut River. A coordination of these programs and research as well as accessibility of information to the participants is crucial to protecting water quality. Tributary Trails has been planning water quality monitoring in the Riverbend tributaries in those areas not presently covered by monitoring. To accomplish this end, Tributary Trails has been actively seeking grants with some success.

Tributary Trails has been actively seeking to create partnerships among the water quality monitoring groups in the Riverbend area. These groups include drinking water treatment labs, waste water treatment labs, local high schools, local colleges and government agencies such as the New Hampshire and Vermont Departments of Fish and Game. As a result, many participants would share expertise and information.

The involvement of Tributary Trails will create a valuable coordinating enterprise, properly planning the necessary connection and accessibility of land and water trails. It will also give rise to a cooperative mechanism for sharing information and expertise as well as monitoring of the area's water quality.

Tributary Trails Has Just Started

Letters of support show the strong public and private support for the goals and programs of Tributary Trails. Also Tributary Trails has received a ten thousand dollar ($10,000) grant from Wal*Mart. The Tributary Trails program was recognized and adopted by Wal*Mart and their Community Coordinator as an organization that promotes environmental and economic health of the North Country and our great North Woods. This program will entail a stream water quality monitoring project, streamside clean-up days, and an inventory of sensitive, unique and impacted areas along the tributaries. The findings will result in a report that will give recommendations for minimizing the impact. The program will use volunteers from Wal*Mart, local community ecological organizations and those interested in preserving the environment.

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