Bartlett selectmen view sites of planned interpretive wildlife project [07/27/2002]

Officials don't want national forest to look like a national park

Bartlett Selectmen hit the road yesterday morning for a field trip with officials from the Forest Service to view a number of proposed projects. It was a trip up Bear Notch Road and onto the Kancamagus Highway and then time to look and talk. Selectmen got a first hand look at the planned White Brook interpretive wildlife project just beyond the Jigger Johnson Campground. The board has opposed such a plan, but wanted to meet with U.S. Forest Service officials to voice their concerns. Saco District Ranger Terry Miller led the tour."I think it was a good field trip," Gene Chandler, chairman of the board for Bartlett, said. "We had a very good meeting with Forest Service. There was a lot of questions and answers from everyone. I will admit we did feel a little funny being in Albany, but our overall concerns were about the development of the White Mountain National Forest as a whole and not just Albany."In March, selectmen sent a letter to Miller outlining their objections to the project. The board opposed the project as it had stood due to fears it would change the character of the national forest towards a national park looksomething it is opposed to."We're not opposed to having interpretive nature trails," Chandler said, yesterday, "we just want things to look like they belong. For example, if you look out at the vista on Bear Notch Road that overlooks Chocorua, it's very nicely set up with boulders and there are no lines or stripes and signs. Now if you go up to the Wengan Grand Overlook and it looks like something right out of a city parking lot with lines and signs everywhere, It hardly looks natural. I just don't think these sort of things belong in a national forest. Another example is the Hancock Notch Overlook, they've built this luxurious stone wall instead of just putting in a few boulders."The tour, which lasted over two hours included stops at White Brook, Anise Field, Lower Falls and Rocky Gorge. "The Anise Field is a project we hope the Forest Service will be able to get back on track," Chandler said, "It would be nice to see it restored to a natural field... In all fairness to the Forest Service I know they have a tough balancing act. I was very pleased with this meeting. They were receptive to listening to our concerns and had some very good answers... Again, we think that people choose to come to the White Mountain National Forest because of its natural beauty and we'd like to see any changes follow along that vein."