The Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest, a nearly 7,800-acre venue for environmental research within the White Mountain National Forest in New Hampshire, will remain open.
That’s according to a joint statement issued Monday by Republican Governor Kelly Ayotte, Democratic US Senator Jeanne Shaheen, and the US Department of Agriculture, following conversations between state and federal officials about the importance of this research site.
In late March, the USDA had announced “a sweeping restructuring” to include a reorganization of the US Forest Service. The plans sparked backlash in New Hampshire because they called for further scrutiny of the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest and for the closure of facilities at the Bartlett Experimental Forest, which is also located in the White Mountains.
Advocates spoke out, and the state’s two US representatives signed onto a letter in April expressing “strong opposition” to the proposed reorganization, saying it would undermine efforts to combat climate change and wildfire risks while exacerbating challenges related to staffing the federal government.
The joint statement on Monday said USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins had confirmed there aren’t any proposals that would affect the Hubbard Brook site or any of its associated facilities, and Rollins had committed to review plans for the Bartlett Experimental Forest.
Shaheen said she is “relieved” that the Trump administration “heard New Hampshire’s calls,” and that Rollins committed to “reexamine” the initial proposal that would close Bartlett facilities.
“Research from Hubbard Brook and Bartlett has guided forest stewardship across New England for the better part of a century, and we simply can’t afford to lose that,” Shaheen said.
“The lab and other facilities at Bartlett must remain open in New Hampshire to continue the decades-long research projects that serve our entire country while addressing new challenges,” she added.
The research performed at these experimental forests has helped to inform public understanding of forest management, climate science, bats, migratory songbirds, and more.
Ayotte said she appreciates the USDA’s commitment to these research sites.
“New Hampshire’s forests are an essential part of our economy, our environment, and our way of life,” she said.
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Steven Porter can be reached at steven.porter@globe.com. Follow him @reporterporter.