CONCORD – The Forest Society has named the late Tom Howe, who was directly involved in conserving nearly 35,000 acres over the course of his 25-year tenure, as the 2021 Conservationist of the Year.

Considered the Forest Society’s highest honor, the Conservationist of the Year Award recognizes people whose work to promote and achieve conservation is exemplary; people whose actions have made a difference not just in their own backyards, but also have advanced the protection and stewardship of land statewide. Past awardees include John Hay, U.S. Sen. Judd Gregg, and longtime Forest Society President/Forester Paul Bofinger. Howe is only the second Forest Society staff member to be honored with the Conservationist of the Year Award.

“As many of you know, we lost Tom in January of this year after a terrible accident,” said Jack Savage, president of the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests. “We miss Tom dearly, but today we celebrate him for the astounding breadth of Tom’s lifetime of achievements for our people and places throughout New Hampshire.”

As senior director of land conservation, Howe completed 158 projects that helped to conserve nearly 35,000 acres in New Hampshire, including multiple projects around Mount Major and the Belknap Mountains as well as lands around Green Mountain in Effingham. He and his family also conserved their own 26 acres of farm and forest land in Gilmanton. He was a founding director and board member of Gilmanton Land Trust.

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