Friends of Mount Sunapee

The Weeks Act of 1911 Led to the Establishment of the White Mountain National Forest

A resolution authored by U.S. Senators Judd Gregg (R-NH) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the Weeks Act (S. Res. 679) was approved by the U.S. Senate.  In addition to celebrating the law’s centennial anniversary, the bipartisan resolution provides deserving recognition to the law’s author, John Weeks, a Massachusetts Congressman born in Lancaster, New Hampshire.  It also recognizes that the acquisition of the first 7,000 acres of White Mountain National Forest was made possible using the authorities provided by the Weeks Act.  Lastly, the resolution acknowledges the work and cooperation of local conservation groups, businesses, industrialists, and the tourism industry to ensure passage of the original law, and encourages further collaboration and continued support for the White Mountain National Forest.

 Senator Gregg, a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, stated, “Like many New Hampshire citizens, I am proud to recognize and celebrate the centennial anniversary of the Weeks Act.  It was the single greatest law for the protection of forests in the eastern United States and one of the most important moments in land conservation history.  Passage of the Weeks Act led to the establishment of the White Mountain National Forest, a truly special place in New Hampshire that draws millions of visitors yearly.  It is my hope that remembrance of this important law can encourage ongoing collaboration among federal, state, and local governments, as well as business, tourism, and conservation groups, to continue preserving the many benefits of the White Mountain National Forest so that future generations can appreciate its unique areas just as we have.”

“The importance of the Weeks Law to New Hampshire is difficult to overstate,” said U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen.  “Without it, the White Mountain National Forest and the other eastern national forests as we know them might never have come into being.  Today, the Weeks Law remains a source of inspiration for its foresight, the spirit of cooperation in which it was conceived, and the vast tracts of national forests it preserved for future generations.”

Senator Shaheen has been a staunch supporter of protecting New Hampshire’s forests for current and future generations to enjoy.  As Governor, Shaheen led efforts to establish the Land and Community Heritage Investment Program (LCHIP) which provides grants to protect New Hampshire’s natural, cultural and historic resources.  Since 2000, LCHIP has helped to conserve over 220,000 acres of land in 107 New Hampshire communities.

In the Senate, Shaheen has led efforts in the Senate to fully fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) and the Forest Legacy Programs, two of our country’s most important land conservation programs.  These programs were used to help protect additional forest lands in the Lake Umbagog National Wildlife Refuge, along the Appalachian Trail and the Quabbin to Cardigan Initiative, which spans one hundred miles from the Quabbin Reservoir northward to Mount Cardigan and the White Mountain National Forest.