Wolfeboro and Tuftonboro are special because of what surrounds us: our lakes, forests, mountains, open spaces, clean water, and the small-town character that defines life in the Lakes Region.

Protecting these resources is not only an environmental issue. It is also an economic, public-health, and quality-of-life issue. Lake Winnipesaukee supports tourism, recreation, property values, local businesses, and the identity of our communities. But clean water cannot be taken for granted. Polluted runoff, shoreline erosion, aging septic systems, road salt, overdevelopment, and cyanobacteria blooms all pose growing risks to our lakes and ponds.

Through my work on the Development Committee for the Wentworth Watershed Association, I have seen firsthand how closely the health of our waters is connected to the health of our communities. Protecting our lakes and the waters that flow into them means protecting the places where our children swim, families gather, businesses thrive, and residents and visitors experience the natural beauty that makes this area so special.

We can support responsible growth while safeguarding clean water, forests, open spaces, and rural character. I believe the best solutions are practical, informed by science and local knowledge, and developed with the people most affected by them. That means respecting property rights, listening to residents and municipalities, and keeping local voices central to important land-use decisions.

Wolfeboro and Tuftonboro are defined by their connection to the land and water around us. We have a responsibility to be good stewards of these resources—not only for ourselves, but for the generations that will follow us.