Berlin, New Hampshire

redefinition process, Berlin has carved out some interesting and innovative niches in the modern marketplace, all of which still rely on the natural resources which are so plentiful in the 1,830 square miles of Coos County. “One of the components is our effort in renewable energy,” Wheeler begins. “We have several large producers in the City. We have four hydro-electric facilities that generate about 30 MW of power. We have a new, 75 MW biomass facility, and what is great about that facility is that the wood basket that used to feed the paper mill is now feeding the biomass facility. We have a tremendous amount of forest land here. It was once a resource for the paper industry and now is a resource for the renewable energy biomass industry. We also have five wind towers in Berlin that generate about 14.25 MWs. All told, we’re looking at about 118 MWs of renewable energy being generated in the City. We generate more power in our City than is consumed by the entire county so it goes back to the grid, making us a major exporter of renewable energy.” Another area of development in Berlin has been OHRV (Off-Highway Recreational Vehicle) tourism. “Our former mayor, Bob Danderson (2000-08) came up with the idea of an OHRV park in the City,” Wheeler recounts. “Ultimately, the City was able to work with the State of New Hampshire Bureau of Trails, Division of Recreation. The state acquired a parcel of land that the City owned, known as Jericho Lake, a beautiful woodland and lake area that currently hosts about 70 miles of OHRV trails with plans to build out to 300 miles. They have some campground facilities and that has just grown and grown, year after year.” In fact, the City has capitalized on the concept with its ATV (All- Terrain Vehicle) Festival, which it has held for the past ten years. “In the middle of the summer, we have a three day festival,” Wheeler notes. “We bring in six or seven thousand people and their OHRVs.” Berlin’s own festival was so successful that it attracted the Polaris Corporation, a large manufacturer of snowmobiles and ATVs, which AT A GLANCE BERLIN, NEW HAMPSHIRE WHAT: A city of 10,000 WHERE: The northernmost metropolis in the Granite State WEBSITE: www.berlinnh.gov BERL IN, NEW HAMPSHI RE