Communities & Consequences is a film about the human ecology of New Hampshire. It addresses the loss of New Hampshire's young people through the human stories of people that are living out the consequences of demographic imbalance. Correspondent Peter Francese travels throughout the state to talk to business owners, town officials, young professionals and active citizens about the causes and effects of a rapidly aging state. The film confronts and questions many long held myths that have heavily influenced local development decisions, including those of explosive population growth, the aging of New Hampshire as simply a natural trend, and the belief that families with children will increase property taxes.


Extended Interviews


George Bald

George Bald is the commissioner of New Hampshire's Department of Resources and Economic Development.

1. On the responsibility that town governments have to work regionally.

2. On the importance of young people to the health of the NH's economic growth.

3. On the role of the state in educating young people about NH's career opportunities.

4. On the importance of working regionally to address the needs of young people.

5. On the role of higher education in retaining NH's workforce.



Ivy Vann

Ivy Vann is a developer who working on a plan for a high-density in-fill development near downtown Peterborough.

1. On the community's response to her development.

2. On breaking into the housing market.

3. On the difference between affordable and workforce housing.

4. On the consequences of not addressing the needs of housing and jobs.


Paul Bofinger

Paul O. Bofinger came to New Hampshire on what he thought was a lark: to fish for landlocked salmon while awaiting his draft notice. The notice never came, the salmon were biting and 50 years later he is still here. In 1961, after a stint in the lumber business, Paul started work for the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests (SPNHF) as a Tree Farm Inspector and stayed there for over 35 years. In 1965 he became SPNHF’s President/Forester. He worked for regulation of septic systems and wetlands and was instrumental both in the passage of Current Use assessment in the 1960s and in the campaign for the Trust for New Hampshire Lands which protected more than 100,000 acres. He has served on the Governor’s Task Force of the Northern Forest Lands Study and the Northern Forest Lands Council. Known as a great negotiator, he has worked to bring consensus on New Hampshire environmental issues too numerous to mention. Now retired from the SPNHF, he continues to serve on many boards, but arranges his meeting schedule around his fishing dates.

1. Does conserving land save taxes?

2. What is your opinion of clustered development?

3. What is your definition of a balanced human ecology in NH?

4. How could local policies be changed to support smart growth?

5. How has environmental education changed people's perceptions of conservation in NH?


Richard K. Gsottschneider

Mr. Gsottschneider founded RKG Associates, Inc. in 1981 and has over thirty years of economic consulting experience working primarily with real estate development, economic development, urban redevelopment, adaptive reuse and transportation projects. From a technical perspective, his expertise is in the areas of market research, financial analysis, economic and fiscal impact analysis, policy formulation and project management. Mr. Gsottschneider has written numerous articles that have been published in professional journals, and been a speaker at annual conferences of the American Planners Association, the International Economic Development Council (IEDC), the International City Managers Association, the Counselors of Real Estate and the National Association of Installation Developers.

1. What are some of working examples of good regional planning?

2. What is the key contributing factor to the out-migration of younger adults?

3. What policies may be contributing to NH's human ecology imbalance?


David Preece

David Preece is the director of the Southern New Hampshire Planning Commission



1. Can a community stop development?

2. Are smart growth principles being applied?

3. How are communities in your region dealing with growth?




Richard Anagnost

Richard Anagnost is a Manchester-based developer who specializes in workforce housing.

1. What is the perception of developers in the communities where you work?

2. What is the role of young people in the community?

3. What do some potential solutions look like?


Gabe Washburn and Kate Preston

Gabe Washburn and Kate Preston originally from the Monadnock region, chose to relocate to Indiana from Marlborough, NH after completing their teaching degrees at Keene State.

1. Do you have a personal motivation for leaving the state?

2. Is there still a pull for you to stay in NH?

3. What have you felt in considering whether to stay or to leave?