The Dover NROC program started with the Dealing with Growth in Dover presentation in September, 2001. Over the course of the next few months, Dover-NROC participants identified goals, and formed Action Groups to develop and implement specific actions to achieve their natural resources protection goals. These activities are described below.

• Develop criteria for prioritizing open space lands, and research funding opportunities for land conservation projects

• Develop a public education and outreach program on the importance of land protection

• Zoning ordinance changes

• Developed a publicity effort to build support for a bond for land protection Public support built through this effort resulted in a $2.5 million bond in FY 2004, and an additional $2.5 million in 2006.

• Attended NROC training sessions for the Open Lands Committee members (Communicating With Landowners, Map and Compass Orientation)

• Developed and implemented criteria for prioritizing open space lands for protection. NROC staff facilitated these discussions and provided technical assistance.

• Wrote press releases to publicize the workshops and subsequent conservation efforts.

• Developed a display to increase public awareness of open space issues in Dover.

• Organized and hosted the workshop Comprehensive Shoreland Protection Act Overview for municipal officials (20 attendees)

• Dover’s educational effort continued into the following year with informal “coffee evening” land protection workshops presented by NROC staff, and other educational workshops for land owners.

• Developed and implemented the "Growing Greener" community education initiative, with NROC staff assistance. This included a series of four workshops and associated publicity and educational materials. The workshops included:
  • Balancing Growth, Taxes and Open Space (60 attendees)
  • Land Protection and Estate Planning (50 attendees)
  • Smart Growth: Protecting Dover's Quality of Life (53 attendees)
  • Conservation Subdivision Design as a Tool for Building Community-wide Open Space Networks (94 attendees)
  Following these workshops, several landowners contacted the Open Lands Committee to get additional information about land protection options. Two land protection projects were initiated a short while afterwards, plus a conservation easement was placed on 218 acres of the Strafford County Farm.

• Coordinated efforts to revise zoning with the planning board and city planning officials.