Conference Attendees Inspired
On Friday, April 29, with perfect spring weather in the air, MCHT kicked off the 2011 Maine Land Conservation. This annual event has become a rite of passage for all who are drawn to land conservation efforts throughout Maine: from the North Woods to the Maine Coast and everywhere in between.
Field trips are always an extremely popular part of the conference and this year was no different. Twenty participants joined Dr. Aram J.K. Calhoun, a Professor of Wetlands Ecology from the University of Maine, for a talk and walk focused on vernal pool dynamics and conservation. In the afternoon, two dozen attendees learned about trail planning and design, as they accompanied Kirk G. Siegel, Hanley & Associates, P.A.; Mike Cooper, Caribou Recreation Development, LLC; and Andrew Norkin, Appalachian Mountain Club, for an informative classroom session and walk at a Harpswell Heritage Land Trust preserve.
On Friday afternoon, more than 50 people were also lured to a panel discussion entitled "Partnerships: A Key to Land Trust Vitality." Our old friend Jay Espy provided an interesting historical perspective on the topic, while panelists from the Kennebec Woodland Partnership, Androscoggin Land Trust, Bethel Area Chamber of Commerce, Sheepscot Valley Conservation Association (part of 12 Rivers Collaborative), and Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust in Athol, Massachusetts, recounted experiences with different types of partnerships and the potential benefits that can result.
One of the biggest reasons people come to the conference is the chance to catch up with old friends, meet new ones, and the opportunity to gather with individuals who share a common goal - conserving the best of Maine. During the Friday evening welcoming reception nearly one hundred conference goers gathered at the Frontier Café in Brunswick for casual networking, tasty food, and lively music by the York River Ramblers (featuring MCHT's own Keith Fletcher).
On Saturday, April 30 more than 400 land conservation enthusiasts descended upon Topsham's Mount Ararat Middle School and Orion Performing Arts Center. To everyone's delight, attendees were treated to a conference first: an inspirational slideshow in 3D! The close up nature photographs captured by this year's keynote speaker, award-winning photographer Roger Richmond, combined incredible imagery with a passion for land conservation, wowed the captivated audience and energized them for a day full of learning.
The morning's plenary session also included a presentation of the 2011 Espy Land Heritage Award. This year the award was presented to the Downeast Lakes Land Trust for their commitment to the conservation of wildlife habitat, their support of local jobs through sustainable harvesting of community forests, their enhancement of public recreational access, and much more. MCHT's Board Chair Tom Ireland summed up their achievements best, "Downeast Lakes Land Trust stood out among a pool of worthy nominees because of the way they support their community and the way the community supports them in return."
The 33 topical, concurrent workshops organized through three sessions included something for everyone, including core subjects such as easement drafting and fundraising, but also more specialized topics like conserving nighttime sky quality, preserving access for working waterfronts, and a how-to for land trusts interested in becoming more engaged in locally-grown agriculture. During breaks and lunch, participants enjoyed over 40 exhibits in the Land Fair where land trusts and other conservation nonprofits, consultants and businesses took advantage of the opportunity to connect with each other. And for those who just couldn't get enough learning, there were casual discussion groups organized at lunch, too.
All in all, over 150 organizations were represented at this year's conference, including about 60 land trusts from Maine, Vermont, Massachusetts and even New Brunswick and Ontario, Canada.
Maine Coast Heritage Trust would like to thank all who attended this year's conference; the many experts that agreed to serve as panelists, presenters, and speakers; and all others who helped make it possible including Lead Sponsor L.L.Bean and our Workshop Sponsor Norway Savings Bank. There were also a number of friends and hosts instrumental in our success this year: Belle Fête Caterers, Mt. Ararat Middle School and the Orion Performing Arts Center, Cold Mountain Builders, Inc., Comfort Inn, Franklin Printing, Frontier Café, Cinema and Gallery, Maine State Planning Office, Omega Wellness Group, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Gulf of Maine Coastal Program, Verrill Dana LLP, and the Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve.
Hope to see you in 2012!
