2019 Annual Report
Thanks to a record number of donors to Maine Coast Heritage Trust, 2019 was an exceptional year for the Maine coast.
Right now, if you round the bend of Woodward Point in Brunswick, you’ll see rolling fields, trees, and sparkling water in the distance. Instead of a housing development under construction, this coastal Cumberland County property is now Woodward Point Preserve, forever open to the community and visitors thanks to a partnership with Brunswick-Topsham Land Trust.
This is the kind of place—the kind of experience—that you made possible in 2019.
Together we protected 25 new places, increasing access to the land and water and making the Maine coast more resilient to climate change.
25 places conserved in 2019
1,650 coastal acres (that’s twice the size of Central Park) including nearly 15 miles of shorefront (that’s the distance from Rockland to Lincolnville)
450+ places stewarded in 2019
38,000 acres monitored and cared for (that’s nearly the size of Acadia National Park), including 93+ miles of trail (that’s greater than the distance from Ellsworth to Lubec)
You gave, and we got to work. Here’s what else you made possible.
Land trust leadership by the numbers
400 attended the annual Maine Land Conservation Conference, which MCHT has been hosting for the past 36 years
4 staff members presented at Rally: The National Land Conservation Conference
25+ calls, gatherings, and workshops hosted by MCHT on topics ranging from invasive species to storytelling
6,000+ hours of MCHT staff time spend assisting the broader Maine conservation community, including Maine’s 84 other land trusts
Learn more about our Land Trust Program, devoted to strengthening Maine’s entire land conservation community.
Stewardship by the numbers
6 preserves with expanded parking
3.2 more miles of trail
7 natural resource inventories conducted (we always keep track of the plants and animals on conserved lands to better care for them)
Learn more about the day-to-day work of the Stewardship Department
6 new preserves created
Brunswick-Topsham Land Trust and MCHT worked together to conserve 80+ acres at Woodward Point, a beautiful coastal preserve in Brunswick. Pay a visit to Woodward Point Preserve!
258 (mostly kids) participated in ongoing and in-depth outdoor programs
Members of our 4-H program encircle a newborn Belted Galloway calf at Aldermere Farm Preserve. Learn more about our programs at Aldermere Farm.
10 MCHT conservation interns worked for various land trusts throughout the state
Morgan Zenter (right) interned with Blue Hill Heritage Trust and worked with the Maine Conservation Trail Corps on a trail-building project. Hear more from Morgan about her experience as an MCHT intern.
4,554 connected to the coast through field trips and public events
The Passamaquoddy drum group Spirit Circle performs for over 100 attendees at the community celebration held at Sipp Bay Preserve. Learn more about this special event.
434 volunteers pitched in 3,377 hours (that’s the equivalent of nearly two full-time staff members)
Volunteers replace old bog bridging at Western Head Preserve in Cutler. Curious to know what it takes to replace old bog bridging?
40 bags of trash collected by visitors to island preserves as part of the Trash for Hats project
David Hutchison and Shari Galiardi pose with the bags of trash they collected on the Ed Woodsum Preserve on Marshall Island.
16,499 pounds of food (that’s about 13,750 healthy meals) grown on conserved land for hunger relief agencies, schools, and local businesses
Members of the Teen Ag Crew pose with flowers and veggies grown at Erickson Fields Preserve in Rockport. We’re teaming up with others in the midcoast to get healthy food to those in need.
Let’s map the impact
View a detailed map (1 MB PDF download) of places conserved and cared for on the coast in 2019, and stats on all that donor support made possible.
A record number of people made donations to MCHT in 2019, including 947 first-time donors.
Your generosity powers so much good work for the Maine coast and we can’t thank you enough.
“The Maine coastline is a treasure trove of water, rock, forest, and unspoiled vistas. It’s hard to go along the coast and not feel encompassed by its natural beauty. I give to MCHT to protect these special places for everyone—forever.”
– Rainette S. Bannon, MCHT donor and member of The President’s Circle
2019 also saw the completion of a $130 million campaign.
From 2014 through 2019, every gift to Maine Coast Heritage Trust went towards the largest coastal conservation campaign in Maine’s history, which led to the protection of 150 places on the coast and so much more. See the impacts of the historic campaign.
See your generosity in action in 2019.
We value your gift to Maine Coast Heritage Trust, and we’re making sure it goes as far as possible for the Maine coast. For every $10 MCHT spent in 2019, $8 went directly to protecting and caring for coastal lands and islands and connecting people to the coast.
Where funds come from
- Private Restricted Contributions & Grants (43%)
- Investment Draw (23%)
- Annual Fund (20%)
- Public Restricted Grants (10%)
- Other Revenue (4%)
Fund Allocation
Where funds go
- Land Acquisition - $5.1 Million (40%)
- Land Conservation & Stewardship - $4.6 Million (36%)
- Public Education & Outreach - $1 Million (8%)
- Fundraising - $1.3 Million (10%)
- Administration - $0.8 Million (6%)
Where funds come from
- Private Restricted Contributions & Grants (43%)
- Investment Draw (23%)
- Annual Fund (20%)
- Public Restricted Grants (10%)
- Other Revenue (4%)
The above represents a summary of how your generous contributions were spent during 2019 and the sources of funds applied. Our 2019 audited financial statements and Form 990 will be available later this year. A complete set of MCHT’s 2018 audited financial statements are available at mcht.org/financials.
Celebrating 50 years of coastal conservation with you.
Since 1970, thousands of people have stepped up to keep the coast Maine, making a lasting impact on the coast. We’re celebrating all that’s been accomplished, and taking a deep dive into MCHT’s past, present, and future.
Thank you for making so much good work happen on the coast in 2019!