After nearly two years in the making, Winthrop-based Kennebec Land Trust (KLT) is proud to announce the release of its first book, Between Person and Place: Conservation Histories from the Kennebec Land Trust, on August 22, 2010. The book is the product of hard work and effort on the part of KLT staff and volunteers, who recognized that every place has a story and used that starting point to tell the history behind KLT's conservation lands.
KLT Executive Director Theresa Kerchner explains, "The Between Person and Place essays underscore what we collectively care about in Maine - public access to beautiful places, natural resource protection, long-term family land ownership and stewardship, scenic beauty, farming and forestry, and livable communities. These stories will inspire those who are new to land conservation as well as those who have been supporting our work for over twenty years."
The actual work began in January, 2009, when the Trust began working with Katie Epstein, an intern from Davidson College. Katie contacted KLT land donors and conducted interviews during the summer of 2009, and the resulting essays became the basis for the narratives featured in Between Person and Place.
The project strengthened relationships between the Trust's staff and land donors and introduced interns and volunteers to KLT's history. KLT intern Wade Davis notes, "It has been great to meet central Maine's leaders in land conservation and to work on this project that celebrates their contributions." The collection of stories is a tribute to the vision and hard work of KLT's Directors, volunteers, and staff, as well as its generous members. The book is also a valuable resource for potential donors and others interested in land conservation and Maine history.
Taking on Between Person and Place did have its challenges. "The project could not have succeeded without the generosity of committed volunteers who donated time to the editing and publication process," said Kerchner, noting the work of KLT Advisory Board member Barbara Libby and Director Deborah Sewall, who served as editors along with Kerchner.
The project was a reminder that love for the land and a commitment to land conservation in Maine do not stop at Maine's borders. The Ohio-based LPK Foundation donated all the design work. Mort Libby, principal of LPK, founding member of KLT, and a summer resident of East Winthrop, and his wife Barbara donated the printing costs. LPK Creative Director Rick Connor noted:
Through our involvement in the design of "Between Person and Place, Conservation Histories from the Kennebec Land Trust" we were touched by the special relationship of the people of Kennebec County to the natural splendor that surrounds them. Working on this project meant a lot to our team and we feel lucky to be able to help tell the amazing story that lies within the pages of the book. It was in many ways a different type of design challenge for us, but we could not be more pleased with the result.
Executive Director Theresa Kerchner says that producing a high quality publication is a demanding project that can at times take away from other critical land trust work. To other land trusts who might consider a project like this she offers the following tips:
- Ask for advice from a supportive author/publisher.
- Enlist your best writers, expert editors and skilled photographers. These could be board members, volunteers, or professionals who support your mission.
- The editing process is critical. Don't rush or short cut.
- Last but perhaps most importantly, build on the relationships that develop as the book unfolds. These relationships are the key to successful conservation partnerships.
The finished product is not just a book of stories; it also includes a map, stunning color photographs, and resources about land trust and forest conservation work. Three book release events are planned: one on August 22 at the Small-Burnham Conservation Area in Litchfield, a second one October 2 at the Sturtevant Farm Scenic Area in Fayette and a third in mid-October which will feature a new trail on KLT's Horseshoe Island Preserve, Winthrop. Copies of Between Person and Place will also be available at local bookstores, libraries, and area businesses, and can be ordered online at www.tklt.org for $15.00 each, which includes shipping and handling.
To learn more about the Kennebec Land Trust, please visit their website.
