2011 Maine Land Conservation Conference
Workshops – Session B: Saturday, April 30th, 1:45 – 3:00 PM
B1 Incorporating Climate Change Considerations into Land Trust Planning
Using Islesboro Islands Trust as a case study, this workshop will lay out a process developed by the Casco Bay Estuary Partnership (CBEP) to help land trusts think through the implications of climate change for their organizations. Climate change has the potential to influence many aspects of land trust operations, from land protection to stewardship to fundraising, so it should be considered in organizational planning. Unfortunately, many existing climate adaptation planning tools are complex or data intensive, and thus not workable for small land conservation organizations. The CBEP approach is designed to be more flexible and practical. The Partnership and the trust will walk the group through a slightly abbreviated version of this planning process, stepping through consideration of what matters most to the land trust, what existing stressors threaten those goals, and how climate change may affect things. The goal is not to address all climate change impacts, but to identify the most important issues for each organization and clarify how they relate to existing land trust activities. All
Presenters: Curtis Bolen and Jamel Torres, Casco Bay Estuary Partnership
B2 Access to Waterfront for Commercial Purposes
Access to the coast and freshwater are essential to some of our most traditional Maine livelihoods like fishing, clamming and guiding. There are a variety of ways in which land trusts can help their local economies by protecting water access for these businesses. We’ll explore the reasons why land trusts might decide to undertake these projects as well as the tools they can use. All
Presenters: Natalie Springuel, Maine Sea Grant, College of the Atlantic; Scott Shea, Master Maine Sea Kayak Guide and Owner, Seaspray Kayaking; and Nick Ullo, Boothbay Region Land Trust
B3 Determining Ecological Values
Reasons for protecting land can be as diverse as the land itself. When ecological values are important, are you equipped to assess them? This workshop will be geared towards the conservation practitioner who may have little or no knowledge of conservation science or ecology, and will help you determine which projects merit your time and attention – and for what reasons. Questions to ask include, what sort of wildlife does the land support? Is there an intact native plant community? Are there rare species? Does this land offer critical ecosystem functions like water quality protection? We’ll also talk about landscape scale, context, scenic or recreational values, and how to uphold ecological values for projects with goals that are primarily scenic or recreational. All
Presenters: Jill Weber, consulting biologist and ecologist and Sally Rooney, field biologist
B4 Eminent Domain
Conservation lands can potentially be the target of condemnation for utilities, roads and other public purposes. Land trusts have taken a variety of approaches to negotiate such threats. Find out more about how big a risk eminent domain is and ways that a land trust can respond. Intermediate/Advanced
Presenters: Erik M. Stumpfel, Eaton Peabody and Jerome Suminsby, Knowles Associates
B5 Successful Easement Stewardship
More than just annual monitoring, sound easement stewardship depends on good recordkeeping, landowner relations, timely contact, prompt replies to requests for approval, knowing how and when to use discretionary approval – and knowing how and when to say “no.” This session will bring together an experienced panel to discuss successful stewardship practices. Beginner
Presenters: Steven Hufnagel, Damariscotta River Association; Steve Spencer, Damariscotta River Association; Ian Stewart, Coastal Mountains Land Trust; and Jane Arbuckle, Maine Coast Heritage Trust
B6 Increasing Membership: Basics and Beyond
This workshop will discuss best practices for a membership program and will address how to effectively engage, cultivate, solicit and retain members. Presenters will also share strategies to increase your membership base, upgrade member giving and how to track members. Beginner/Intermediate
Presenters: Carrie Kinne, Kennebec Estuary Land Trust and Elyse Chiland Tipton, independent consultant
B7 Planned Giving for Land Trusts
There are many different ways a donor can make a planned gift to your organization. Planned giving techniques provide supporters with a way to make a charitable gift at a future date (great for those who say they cannot afford to do something now). Some of these options include: bequests, pension plans, life insurance, life income gifts, IRAs, charitable gift annuities, property and securities. This workshop will talk about some of these and help you understand how to identify donors and approach them. Intermediate
Presenter: Sarah Cary Robinson, Bar Harbor Trust Services
B8 Introduction to Conservation Planning
This introductory course will provide you with a guideline for prioritizing important lands or focus areas within your service area. This workshop will include a look at the various tools available including data available for Google Earth and more advanced GIS analysis techniques. Beginner
Presenter: Christina Epperson, Maine Coast Heritage Trust
B9 Board Review and Approval of Land Projects
Come hear proven systems for avoiding the “rubber stamp” or the “down in the weeds” syndromes that so often crop up with the complexity of land deals. Learn how to keep the board energized about the core work of the organization and promote engagement and oversight, all while completing more good deals. The board’s role in applying criteria, easement drafting, and delegation to Executive Committees and/or Lands Committees will be discussed, as will requirements of Standards and Practices and Accreditation. Beginner/Intermediate
Presenter: Liz Petruska, Medomak Valley Land Trust
B10 Successful Legislative Outreach
This session will offer advice on the steps you and your organization can take to effectively shape public policy, and discuss the legal requirements associated with lobbying. It will also provide information on conservation-related bills being considered in Maine’s State Legislature that your land trust may want to follow and effect. All
Tom Abello, The Nature Conservancy of Maine and Jeff Romano, Maine Coast Heritage Trust
B11 Mission-Related Investing for Land Trusts
How can land trusts bring their social, financial and environmental values to investment choices for their organizations and benefit from a triple bottom-line return? How can land trusts connect their missions with investments that meet organizational needs while supporting and enhancing local community endeavors? Panelists from the Vermont Land Trust and Trillium Asset Management will address these questions and more as they present relevant concepts and practical examples of effective and satisfying approaches to mission-related investing. All
Presenters: Matt Patsky, Trillium Asset Management and Gil Livingston, Vermont Land Trust
