MLTN Infoline – June 12, 2024
|
A Checklist for Maine Land Trusts Working with Real Estate Appraisers |
|
|
Over the past few years, MCHT’s Land Trust Program has been working on multiple fronts to address the ongoing challenges Maine land trusts face in obtaining qualified conservation appraisals, particularly for grant funded projects requiring yellow book appraisals. That effort has included direct outreach to current real estate appraisers, partnering with the Land Trust Alliance to brainstorm ways we might increase the pipeline of new appraisers becoming licensed, and listening to both land trusts and appraisers to consider ways to improve the appraisal process for both groups. That last project is the topic we’re happy to be talking about today. We’ve created a checklist for Maine land trusts to reference when engaging an appraiser. Quality contact by land trust staff and others engaging appraisers is important to ensure that appraisers want and have the tools and context necessary to take on the complicated work involving conservation transactions. The checklist provides suggestions for land trusts on preparation needed before contacting an appraiser, finding the right appraiser, information that is needed by the appraiser, and best practices for communicating with the appraiser throughout the project. The checklist is posted under the Land Protection heading on our Publications and Documents page. Take a look, give it a test run, and let us know if you have any feedback or suggestions.
Also, we’ve been building our list of licensed conservation appraisers and you can check that out on our website, too.
We really hope these resources help you out,
Angela, Jeff, and Donna
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Time Sensitive: Maine Coastal Program Seeks Potential Projects
|
|
|
Information and request due June 15 by 5:00pm
The Maine Coastal Program (MCP) at the ME Department of Marine Resources is seeking information from coastal restoration and conservation partners to inform their upcoming application(s) to NOAA for projects under the FY24 NOAA Office for Coastal Management Infrastructure Funding Competition. MCP is eligible to submit up to three Letters of Intent to this competition for up to $6M each in three categories:
Land trusts can apply for funds in the Land Conservation category but title or lease must be held by a governmental agency. Usually, this will be the town (or conservation commission, etc.) where the parcel of interest is located. In the case of a successful proposal for this type of project, the Maine Coastal Program will assist in developing a collaborative effort between the land trust and whatever entity will hold title.
If you are interested in this competition, please follow these steps.
Brief project description:
Approximate funding request:
An interagency team will review the results of all consultations and notify up to three project proponents that they wish to partner on a Letter of Intent (LOI). MCP will work with your team to develop the required 4-page LOI and submit it to NOAA by August 15, 2024. Contact MCP if you have any questions.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Wabanaki Alliance Media & Style Guide
|
|
|
The Wabanaki Alliance website offers a Media & Style Guide that land trusts may find useful. While the primary audience is journalists, anyone writing about topics related to Wabanaki issues will likely find the advice and perspectives helpful. For those who wish to dig deeper, you can also find information on Wabanaki history, a Legislative Tracker, information on how to join the Wabanaki Alliance Coalition, and more.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Maine Trails Coalition Guest Speaker Event: Paige Emerson, Chubby Hiker Reviews
|
|
|
Thursday, June 13, 2024 via Zoom 4:00-5:00pm
Paige Emerson is the founder of Chubby Hiker Reviews which encourages people of all body types and sizes to recreate responsibly in the great Maine outdoors. Maine Trails Coalition will host Paige for a conversation about creating more inclusive trails and outdoor spaces. Emerson will speak to how she got started, how she chooses and rates trails, and how her group has grown. She will share considerations on how to foster more welcoming trails and trail communities from the lens of a plus-sized hiker.
Learn more about Paige at her website. Register for the MTC Zoom by clicking here.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ash Protection Collaborative Across Wabanakik: What can land caretakers do in the face of EAB?
|
|
|
Wednesday, June 26, 2024 (rain date Thursday, June 27) 1:00-4:00pm
In-person at Androscoggin Woods Preserve, Topsham
Cost: FREE
This workshop was originally scheduled to be part of the Conference in April but had to be postponed. As a result, a limited number of spaces have opened up. They will be filled on a first come, first served basis by emailing .
The Ash Protection Collaboration Across Wabanakik will offer a training session for land trust staff about the various actions that can be taken to protect this culturally significant species from EAB. During the session participants will learn how to ID the three kinds of ash, monitor for Emerald Ash Borer, and collect ash inventory data from Tyler Everett, citizen of Mi’kmaq Nation, Passamaquoddy Forester, and UMaine PhD Student. PhD candidate Emily Francis will demonstrate how to scope for seed-bearing trees and plan for ash seed collection in the fall. Professor John Daigle and master’s student Ella McDonald will discuss how to get involved in APCAW’s larger movement to protect this culturally important species and share access with Wabanaki basketmakers.
Presenters: Tyler Everett, Passamaquoddy Forester, and UMaine Ph.D. student; John Daigle, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Forest Recreation Management, School of Forest Resources, UMaine; Emily Francis, UMaine Ph.D. candidate; and Ella McDonald, master’s student.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Meet the Alliance’s NRCS Easement Acquisition Team
|
|
|
Monday, June 24, 2024 via Zoom 2:00-3:30pm
Cost: FREE
The NRCS Easement Acquisition Team is newly launched as part of a partnership with NRCS to provide support for you to access these programs and provide guidance from eligibility criteria to application to parcel contract to project close. Come meet the members of the NRCS Easement Acquisition Team and learn about the resources the Alliance offers. They’ll walk through how the programs work and what makes a successful project, and also answer questions about how to access the team’s services and what the future of this NRCS partnership will look like.
Learn more and register on LTA’s website.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Beyond Easements and Fee Title: Protecting Water Quality
|
|
|
Tuesday, June 25, 2024 via Zoom 2:00-3:30pm
Cost: $75 for LTA members, $115 for non-members
Your land trust is likely protecting water quality through your land protection work, however, conservation easements and acquiring fee simple property aren’t always the best or only strategies to use. Land trusts with flexibility, expertise and ability to match different strategies with the water quality challenges in their areas are making a big difference, and this webinar showcases two such organizations.
Edisto Island Open Land Trust will present their journey to creating and sustaining a coastal Septic System Improvement Program to provide rural homeowners with the information and financial assistance they need to manage their wastewater. Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy will highlight several strategies their organization has embraced, ranging from their popular LakeScapes program that informs and empowers mostly private landowners, to providing technical and project management expertise for county and municipal stream restoration, aquatic invasive species early detection, and landscape-level conservation planning projects.
Learn more and register on LTA’s website.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Keep Your Staff: Retention Strategies for Land Trusts
|
|
|
Wednesday, June 26, 2024 via Zoom
2:00-3:30pm
Cost: $75 for LTA members, $115 for non-members
Is your land trust worried about loss of capacity due to potential staff turnover? Wondering how long the talented people you’ve hired will stay with your organization? Wishing your organization could improve something so you don’t need to leave a job you enjoy? Whether you are an executive director or the newest seasonal hire, you aren’t alone. Land trusts across the country are looking for retention strategies that will result in happier staff, decreased turnover and create stronger organizations.
Erika Richardson, regional conservation director and Sara Brooks, human resources manager of Virginia Outdoors Foundation have a combined 30+ years of experience with land trust staffing. At Rally 2023, they presented a workshop, Staffing for [Easement] Stewardship, and talked about retention strategies. This webinar will briefly summarize the original presentation and dive deeper into staff retention challenges and solutions.
Learn more about what they will cover and register on LTA’s website.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Overtime Salary Threshold Increase: What Nonprofits Need to Know
|
|
|
Thursday, June 27, 2024 via Zoom 12:00-1:00pm
Cost: You are welcome to register for this event at no cost. Revenue from MANP events supports the work they do on behalf of all nonprofits in Maine, and they welcome financial support from those who are able to provide it.
This spring, the Department of Labor announced a rule that will increase the minimum salary level that employees must be paid to exempt them from overtime pay.
Join MANP and Ann Freeman of Bernstein Shur to discuss what these changes mean for your nonprofit, how they intersect with Maine state law, and the options you have for compliance.
Learn more and register on MANP’s website.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jobs in the Conservation Sector
|
|
|
Check out these most recent job postings to the MLTN jobs board or view the full list here. Our jobs board is totally free for job posters and job seekers! Land Steward – Upper Saco Valley Land Trust
Annual Fund Manager – Maine Coast Heritage Trust
Facilities Manager – Maine Audubon
Conservation Plan Update, Paid Summer Intern – Great Works Regional Land Trust
Operations Forester – Appalachian Mountain Club
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
National Forest Foundation Collaborative Capacity Program for Forests and Communities
|
|
|
Applications Due: July 12, 2024 at 11:59 MDT
The National Forest Foundation has issued a request for proposals for the new Collaborative Capacity Program (CCP), which aims to provide resources, invest in skills and tools, and support activities that make tribal co-stewardship and collaboration for forest stewardship successful.
In addition to benefiting National Forest System lands, CCP has three main objectives: 1) to increase and improve the capacity for collaboration between tribes and other strategic partners and the Forest Service to achieve long-term stewardship outcomes that benefit national forests and grasslands; 2) ensure more inclusive and equitable collaboration by centering tribal nations and historically excluded and underserved communities in their efforts to participate, lead, and design collaborative efforts with the forest service and other strategic partners; and 3) support the exchange of information and amplify lessons and best practices for equitable and inclusive collaboration, increasing collaborative capacity, storytelling, and measuring success, with the broader collaborative stewardship field of practice.
A few examples of stewardship outcomes include the implementation of restoration plans in post-fire areas, building more accessible trails, or conducting erosion control work to improve stream and watershed health. Eligible collaborative efforts must describe how investments in collaboration will support a long-term strategy for achieving stewardship outcomes into the future and these outcomes must seek to benefit National Forest System lands.
View the RFP here.
|