MLTN Infoline – January 15, 2025

January 15, 2025|Infoline

Thank You to Everyone Who Completed the Maine Land Trust Census!

MLTN regularly conducts a census to help us gain comprehensive information about the current state of Maine’s land trusts. This latest effort is the fourth census we have conducted (2009, 2015, 2019, and 2024) to understand more about the operations, impact, and trends that are relevant to the land trust movement. We use this data to provide valuable information back to the conservation community, to help guide the work of the MLTN, and to support advocacy for beneficial public policy and land conservation funding.

Despite the fact that the end of the year is so busy for land trusts, you responded to our request for participation, and we are so very grateful. Over 70 Maine land trusts completed the census, more than ever before. In the coming weeks, we’ll be crunching the numbers, analyzing the data, and compiling a comprehensive report to share with all of you.

Thank you so much to everyone who took the time out from important work and prioritized this critical project. The results will be worth it! We promise!

Analyzing the past to prepare for the future,

Angela, Jeff, Donna, and Katia

How to Access the NEW Blanket Sales Tax Exemption for Nonprofits

Wednesday, January 22, 2025 via Zoom

9:00-10:00am

Cost: $0-$15 for MANP members* and nonmembers

You are welcome to register for this event at no cost! Revenue from MANP’s 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.

As of January 1, 2025, all charitable nonprofits in Maine are now eligible for sales tax exemption. This means approximately 5,000 organizations across Maine (like yours!) could save a collective $10 million per year.

Please note: your IRS determination letter is NOT the same thing as sales tax exemption! For most charitable nonprofits in Maine, this will be a NEW exemption.

MANP held a webinar on this topic in November 2024, but the State asked them not to record it. To make sure folks have the answers they need, they are hosting a second webinar. You can view a PDF of the presentation slides, and Q+As from that webinar on their blog.

At this repeat session, you’ll hear from representatives from Maine Revenue Services:

How the exemption works
What steps you’ll need to take to gain the exemption certificate from Maine Revenue Services
Which purchases qualify for sales tax exemption

*Most MLTN members are MANP members. Contact Donna to check your organization’s MLTN membership status.

Reporting 101: Key Fundraising Reports Every Nonprofit Should Have

Wednesday, January 22, 2025 via Zoom

1:00-2:15pm

Cost: $25 for MANP Members*, $50 for nonmembers

This event is possible thanks to a partnership between Maine Association of Nonprofits and Iowa Nonprofit Alliance

As fundraising technology becomes more advanced, nonprofits tend to find themselves either inundated with reports or struggling to navigate complex systems but lacking crucial insights either way. In this workshop, participants will learn key fundraising reports that every organization should be able to pull and refresh easily for internal and board communication and strategizing. Learning objectives include:

Understand the top fundraising reports to run for yourself and your board
Know how to calculate key metrics and what reporting pitfalls to avoid
Learn best practices in report layout and data visualization

*Most MLTN members are MANP members. Contact Donna to check your organization’s MLTN membership status.

Science Standards in Maine Environmental Education

January 30, February 13, and February 27, 2025 via Zoom

3:00-5:00pm

Cost: FREE

Deadline to register is Friday, January 24

The Onion Foundation and Maine Mathematics and Science Alliance and MEEA are partnering on a training for out-of-school nature learning educators on the Next Generation Science Standards. This three-part online training is open to all educators who want to learn how to bring their nature learning lessons into closer alignment with the NGSS and, in doing so, improve their partnerships with schools. Of course, many land trusts are engaged in nature learning and may benefit from this training.

At the end of this series, participating educators will gain:

Strong understanding of what the NGSS are, why they are important for out-of-school educators to know, and how to apply or identify them in their lessons and activities.
Strategies for partnering with teachers to help support their learning goals in their classrooms.
Guidance and support for revising their lesson plans to be aligned with the best practices and language of the NGSS.

Participants are encouraged to attend all three sessions. Follow-up office hours with MMSA facilitators will be available after the series to support individual goals and workshopping of curricula.

Rewilding North America, One Region at a Time: From “America’s Serengeti” to the Northeast

Thursday, January 30, 2025 via Zoom

6:30–8:00pm

Cost: FREE, RSVP Required

Northeast Wilderness Trust (NWT) invites you to join a presentation on restoring America’s prairie by Henry Pollock, Executive Director of Southern Plains Land Trust, followed by a conversation between Pollock and Jon Leibowitz, President & CEO of NWT, comparing differing regional approaches to rewilding.

Henry Pollock is the Executive Director of Southern Plains Land Trust, a Colorado land trust working to restore “America’s Serengeti.” Henry has a background in ecology and conservation with a strong focus on quantitative, data-driven science and practice. He has a Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in Ecology, Evolution, & Conservation Biology and nearly 15 years’ experience as a wildlife biologist and academic researcher.

This free Zoom webinar will be compelling and engaging for all who care about rewilding. It launches NWT’s 2025 Speaker Series.

Learn more and register at NWT’s website.

Land Division & Access Challenges on Conservation Easements

Wednesday, February 12, 2025 via Zoom

2:00-3:30pm

Cost: $75 for LTA members, $140 for nonmembers

Land division and land trust access rights can be challenging to deal with on conservation easement properties. Land trust staff and board members, whether focusing on stewardship or acquisitions, will appreciate getting practical information on land division and access issues from attorneys Alice Jones (Open Land Law, PLLC) and Amy Schwarz (General Counsel at Minnesota Land Trust). Participants will also hear from Ryan Stutzman (Conservation Easement Manager for Five Valleys Land Trust), who will share a thought-provoking and informative case study.

Learn more and register on LTA’s website.

Land Trusts & Pollinators: A Natural Partnership

Thursday, February 13, 2025 via Zoom

2:00-3:30pm

Cost: $75 for LTA members, $140 for nonmembers

Conservation has some obvious benefits for pollinators, but how can your land trust get started on work specifically creating or restoring habitat that supports pollinators? Join Andy Grinstead, Anthony Colangelo and Bee Redfield of Pollinator Partnership as they discuss tried and true methods your land trust can use to successfully support pollinators. The webinar will cover:

The importance of pollinators and the threats they face.
Habitat creation and restoration on the various properties and management types that you steward.
Best practices for communicating about pollinators to community audiences.
Pollinator Partnership education opportunities and programs that your organization may want to participate in.
Partnership and funding opportunities, especially for land stewardship and habitat management to support pollinators.

Visit LTA’s website to learn more and register.

Maine Prescribed Fire Training Exchange (TREX)

September 14-26, 2025

In Person in Porter, Maine

Application period opens February 1 and closes May 1, 2025

Cost: $500 includes housing and all meals

The objective of the two-week TREX program in Maine is to facilitate peer-to-peer experiential learning for prescribed fire professionals and others interested in advancing innovative tools to restore fire-adapted ecosystems. The course is being designed to support states and provinces interested in hosting their own TREX to increase prescribed fire capacity across the region.

Participants will engage in hands-on training in the ecology of fire-adapted ecosystems, communications and community outreach, prescribed fire monitoring, operational assessments, prescribed fire use, cultural fire and collaboration among a diverse array of participating individuals and organizations.

To learn more visit the TREX Toolkit & https://mainerxfire.wixsite.com/merxfire/maine-trex.

Jobs in the Conservation Sector

Many new job openings are being posted to the MLTN jobs board in the new year. Newest additions below or view the full list on our website.

Maine Coastal Program Director – Maine Department of Marine Resources

Environmental Specialist III – Maine Department of Environmental Protection

Field Ecology Technician – Schoodic Institute

Summer Land Steward (seasonal) – Kennebec Estuary Land Trust

Stewardship Field Assistant – The Nature Conservancy

Seasonal Stewardship and Grounds Assistant – Maine Audubon

Mount Agamenticus Park Ranger – Town of York Parks & Recreation Department

Field Naturalist – Maine Audubon

Interim Camp Director – Coastal Rivers Conservation Trust

Field Technician, Maine – Trout Unlimited

Camp Instructor – Coastal Rivers Conservation Trust

Camp Counselor – Coastal Rivers Conservation Trust

Cornell Land Trust Bird Conservation Initiative Land Trust Grant Program

Proposals Due: 11:59pm on Friday, March 1, 2024

Want to accelerate and amplify land stewardship and bird conservation on your land trust lands? The Cornell Land Trust Bird Conservation Initiative grant program 2025 RFP is open. Funds will be dispersed quickly, at the end of May/June. To learn more and apply for a grant, visit their Request for Proposals page.

In past years, capacity and partnership projects were awarded $5,000; awards for this grant track will be increased to $10,000 in 2025.

Capacity and Partnership Projects – 6 grants of $10,000 each
Management and Restoration Projects – 8 grants of $25,000 each

Questions can be directed to: Sara Barker, Cornell Land Trust Bird Conservation Initiative Program Leader.