News and Updates
Don’t forget! The cut-off for submissions for the 2026 Conserved Land Layer update is February 14th. In other words, if you’d like to see your newly conserved lands in the state’s layer this year, please submit them by then. After that, the forms will of course remain open, but submissions entered…
Six coastal land protection projects advance Maine’s efforts to reduce flooding, storm impacts and habitat loss. Maine Coast Heritage Trust (MCHT), in coordination with the Governor’s Office of Policy Innovation and the Future (GOPIF), today announced it has selected six organizations to receive $1,175,000 in funding through the Climate Resilience…
Previously available in New York and Connecticut, this highly effective funding program has now expanded into parts of Maine. We are so excited to share information about the Land and Easement Acquisition Program from the Peter and Carmen Lucia Buck Foundation (PCLB). This program has proven effective in New York and Connecticut…
Working with the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, MNAP offers a pre-acquisition review service for conservation projects. Land Trusts, municipalities, and State and Federal Agencies may request this free service.
Maine’s 132nd Legislature is preparing to return to Augusta on January 7th. Policymakers will be taking up a few hundred bills carried over from their session that ended in June and at least another hundred new bills that will be printed in the weeks ahead.
Nominations Due: Midnight, February 27, 2026 Each year, Maine Coast Heritage Trust (MCHT) presents the Espy Land Heritage Award to an individual, organization, agency, or coalition for innovative and inspiring contributions to land conservation in Maine. The award celebrates forward-thinking strategies, creative problem-solving, and bold leadership in addressing emerging challenges.…
Queerly ME is wrapping up the year with a series of outdoor walks and community building programs. Queerly ME fosters strong support networks and strengthens community belonging for LGBTQIA+ adults in Maine by creating and increasing LGBTQIA+ visibility, resource accessibility, and community building outdoors. They serve all 16 counties of Maine. The…
Nine land trusts across Maine have been awarded a total of $65,000 through the L.L.Bean Maine Land Trust Grant Program
We are extending the deadline for proposal submission one week. Proposal are now due by 5pm on Friday, November 21st. Maine Coast Heritage Trust and the Maine Land Trust Network are excited to announce the call for workshop proposals for next year’s Conference! Our focus will be the evolution of…
Learn more info by reviewing the Richard G. Rockefeller Conservation Internship Program Host 2026 Info Doc Maine Coast Heritage Trust is pleased to announce the 2026 Richard G. Rockefeller Conservation Internship Program and request applications from potential host organizations. Applications are due by December 1st, 2025. Please send…
Maine Coast Heritage Trust is pleased to announce the new Climate Resilience Conservation Fund (CRCF) is open for applications. Over the next few years, the fund will provide $4.1 million to land conservation projects as part of Resilient Maine, a $69 million NOAA-funded effort to protect coastal communities and environments from extreme storms, flooding…
Have you seen the August edition of Down East magazine? Land trusts are on the cover! The Partnerships & Public Policy department at Maine Coast Heritage Trust worked with editorial assistant Charlie Pike, resulting in a 12-page spread highlighting the unique role Maine land trusts play in providing open, healthy, and working…
The Partnerships & Public Policy department at Maine Coast Heritage Trust is pleased to be welcoming back Megan Shore. Megan ran the Land Trust Program for nine-years in the early 2000s before joining the Elmina B. Sewall Foundation. In both roles she shaped and grew the organizations and their…
Each fall, the Maine Land Trust Network hosts regional meetings across the state, bringing together land trust staff, board members, volunteers, and community members to explore shared passions and interests. These gatherings are cherished opportunities for meaningful conversations and connections. We’ve selected meeting dates for all six regions, so be…
The Maine Legislature got off to a slow start in 2025, but momentum picked up in March. Committee calendars were packed with public hearings and work sessions through April and early May. Then all attention turned to the House and Senate as they deliberated on the more than 1,985 bills…
A new report from the Maine Land Trust Network (MLTN) confirms that land trusts are doing heavy lifting to ensure Mainers have access to the outdoors, support for traditional natural resource based industries, and a stronger footing in the face of climate change. With 2.93 million acres conserved statewide —…
As someone who is relatively new to Maine Coast Heritage Trust and the land trust community, attending and planning my first Maine Land Conservation Conference was an incredible experience. I spent most of the event behind the scenes, embracing my role as an overseer to ensure everything ran smoothly. This…
Nature Connects is a monthly op-ed in the Portland Press Herald, created in collaboration with Maine conservation groups. This column, now in its second year, highlights inspiring conservation efforts across the state and the people behind them. Of course, conservation is about more than just protecting land—it’s also about education,…
Legislative Committees in the Maine State House are entering their busiest stretch as hundreds of new bills are printed each week and schedules are packed with hearings and work sessions. At the same time, land trusts across the state continue to assess the messages coming out of Washington and look…
Nominations Due: Midnight, March 3, 2025 Each year, Maine Coast Heritage Trust presents the Espy Land Heritage Award to an individual, organization, agency, or coalition for exemplary conservation efforts in Maine. The award recognizes those who make outstanding contributions to land conservation in Maine while inspiring others. The recipient of…
News from Augusta In late January, the Maine Legislature released this year’s list of bill titles, which includes over 2,100 proposals. As of late January, Maine legislators and state agencies have collaborated with nonpartisan legislative staff to finalize 376 of these proposals into formal bills. Most of the remaining…
Maine Coast Heritage Trust continues to work with partners to increase the availability of qualified conservation appraisers in Maine. Our key collaborator in this work is the Land Trust Alliance, which has has recently gotten together with American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers (ASFMRA) to offer a $500…
The new version of Maine Won’t Wait maintains a goal of 30% conserved land in the state by 2030, while calling for dedicated Land for Maine’s Future funding as a strategy to get there. On November 21, the Maine Climate Council released the state’s updated four-year action plan, Maine Won’t Wait…
Each year, Maine Coast Heritage Trust presents the Maine Land Conservation Conference for and with Maine’s land conservation community. We come together to train on best practices in all aspects of land trust work, connect with our peers, and grapple with the most pressing issues facing land conservation today. This…
Maine Coast Heritage Trust is now accepting proposals for 90-minute workshops for our in-person 2025 Maine Land Conservation Conference tentatively scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday, April 29 & 30 in Augusta. We expect to have the date and location finalized soon. The conference is all about bringing people working in…
Learn more info by reviewing the Richard G. Rockefeller Conservation Internship Program Host 2025 Info Doc Maine Coast Heritage Trust is pleased to announce the 2025 Richard G. Rockefeller Conservation Internship Program and request applications from potential host organizations. Applications are due by December 2nd, 2024. A Zoom info session…
With November 5th fast approaching, voters across Maine and the country are being asked by one party: will America become great again? And by the other: will we save our democracy? These two questions and how they will be answered have led to much anxiety. One bright spot to focus…
The Maine Land Trust Network (MLTN) regularly conducts a census to help us gain comprehensive information about the current state of Maine’s land trusts. This latest census, launched on October 1st, is the fourth census we have conducted (2009, 2015, 2019, and now 2024) to understand more about the operations, impact,…
If a majority of Maine voters support Question 4, the Bureau of Parks and Lands will have access to $30 million to improve trails and build new ones over the next four years. This summer, Maine Coast Heritage Trust joined with Maine Outdoor Brands, The Nature Conservancy, Maine Snowmobile Association,…
Yesterday, Governor Janet Mills announced funding for 12 new Land for Maine’s Future (LMF) conservation projects across Maine, preserving thousands of acres of farmland, undeveloped land, and vital working waterfront access for generations to come. In total, over 3,500 acres across Maine will be preserved using $3.8 million from the…
Maine Coast Heritage Trust’s Land Trust Program is excited to announce a new position. We are currently accepting applications for Land Trust Program Administrative and Event Assistant. This position will fill a key role, focusing on administrative support for the department and event planning. If you enjoy collaborating, working with…
On July 26th, Governor Janet Mills, White House National Climate Advisor Ali Zaidi, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Administrator (NOAA) Dr. Richard Spinrad announced that Maine has won a $69 million climate resilience grant from NOAA to protect Maine’s communities, environment, and working waterfronts from extreme storms, flooding, and rising sea…
Each fall, the Maine Land Trust Network organizes regional land trust meetings around the state. These meetings are a chance for land trust staff, board members, volunteers, and members of the public to gather together and discuss issues of common interest. These are some of our favorite events of the…
It is with deep sadness that we share the news that MCHT’s Southern Maine Project Manager Keith Fletcher passed away peacefully at his home on July 2nd. Keith was a giant in so many ways. His body of conservation work is immeasurable, his musicianship was awe-inspiring, and his friendship will…
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…
On September 25-28, 2024, Providence, Rhode Island will host the National Land Conservation Conference, better known as Rally. The annual gathering of land trust folks from all around the country is a unique opportunity for those of us in New England, and for our partners as well. Rally offers learning sessions focused…
In the days leading up to their statutory adjournment date, Maine lawmakers from both sides of the aisle overwhelmingly supported two initiatives backed by the state’s land trust community: a blanket sales tax exemption for nonprofits and a $30 million Trails Bond. Sales Tax Exemption Maine currently exempts many nonprofits…
With the Maine Legislature set to adjourn in mid-April, policymakers are busy wrapping up work on what remains of the more than 2,250 bills that legislators have introduced over the past fifteen months. Maine Coast Heritage Trust (MCHT) has been tracking and promoting a variety of initiatives in 2024, including…
We’re so excited to share this year’s Conference line-up! Registration has now begun for the Maine Land Conservation Conference, taking place April 12 and 13 in Topsham, Maine. We are honored to be hosting several Wabanaki speakers this year, and there will be opportunities to learn about cross-cultural collaborations on…
Over the past year, Maine Coast Heritage Trust has been advocating for changes to two unrelated state tax statutes: Sales Tax and Open Space. While the legislature’s Taxation Committee was not prepared to support either initiative in 2023, they set in motion efforts to bring the proposals back in 2024.…
Nominations Due: Midnight, February 29, 2024 Each year, Maine Coast Heritage Trust presents the Espy Land Heritage Award to an individual, organization, agency, or coalition for exemplary conservation efforts in Maine. The award recognizes those who make outstanding contributions to land conservation in Maine while inspiring others. The recipient of…
The Maine Legislature returned to Augusta on January 3 to begin the second year of its two-year session. Committees are taking up hundreds of bills carried over from last spring and considering hundreds more before adjourning around mid-April. A variety of issues that are related to Maine’s land trust community…
Ten land trusts from across Maine recently were awarded funding through The L.L.Bean Maine Land Trust Grant Program administered by Maine Coast Heritage Trust. The awards were made possible through the generous support of L.L.Bean and will fund 10 priority conservation projects from Saco to Dennysville. Since 2004, the L.L.Bean…
Each year, Maine Coast Heritage Trust presents the Maine Land Conservation Conference for and with Maine’s robust land conservation community. We come together to train on best practices in all aspects of land trust work, connect with our peers, and grapple with the most pressing issues facing land conservation today. Maine…
Could your land trust use some extra hands next summer? Consider applying to host a Richard G Rockefeller Conservation Intern in 2024 Past hosts (and interns!) have raved about the experience on both ends. Land trusts get needed assistance with stewardship, programming, office support, and more, while helping to introduce…
Maine’s Legislature adjourned early in the morning on Wednesday, July 26, wrapping up seven months of work. While the session began slowly, it picked up momentum in April. Working with the Governor’s office, legislative allies, and partner organizations, the land trust community successfully supported the enactment of numerous bills that will…
In this the 20th year of the program, it is with deep gratitude and more than a little excitement that we announce that LLBean has stepped up with a significant increase in funding for the Maine Land Trust Grant Program. LLBean has become a key land trust partner through this fund, providing…
It has been a busy year in Augusta and many bills related to the work of Maine’s land trust community have been in play. With roughly a month left in this year’s legislative session, here is an update on some of the key issues. Land for Maine’s Future In…
Maine Coast Heritage Trust (MCHT) has named Waldoboro resident Janet McMahon as recipient of the 2023 Espy Land Heritage Award, an annual award that recognizes an individual, organization, or coalition for exemplary conservation efforts in Maine. During her decades-long career, McMahon has worked as a scientist, an educator, and a…
Angela Twitchell will leave her leadership post at Brunswick-Topsham Land Trust and assume responsibility for overseeing Maine Coast Heritage Trust’s Land Trust Program. Maine Coast Heritage Trust announced today that it has appointed Angela Twitchell of Topsham, Maine, to be its Land Trust Program Director. The announcement was made at…
Each of the last 5 years, Maine has submitted two North American Wetland Conservation Act Grants (NAWCA) with the entire State as a focus area. The grants in total have ranged from $1M to $2M and so far Maine has been 100% successful in receiving funds. In recent rounds we…
Little did we know when we held our last in-person Conference in Topsham in April of 2019 that it would be four long years until we could safely gather together again. Now Maine Coast Heritage Trust is super excited to invite Maine’s land trust community to join us on May…
Nominations Due: Midnight, March 3, 2023 Each year, Maine Coast Heritage Trust presents the Espy Land Heritage Award to an individual, organization, agency or coalition for exemplary conservation efforts in Maine. The award recognizes those who make outstanding contributions to land conservation in Maine while inspiring others. The recipient of…
Before Congress adjourned at the end of 2022, they enacted a comprehensive Omnibus Spending bill that President Biden signed into law. In addition to funding the federal government for the current fiscal year ending on September 30, 2023, the bill included a variety of policy changes that will benefit land…
In mid-January, the Maine Legislature’s nonpartisan Revisor of Statutes’ office released the session’s list of legislative bill requests. Legislators were elected in November, sworn in the first week of December, and had until the end of the year to submit their legislative proposals. The list released in January includes more…
Post shared courtesy of Maine Coast Fishermen’s Association “Scuttlebutt: How to Live and Work in a Waterfront Community” is a collaborative effort among Harpswell organizations aimed at educating the current community and newcomers about living and working near the ocean. The partners in this effort are the Maine Coast Fishermen’s…
Happy New Year! After 20 years of working at Maine Coast Heritage Trust (and a few years at Friends of Merrymeeting Bay, and a 15-year career in mapping before that), I’ll be retiring at the end of May. I’ll be catching up on some long-delayed projects, volunteering at several non-profits,…
Round A Inquiry Forms are due by 5:00 PM, January 13, 2023 Final Round A Proposals are due by 5:00 PM, March 24, 2023 The Land for Maine’s Future program will be accepting inquiry forms for Projects of Statewide Significance and Community Conservation projects until 5pm Friday, January 13th. A second…
Thanks to LL Bean, five Maine land trusts received a needed boost to their stewardship efforts this month. Congratulations to these organization for their successful proposals: 12 Rivers Conservation Initiative Blue Hill Heritage Trust Downeast Lakes Land Trust Georges River Land Trust Harpswell Heritage Land Trust Their projects ranged from…
Maine Coast Heritage Trust (MCHT) is pleased to announce the 2023 Richard G. Rockefeller Conservation Internship Program and request applications from potential host organizations. Applications are due by November 30th, 2022. A Zoom info session will be offered on November 4th from 12:00-1:00pm. All are welcome but advance registration is required. Click…
Each of the last 5 years, Maine has submitted two North American Wetland Conservation Act Grants (NAWCA) with the entire State as a focus area. The grants in total have ranged from $1M to $2M and so far Maine has been 100% successful in receiving funds. In recent rounds we…
On November 8th, Maine voters will be heading to the polls to elect 186 individuals who will comprise the state’s 131st Legislature. Due to term limits and other factors, more than 40% of this year’s winners will likely be serving their first terms when they arrive in Augusta in early…
Enock Glidden and Zach Stegeman, who gave an awesome presentation as the keynote speakers at the 2022 Maine Land Conservation Conference, are now receiving national attention for the work they do making the outdoors more accessible for people of all abilities. They were on Maine Calling back in August, along…
Many trail users assume that all public trails are managed by the State, but a majority of publicly accessible trails here in Maine are managed by land trusts and other nonprofit organizations that depend on charitable giving to manage and maintain this recreational infrastructure for the public’s benefit. Are you…
This summer, the Ladies Adventure Club (LAC) has organized a Land Trust Bingo game. Participants can download the bingo card, visit trails and preserves managed by the 15 featured land trusts, and submit their cards for a chance to win cool prizes! What a great way to discover some new…
With over two dozen new LMF projects already approved in 2022, and many additional ones being prepared for future funding rounds, Maine people will soon have guaranteed access to a growing list of places to explore as they enjoy Maine’s incredible natural beauty.
We’re happy to share that we’ve been able to add another MLTN Meet Up to our schedule! We’ll be hanging out at Fogtown Brewing in Ellsworth on Thursday, June 9th, from 5:30-7:30pm. Like the other Meet Ups in Biddeford (5/17) and Newcastle (6/14), this is a casual event, no formal…
Youth – the generation most at risk from climate change – are particularly well suited to solve it. They have the motivation to shift climate politics, stimulate solutions, and ultimately be agents of change. Born out of the Kennebunkport Conservation Trust education programs, The Climate Initiative (TCI) can help land…
Maine’s lawmakers adjourned on May 9, likely ending a two-year term marked by numerous conservation-related bills being enacted.
While we couldn’t pull off an in-person conference this year, we still wanted to offer our land trust colleagues an opportunity to gather together for real, NOT virtually! These gatherings at different micro-breweries around the state will be an opportunity to celebrate, to reconnect, and also to meet MCHT’s new…
On April 20, Governor Janet Mills signed LD 1995, a supplemental appropriation measure broadly supported by an overwhelming majority of legislators from both parties. The final bill includes many measures that support initiatives within the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry (DACF) related to the work of Maine’s land…
On March 31st, 2022, as part of its annual Maine Land Conservation Conference, Maine Coast Heritage Trust (MCHT) named Jerry Bley as recipient of the 2022 Espy Land Heritage Award.
Plans for the 2022 Virtual Maine Land Conservation Conference are humming along, and we hope to open registration in about a week. Weekday webinars will take place between March 8th and the 31st on topics from fundraising to working on climate change in communities. Click here for more information.
A December 21st Maine Voices column in the Portland Press Herald asked a series of questions about land trust practices related to property taxes, land management, and the value of conserved areas. Maine Coast Heritage Trust’s president Tim Glidden and Maine Land Trust Network Chair and York Land Trust Executive…
One of the most rewarding things we do each year is partner on the LL Bean Maine Land Trust Grant Program. Together, L.L.Bean and MCHT are working to enhance the capacity of Maine’s land trusts in support of their efforts to protect Maine’s outdoor heritage and natural landscapes, providing strategic…
The work of self-examination, learning, relearning, and forging a path of action toward the goal of a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive conservation movement is the work of lifetimes. Many Maine land trusts have begun to think about equity in their work, and some are making progress! Without a doubt,…
Maine Coast Heritage Trust is pleased to announce the 2022 Richard G. Rockefeller Conservation Internship Program and request applications from potential host organizations. Applications are due by November 30th, 2021. A Zoom info session will be offered on November 3rd from 2:00-3:00pm. All are welcome but advance registration is required.…
Gauging by the signs we’re seeing, a large percentage of Maine land trusts are motivated and ready to take another step on the path toward diversity, equity, and inclusion at their organization. So what’s next? The following questions taken from our survey fielded earlier in 2021, and a compilation of…
On October 4, the LMF Board approved changes to its Workbook and will soon be issuing a call for proposals to fund new Conservation and Recreation proposals as the program begins to invest the $40 million that Governor Mills and Maine lawmakers approved in July. A separate call for proposals…
For a number of years, we’ve highlighted our concerns about “syndication”, a tax shelter scheme that is designed to generate profits from so-called charitable donations for conservation easements. The bottom line is that syndication is bad for landowners, land trusts, and the system of fair tax deductions that promotes land…
MLTN is so happy to share the news that our latest update of the popular guidebook Conservation Options: A Guide for Maine Landowners is complete. This lovely booklet, first published in 1994, is a wonderful resource for both landowners looking to explore options for conserving their land and land trusts…
In addition to offering posts over the next few weeks, in which we will share some things that our work group found useful in our explorations, MLTN is also holding Community Conversations on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion that are open to all. Visit the events page to register for those Zoom…
In this video, regional land steward Amanda Devine shares some dos and don’ts to keep in mind when camping on the coast.
Each year, Maine Coast Heritage Trust and LL Bean team up to provide the LL Bean Maine Land Trust Grant Program. The grants are designed to support stewardship of outdoor heritage and natural landscapes across Maine and encourage collaboration. Grants of up to $4,000 will be awarded for projects and activities…
The following editorial from David Trahan, Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine, and Jeff Romano, Maine Coast Heritage Trust, was published on July 29th, 2021 in the Portland Press Herald. Headlines frequently highlight ideological divisions that too often plague our public policy debates, but State budget includes huge boost for land preservation…
Increased visitation to preserves and trails is a continued trend in Maine and around the country. We’re excited to see so many people getting outside and benefiting from fresh air, exercise, and the solace of nature. We’ve also seen signs that some of these visitors are new to the outdoors…
The Maine conservation community has evolved, adapted, and changed as it has faced new challenges and opportunities over the decades. To expand their effectiveness, many land trusts participate in collaborations. In some cases, multiple land trusts work together to expand their reach beyond their traditional service territory boundaries. In other…
With roughly a month and half remaining in the legislative session, committees are working long hours to schedule remaining public hearings and complete work on proposed legislation. Not surprisingly, it has been an unusual year in Augusta, with much of the activity taking place on-line. Last week, the Appropriations Committee…
The thoughtful and varied responses we received through the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Survey fielded a few weeks ago were extremely helpful to our work group, and we heartily thank all who participated! Maine Land Trust Network (MLTN) serves as an information hub and provides space for land trusts…
Each year, Maine Coast Heritage Trust (MCHT) presents the Espy Land Heritage Award to an individual, organization, or coalition for exemplary conservation efforts in Maine. This year, Susan Alexander, a volunteer extraordinaire for nearly four decades, has been named the recipient. For over 35 years, Susan has provided steady support…
With more than 600,000 acres in preserves located around the state, Maine land trusts are a great resource for expanding one’s list of possible destinations. As a bonus, many land trust properties can be found close to home. When done in accordance with appropriate social distancing and preparedness, getting outside…
Last June, Maine Land Trust Network (MLTN) leadership issued a statement in response to the murders of George Floyd, Breanna Taylor, and other (at the time) recent violence perpetrated against Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) in our country. Many of your organizations signed on to that letter. Words…
Maine Coast Heritage Trust is please to announce that registration for the 2021 Maine Land Conservation Conference is now open. Join us for a series of webinars focused on four topics – climate resilience, indigenous engagement, environmental education, and responding to increased use of preserves. The presentations will be spread…
Almost every land trust property has experienced unprecedented numbers of visitors over the past year due to the pandemic. Mainers sought places to recreate and be with friends to compensate for working and schooling from home and the disruption to normal life. Providing important places to unwind was an incredible…
Maine Coast Heritage Trust presents the Espy Land Heritage Award to an individual, organization, agency, or coalition for exemplary conservation efforts in Maine. The award recognizes those that have made outstanding contributions to land conservation in Maine while inspiring others. Maine is particularly rich with many people and groups worthy…
In July of 2020, the Land for Maine’s Future Board created a workgroup to hear feedback from and discuss with cooperating entities how to collaborate most effectively in meeting shared goals to conserve natural, recreational, and working lands. The work group, which included representatives from a half dozen land conservation…
Policymakers Submit Bill Requests In late December, the Maine Legislature released bill titles submitted by legislators and State Agencies. This is the first step in the annual bill drafting process and is a good early indication of the subjects that will be addressed by Maine legislators this session (note: not…
On December 1, Governor Mills and Maine’s Climate Council released “Maine Won’t Wait: A four-year plan for climate action.”
A broad coalition of Maine conservation groups including land trusts, state agencies, and outdoor brand businesses launched Friday a series of recommendations to help people safely enjoy fresh air this winter. While outdoor activities are great ways to stay healthy during Maine’s winter, it is important for everyone venturing to Maines…
It is with excitement and deep gratitude that we announce a brand new grant opportunity for Maine land trusts. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused significant disruption in the work land trusts do to conserve Maine land. Land trusts are being forced to operate in new ways, resulting in unexpected costs and organizational…