MLTN Infoline – April 19, 2023

The In-Person Gathering of the Maine Land Conservation Conference at the Samoset in Rockport on May 3rd from 1-7pm is two weeks away. If you haven’t registered yet, we hope you’ll do so now. Tickets are limited so act now!

The Maine State Legislature has been busy holding public hearings and moving legislative proposals through the committee process as their mid-June adjournment date approaches. Here is an update on a few land trust bills MCHT has been working on:

• LD 596: On April 12, the Environment and Natural Resources Committee voted unanimously ought to pass on LD 596. This bill would create an exemption under the state’s municipal subdivision law for any property division done for permanent conservation purposes. Sponsored by Senator Pierce (Cumberland County), LD 596 will be taken up by the House and Senate later this month.
• LD 695: On April 13, the Taxation Committee held a public hearing on LD 695, an Act to Exempt Nonprofit Land Trusts from Sales Tax. Sponsored by Representative Kuhn (Falmouth), this bill is more targeted than LD 68, a proposal heard earlier this session. LD 68 would exempt all nonprofits from sales tax. Under current law, some nonprofits are exempt, and others are not. The Taxation Committee will be discussing both proposals soon.
• LD 1285: Sponsored by Senator Black (Franklin County), LD 1285 seeks to extend the existing LMF 4-year, $40 million funding approved two years ago by an additional 2 years and $20 million. MCHT and partners are working with the Mills Administration and the legislature on the best way to accomplish this goal.
• LD 1648: The Nature Conservancy in Maine has been leading an effort to amend the state’s Open Space Law. MCHT has been working with TNC and others to pull together LD 1648, which is being sponsored by Representative Boyle (Gorham). The bill proposes a variety of changes that include a new way of valuing land under Open Space that is more closely connected to the Tree Growth Tax Law, municipal reimbursement for land in Open Space, and a new focus on managing Open Space land for carbon benefits.
• LD 1156: Sponsored by Representative Fay (Raymond), LD 1156 would ask Maine voters to support a $30 million bond to fund the design, development, and maintenance of trails for outdoor recreation and active transportation over the next four years. A coalition of more than 250 organizations, businesses, and municipalities have formed to support this bill (to add your organization: sign-on letter). A public hearing is expected later this month.

• Recognizing brown, white, and green ash 
• Delineating the edge of brown ash wetland forests 
• Collection of stand, plot, and tree level data that is useful to monitoring, management, and seed collection efforts 
• Monitoring for Emerald Ash Borer
• Cultural access agreements & data sovereignty

8:30-11:30am

Cost: FREE

At this live and in-person field opportunity, all of the concepts and core skills introduced during the May 2nd webinar will be demonstrated live. These include:

• Recognizing brown, white, and green ash
• Delineating the edge of brown ash wetland forests
• Collection of stand, plot, and tree level data that is useful to monitoring, management, and seed collection efforts
• Monitoring for Emerald Ash Borer
• Cultural access agreements & data sovereignty

Cost: $70 for LTA members, $100 for non-members

Are you looking to capitalize on new federal dollars available for land conservation? If so, this webinar is a must! Whether your land trust receives federal funds directly from a federal agency or through an agreement with another governmental or nonprofit entity, your land trust must develop and implement the systems, policies and procedures to comply with complex federal rules. Even if you won’t cross the $750,000 threshold requiring a single audit this year, your land trust still needs to develop and implement key cost allocation, procurement and other fiscal policies. Here’s a look at what this webinar will cover:

• Distinctions between grants, awards, cooperative agreements and contracts — understanding the rules that come with each.
• Why it doesn’t matter whether the federal dollars actually flow through your bank accounts — how to deal with federal funds transferred at closings for easements or land purchases.
• Cost allocation plans and recovering administrative or indirect costs.
• Subcontracts or sub-recipient agreements — understanding your responsibilities if you pass federal dollars through to other entities.

Thursday, May 4, 2023

Friday, May 12, 2023 

These four-day immersive tours provide teachers and others with tools to bring the forest into the classroom and develop participants’ capacity to connect students with green jobs and forest-based career pathways. Earn up to 30 hours toward your continuing education requirement for your teacher certification renewal.

Many, many great full and part-time positions are currently posted on our jobs page, with new additions here. 

The Open Space Institute and the Land Trust Alliance are pleased to announce that applications are open for the 2023 Land and Climate Grant Program. The program aims to support and build the capacity of land trusts and other groups that conserve and steward land to integrate climate change into land protection and management decisions. 

• Land Protection Plans
• Management Plans
• Communication Plans
• Renewable Energy Siting Plans