MLTN Infoline – April 2, 2025
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Maine Trails Program Launches
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This past November a strong majority of the people in Maine voted to approve the Maine Trails Bond and to make available $30 million dollars to begin to address the development and restoration needs of Maine’s trail network. Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry’s Bureau of Parks and Lands has been working hard ever since to plan and prepare for the brand new Maine Trails Program, and now they’re ready to accept applications! To help introduce this program, explain how it will work, and share how you can apply for funding, a series of workshops will be held. The first of these will be virtual and are set for multiple timeframes throughout the day on April 10 and 11. View the schedule of workshops and register here. In person workshops across the state will be scheduled for later in April and into May.
It’s important to note that for this inaugural grant cycle, the Recreational Trails Program will be reserved for state agency projects only; other applications will be limited to the new Program, which has more funding and higher percentage cost sharing.
If you’d like to be kept abreast of Program news and updates, you can subscribe to their newsletter. Click here to subscribe.
In this time of funding uncertainty, join us in celebrating the launch of this exciting grant opportunity for land trusts!
Angela, Jeff, Donna, and Katia
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Don’t Delay – Register for Maine Land Conservation Conference!
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Tuesday and Wednesday, April 29 & 30, 2025 Augusta Civic Center, Augusta
Cost: $25-$100
Registration for the annual Maine Land Conservation Conference is ramping up. We already have over 200 people registered! This year there are so many great workshops and gatherings to choose from – you’ll want to register early to get your choice of activities. The cost for online registration is as follows:
Online registration will be available until midnight on Monday, April 21st. If we have space to accommodate walk-ins, we’ll announce that on the website, but note that the price will go up at the door. Register today!
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Brave Spaces: Diversity, Equity, Inclusion for Maine Land Trusts
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Friday, April 18, 2025
1:00-4:00pm
Curtis Memorial Library, 23 Pleasant Street, Brunswick Cost: $25
There’s still time to register for this special pre-Conference learning and networking opportunity! Together with Momentum Conservation and Natural Difference LLC, we’re offering this chance to engage in vulnerable reflection and take brave steps forward. Make your Maine Land Conservation Conference experience the best it can be by joining others ready to create “brave spaces.” Register now. Space is limited.
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Land Trust Alliance Advocacy Days
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Online April 22, 2025 and In Person, May 5-8, 2025
Washington, DC
You are invited to join Land Trust Alliance for Advocacy Days! They invite the staff, board members, and volunteers of Alliance member land trusts to participate in their annual advocacy event to make a significant difference in land conservation. The mission of Advocacy Days is to provide land trust leaders with advocacy training and facilitate their relationships with key legislators to help build the political influence of the land trust community. The Land Trust Alliance advises Congress on important land trust issues in a way that no one land trust could do by itself — but to truly motivate elected officials, we need them to hear your stories about conserving our nation’s land and waters. Your participation is as important as it is truly valuable.
As part of Advocacy Days, you’ll have the opportunity to:
Some travel stipends are available. Click here for more information. Learn more about Advocacy Days here.
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OUT Maine x The Onion Foundation Cohort 2025
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The Onion Foundation is partnering with OUT Maine to provide a comprehensive cohort program for professionals to develop their skills around implementing inclusive LGBTQIA2S+ programming!
Three separate cohorts will be offered this year: on April 26, August 22, and October 9.
The cohorts will begin with an in-person training day covering foundational best practices, a self-assessment, and goal setting for each organization. After the in-person training day, cohort participants may attend regular virtual follow-up meetings to check in on group progress towards goals and cover specific topics more in depth. The cohorts work best with a team; we strongly recommend 2-3 members from each participating organization to attend together, whether that includes leadership staff, programming staff, or board members.
Learn more on the OUT Maine website.
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Spruce Budworm Information Session
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Thursday, May 1, 2025 via Zoom and in person
1:00-4:00pm
Wells Conference Center, UMaine, Orono; Nadeau Hall, UMaine, Fort Kent; and online Cost: FREE
Keeping Maine’s Forest invites you and your community to join a Spruce Budworm Information Session. This outreach and educational event is open to anyone looking for more information on the current status of spruce budworm populations in Maine and the early intervention strategy being implemented to limit their spread. Maine’s forestry community is diverse and interconnected—whether you are an interested member of the public who lives, works, or recreates in the Maine woods, this event may be for you. All are welcome! This hybrid-event will be hosted in 2 locations and connected/streamed via Zoom.
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Providing Meaningful Compensation & Benefits: Strategies for Small Organizations
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Tuesday, May 6, 2025 via Zoom 2:00-3:30pm Cost: $75 for Land Trust Alliance members, $140 for non-members
Research shows that one of the primary reasons people leave nonprofit jobs is because the pay and benefits don’t meet their needs. Yet as small organizations, many land trusts face real challenges meeting these employee needs. Executive directors, program managers and anyone who finds themselves wearing the “HR hat” at their organization will want to join this webinar, which will cover:
Visit LTA’s website for more information and to register.
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How to Be a Great Board Treasurer
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Wednesday, May 7, 2025 via Zoom
2:00-3:30pm
Cost: $75 for Land Trust Alliance members, $140 for non-members An organized, competent board treasurer is a key part of every land trust’s team, and the position comes with legal and ethical responsibilities. Whether you are a new treasurer feeling totally unprepared or wish to supplement your experience with proven guidance, land trust financial expert Kay Sohl has crafted a webinar to keep you and your organization on the right track. She’ll discuss:
Visit LTA’s website for more information and to register.
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Employee and Volunteer Screening: What You Need to Know
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Wednesday, May 14, 2025 via Zoom
2:00-2:30pm
Cost: FREE for MANP members* This event is possible thanks to a partnership between Maine Association of Nonprofits and the Nonprofit Risk Management Center.
Has it been a while since you took a close look at your employee and volunteer screening? Learn how the screening field is evolving and how your organization can build a fair and thorough process to select individuals who fit your organization’s needs.
Learn more and register at MANP’s website.
*Most MLTN members are MANP members. Contact us to check your organization’s MLTN membership status.
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50% Off Courses from Harbinger Consultancy
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Offer good through Friday, April 4 For a limited time, Harbinger Consultancy is offering 50% off all their courses. There are many to choose from, but a few that may be of particular interest are:
Learn more at harbingerconsult.com/online-courses.
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Jobs in the Conservation Sector
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Just a couple of new job postings since last week, but there’s no shortage of available positions at Maine conservation organizations. Check out the full (long!) list of openings on our website.
Environmental Technician – Washington County Soil & Water Conservation District Maine Sr. Field Representative – The Conservation Fund
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