MLTN Infoline – February 17, 2022
Still Time to Register for the Conference! | |
Excitement is growing for this year’s virtual Maine Land Conservation Conference. Nearly 200 people have already registered! We have great webinars lined up for you on:
Tickets are just $25 for all nine webinars, which are happening on weekdays throughout March. All webinars will be recorded. We hope you’ll join us! Learn more and register here. | |
National Recreation and Park Association Equity Language Guide | |
The words we use matter — language has the power to uplift as well as marginalize. As the creators of community, park and recreation professionals can especially benefit from using language that is inclusive and welcoming for all people. The National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) has developed an Equity Language Guide, a glossary of terms to help park and recreation professionals develop a common language around diversity, equity and inclusion. It also provides guidance to help people become familiar with terms they may not be aware of and best practices for making writing accessible. This guide can help us use consistent and appropriate terms related to diversity, equity, inclusion, race, age, gender, sexual orientation, ability and more. | |
Two Complimentary Webinars for Land Trust Alliance Members | |
During Member Celebration Week, the Land Trust Alliance is offering two free webinars for its members. Wednesday, February 23, 2022 2:00-3:30pm A well-defined and healthy culture can help you attract and retain employees, volunteers and board members. Learn how to intentionally create the culture that your land trust deserves. Thursday, February 24, 2022 2:00-3:30pm Are you thriving as a “remote land trust?” Your digital environment is just as important as your physical one, and there are big opportunities for land trusts that embrace the pivot to remote. | |
Basics of Acquisition, Parts I and II | |
Tuesdays, March 1 and March 8, 2022 2:00-3:30pm Cost: $70 for LTA members; $100 for non-members Sign up for each webinar separately. Land conservation projects are, at their core, sophisticated real estate transactions that often involve intense and lengthy exchanges between landowner/donors and land trust staff. Specifically intended for non-attorneys, this two-part webinar is ideal for new staff or those wishing a refresher. Conservation attorney Steve Swartz and conservation director Dan Roix, Columbia Land Trust (accredited), will cover basic real estate concepts, legal elements of real estate transactions and the acquisition process from property identification through title searches and related due diligence to closing, PLUS navigating sometimes tricky issues with landowners and their family. We’ll discuss possible pitfalls and practical advice from both the legal and donor engagement perspectives, leaving plenty of time for questions. | |
How to Build a Coalition: The Basics | |
Wednesday, March 2, 2022 1:00-2:00pm Cost: $15 for MANP members*; $29 for non-members This event made possible thanks to a partnership between Maine Association of Nonprofits and Alliance of Arizona Nonprofits Building partnerships is a core part to accomplishing goals. In this one-hour presentation, you’ll learn the foundations of how to build a coalition to create change, and how to ensure your coalitions are uplifting principles of justice and equity. The presentation will leave time for your questions at the end. During this session, you will learn:
Learn more and register at the MANP website. *Most MLTN members are MANP members. To check on your MLTN membership status, contact Donna. | |
Stewarding Easements in the Context of the Changing Face of Ag | |
Thursday, March 3, 2022 2:00-3:30pm Cost: $70 for LTA members; $100 for non-members Agriculture practices and properties are a changin’! It seems that nowadays landowners want to expand the traditional practice of farming to include solar farms, beer gardens, agritourism, B&Bs and more. Additionally, traditional agricultural properties are being increasingly purchased by wealthy landowners for recreational playgrounds. Balancing uncontemplated uses while avoiding impermissible private benefit and protecting the property’s conservation values can be challenging to say the least. Join stewardship experts Jeb Musser, Lancaster Farmland Trust (accredited), and Will Trimbath, The Montana Land Reliance, as they discuss how to effectively steward easements on working lands. Filled with examples and practical tips, this webinar will also leave plenty of time for small group discussion so bring your stories and concerns. Learn more and register at the Land Trust Alliance website. | |
Keeping Courts Out of It: Negotiation & Conflict Management Strategies for Violations | |
Thursday, March 10, 2022 2:00-3:30pm Cost: $70 for LTA members; $100 for non-members It’s universally acknowledged that at some point land trusts who hold easements will confront a violation. While most violations are simple and can be solved with a conversation and letter, some will result in costly court cases. But what if there were strategies you could use to avoid costly legal battles and still preserve the conservation values of the easement? Join long-time conservationist and conflict management specialist Mike Powell, Greenbelt Land Trust of Mid-Missouri, as he discusses conflict management and interest-based negotiation techniques, and real estate attorney and Terrafirma Claims Committee Member, Jim Phillippi, who will offer practical tips and best practices for mediation that can help your board and staff. Here’s a look at what will be covered:
Register at the Land Trust Alliance website. | |
Jobs in the Conservation Sector | |
Still LOTS of job openings flowing in to the MLTN jobs page. Newest additions below or view the full list here. Farmland Protection Project Manager, Portland or Belfast – Maine Farmland Trust Conservation Easement Steward – Maine Coast Heritage Trust 900 HR Environmental Steward – Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory – Maine Conservation Corps Marketing and Fundraising Intern – Woodie Wheaton Land Trust Conservation and Stewardship Intern – Woodie Wheaton Land Trust Stewardship Coordinator – Chebeague & Cumberland Land Trust AND Freeport Conservation Trust Research Technicians – Maine TREE Foundation Land Stewardship Technician – Appalachian Trail Conservancy Land Stewardship Field Coordinator – Appalachian Trail Conservancy Summer Program Intern – Freeport Conservation Trust Ecology Educator – The Ecology School Trail Crew Member – Mount Desert Land & Garden Preserve Stewardship Assistant – Islesboro Islands Trust Land Protection Manager – Northeast Wilderness Trust Land and Stewardship Assistant – Brunswick-Topsham Land Trust Summer Stewardship Internship – Coastal Mountains Land Trust Pendleton Stewardship Internship – Coastal Mountains Land Trust Land Protection Specialist – Scarborough Land Trust | |
eBird Mini-Grants for Northeast Regional Conservation Partnerships | |
Application Due: March 15, 2022 The Cornell Lab of Ornithology is currently accepting applications for mini-grants to support eBird workshops led by Regional Conservation Partnerships (RCPs) for their partners and practitioners. The goal of these workshops is to empower RCP leaders to train their partners to use eBird effectively for land conservation within their respective landscapes, creating an ambassador network to promote the effectiveness of this birding tool for conservation, monitoring, and community engagement. It is expected that RCPs in the Northeast will utilize these mini-grants to host eBird training workshops, either virtual or in-person, and then use this as a jumping-off point to build a network of eBird users who can use the resource in support of their conservation goals. Applications are now open and must be submitted by March 15, 2022. Click here for the Request for Proposal details, eligibility criteria, and expectations. | |
State of Maine Grants May Be Chance to Partner with Your Community | |
Although land trusts can’t directly apply for these grants, they offer opportunities to team up with local governments to improve your community’s climate resilience with funding to help! Community Action Grants – Applications Due March 22, 2022, 11:59pm Offered through the Governor’s Office of Policy Innovation and the Future’s Community Resilience Partnership program, Community Action Grants support projects that reduce energy use and costs and/or make their community more resilient to climate change effects, such as flooding, extreme weather, drought, and public health impacts. Shore and Harbor Management Planning Grant Program – Proposals Due April 1, 2022, 5:00pm This round of Maine Department of Marine Resources Shore and Harbor Management Planning Grants will place emphasis on coastal waterfront climate resilience with a focus on projects that advance the recommendations identified in Maine Won’t Wait: A Four-Year Plan for Climate Action. |