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MLTN Infoline – January 3, 2020

January 3, 2020|

Help Shape Maine’s 2020 Forest Action Plan

The Maine Forest Service has begun work on Maine’s 2020 Forest Action Plan and is seeking input through a brief online survey. The Plan will include an assessment of current forest conditions and trends and also identify threats and concerns. It will establish priorities and provide strategies for addressing issues, and suggest ways to invest state, federal and other partner resources.  Forest Action Plans influence policy, management, and resource allocation decisions for ten years and are required by the 2008 Farm Bill. Maine’s current (2010) Forest Action Plan can be viewed here . 

The short online survey will gather information about concerns, challenges and desired outcomes. It is available from the Maine Forest Service here. The survey will be open until Wednesday, January 15, 2020. 

Share your insights about Maine’s forests!

Whit , Jeff , and Donna

Last Year for Ed Meadows Conservation Fund Grants

Applications Due: January 31, 2020
Since 2016, the Ed Meadows Conservation Fund of the Maine Community Foundation has been funding the creation and installation of signage that facilitates interpretation and nature education on conservation land owned or held by Maine land trusts. The Fund has awarded over $50,000 for nearly 200 interpretive panels and signs. It has been wonderfully beneficial for Maine land trusts. But all good things come to an end and 2020 will be the final year for the Ed Meadows Conservation Fund Grants. Visit the MLTN website for guidelines, examples of signs funded by the program, and an application. Thanks, Ed!

Not-to-be-missed Webinars from Land Trust Alliance

LTA webinars are a perfect way to train new staff and for experienced practitioners to brush up on current best practices.  The Land Trust Alliance has a great selection of webinars lined up for 2020. Webinars are convenient, low-cost (no travel required), and help your organization stay up-to-date on the latest information, technology, and developments in land conservation. Take time to check out the full list and mark your calendar! Here are some upcoming highlights.
 
Thursday, January 23, 2020 at 2:00 pm
 
Wednesday, January 29, 2020 at 2:00 pm
 
Thursday, January 30, 2020 at 2:00 pm
 
Tuesday, February 25, 2020 at 2:00 pm
 

It’s Your Turn: The Role of the Board Chair

January 30 – February 20, 2020
Sessions take place on Thursdays from 3:00 – 4:00 pm 
Cost: $80 for MANP members (most land trusts are MANP members*)

Whether you’re just stepping into this leadership role or are a seasoned board leader, this training will help you be more effective. You’ll learn how to bring your best leaderful self to the board chair role, artfully facilitate meetings that net results, and improve the leadership work of the board as a whole. Course participants will learn about the chair’s responsibility in strengthening and improving the leadership work of the board as a whole.

This series is a great primer for new board chairs and an excellent refresher for more seasoned board members! Whether you’re a current chair, chair-elect, or head up a committee, this workshop covers leadership skills every board member needs. Topics include: leadership characteristics of effective board leaders, key relationships in and out of the board room, your leadership legacy, facilitating meetings that matter, and ways to engage individual board members. Learn more and register here.

 
*For organizations with an operating budget of $500,000 or less, the MLTN membership includes a complimentary membership in MANP. Contact Donna to check if your land trust is a MLTN member.

A Free Risk Management Webinar from Land Trust Alliance 

To get the Terrafirma risk management discount for 2020, a board member, director or finance or stewardship staff must attend these.
Wednesday, January 22nd, 2020
3:00 – 4:00 pm
Map out a trail to perpetuity. This webinar will show you how to get the most out of your resources with an emphasis on tailored solutions that provide what you really need. Solutions covered include:
  • A risk management plan to avoid needless expenses in the event of an emergency
  • A legal defense reserve calculation tailored to your land trust’s current risks and resources
  • Information on insurance coverage and when to seek it

Job Openings in the Conservation Sector

New year! New opportunities! Here are the most recent additions, or vi ew the full list  here.
 
2020 Summer Intern – Blue Hill Heritage Trust
2020 Ronald Joseph Summer Internship – Kennebec Land Trust

Administrative Assistant (Portland) – Maine Farmland Trust

Philanthropy Officer – Maine Farmland Trust
Land Protection Assistant – Wildlife Management Institute (MDIFW)
So ME Land Steward/Burn Crew Leader (Full time, temp) – The Nature Conservancy
Stewardship Field Assistant (Full time, temp) – The Nature Conservancy

Captain Planet Foundation ecoSolution™ Grants

Applications Due: January 15th, 2020
The show Captain Planet & the Planeteers was a cartoon program that aired from 1990-1996. In the show, Gaia, the spirit of the planet, assembles a team of young “planeteers” from nations around the world who are able to summon Captain Planet to help them solve ecological and other global problems. Although the show has been off the air for more than two decades, Captain Planet lives on in the minds of many real-world “Planeteers” as a symbol of becoming a superhero for planet Earth.
Today, the Captain Planet Foundation supports educators working to facilitate youth-led projects that result in positive environmental impact in schools and communities. To that end, it is inviting applications for ecoSolution™ Grants. Through  these grants, previously called “Small Grants,”   awards ranging between $500 and $2,500 will be awarded in support of solution-oriented youth-led projects that result in real environmental outcomes, broadly-defined.  To be eligible, applicants must be based in the U.S., have an annual operating budget of no more than $3 million, and be tax exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code (including most nonprofits and schools), or have a fiscal sponsor with such status.
 
See the Captain Planet website for complete program guidelines, application instructions, and examples of previously supported projects.

Clif Bar Family Foundation Small Grants Program

Applications Due: 11:59 pm, Saturday, February 1, 2020
The  Clif Bar Family Foundation was established in 2006 to support grassroots groups with inspiring ideas and limited funds.  To that end, the foundation is inviting applications for its Small Grants program. Through the program, grants will be awarded in support of mission-driven organizations and/or projects that protect Earth’s beauty and bounty; create a robust, healthy food system; increase opportunities for outdoor activity; reduce environmental health hazards; and build stronger communities.  Grants are awarded for general organizational support as well as specific projects. 
See the Clif Bar Family Foundation website for complete program guidelines and application instructions.