MLTN Infoline – June 6, 2024

June 11, 2024|Infoline

Relearn, Recenter, Return: Announcing 3rd First Light Learning Journey

We are so happy to share the good news! A third First Light Learning Journey has been announced for October 2024 through October 2025. In this year-long journey, organizations will go deep to understand and transform conservation culture, in order to further the work of return– returning land, returning access, returning financial power, returning to a new way of working together–with Wabanaki people and communities. The cohort meets two times per month, mostly by Zoom but with some in-person gatherings.

The First Light website has information to help you learn more and decide if the time is right for your organization. There are Living FAQs and you are invited to reach out to members of the Core Planning Team with questions or to have a conversation with them about the curriculum or just to learn more.

In July, First Light will post a form to their website where you can express your organization’s interest in joining the cohort, and we’ll be sure to announce that here in Infoline when they do.

Exploring the work of return together,

Angela, Jeff, and Donna

LTA’s New NRCS Easement Acquisition Team

Has your land trust had questions or interest in participating with Natural Resources Conservation Service easement programs like Agricultural Conservation Easement Program-Agricultural Land Easements Program or Regional Conservation Partnership Program? Have you had concerns about land trust capacity or felt weighed down in forms and policies, preventing you from participating in these programs? The NRCS Easement Acquisition Team is newly launched as part of a partnership between the Land Trust Alliance and NRCS to provide support for you to access these programs and provide guidance from eligibility criteria to application to parcel contract to project close. The Team is just getting started but they are ready and willing to answer your questions and help you learn more and take advantage of these resources!

You can meet the team and learn more about the services they’ll be offering at a free webinar on Monday, June 24, from 2:00-3:30pm. LTA staff will walk through how the programs work and what makes a successful project, and share what the future of this NRCS partnership will look like. Register for the webinar at LTA’s website.

The Board-Executive Relationship: A Partnership that Works

Two Tuesdays, June 11 & 18, 2024 via Zoom

3:00-5:00pm

Cost: $50 for MANP members*, $100 for non-members

This event possible thanks to a partnership between Maine Association of Nonprofits and Nonprofit Association of Washington

No relationship is more important to the health of your nonprofit than the one between the board and its executive director. A strong and effective relationship sets the stage for organizational success. Yet, probably no other single relationship is as easily misconstrued or has such dire potential consequences. Many boards and executives cannot say with certainty whether they have a good relationship with each other, or even what that relationship should look like. In this 2-part webinar series, participants will learn:

the characteristics of an effective partnership
positive ways to strengthen the board-executive relationship
how to handle conflict between the board and executive
how to promote transparency and accountability

Learn more and get the link to register on partner website at MANP’s website.

Most MLTN members are MANP members. Contact Donna to check your MLTN membership status.

How to Write a Successful Regional Conservation Partnership Program Proposal

Wednesday, June 12, 2024 via Zoom

2:00-3:30pm

Cost: FREE

The Regional Conservation Partnership Program offers several pathways to fund innovative easement projects that center partnerships and locally led conservation. The Natural Resources Conservation Service recently announced that $1.5 billion is available for the latest signup period, which closes on July 2! If your land trust is looking for new ways to fund important regional projects, join NRCS projects branch Chief Russell Ames for an overview of the program and tips on how to build the strongest application. In addition, Susan Carr with Alachua Conservation Trust will provide examples of their successful proposals and ways to avoid common stumbling blocks from the land trust’s perspective.

To register, visit LTA’s website.

Strategic Conservation Planning for Water

Thursday, June 13, 2024 via Zoom

2:00-3:30pm

Cost: $75 for LTA members, $115 for non-members

A growing number of land trusts have water-related priorities, whether they are focused on quality or quantity. Water is an important consideration to work into land trusts’ strategic conservation planning, and this webinar will showcase two different examples. Presenters will discuss challenges and lessons learned from two major planning efforts, and also offer general guidance about how land trusts can advance water quality, as outlined in the Alliance’s Taking the Plunge water quality guide.

Whether your organization is just dipping a toe or is already swimming, staff, volunteers and board members at land trusts involved in strategic conservation planning will want to attend.

Learn more and register at LTA’s website.

Using Aerial Imagery to Find Ash Stands on Your Land

Tuesday, June 18, 2024 via Zoom

9:00-10:00am

Cost: FREE

A variety of aerial imagery is available from products such as Google Earth and others. Colleen Teerling of the Maine Forest Service will demonstrate how to use aerial imagery to locate ash stands. Finding ash stands is a first step toward taking action in the face of the invasive emerald ash borer (e.g., seed collection). This will be a casual demonstration over screen-share, with time to ask questions.

Registration is required for this meeting. Click here to register via Zoom. A link to join will be emailed to you.

The Outdoor Sports Institute

The Outdoor Sports Institute (OSI) is a 501C3 nonprofit focused on helping communities develop and sustain an active, outdoor culture through effective partnerships and collaborative efforts, creating and enhancing access to trails, gear, and meaningful outdoor experiences in and near the places we call home, and developing capable, community-based outdoor sport leadership. Their mission is to empower active resilient outdoor communities.

OSI offers resources and expertise that land trusts may be interested in, including Learning Lab workshops on variety of outdoor recreation topics, free guides and sports curriculum guides, recorded webinars, and more. Check out their resources page to learn more.

Jobs in the Conservation Sector

Summer is always a busy time for conservation and environmental organizations, and they are looking for people to help them achieve their goals! Our newest job postings are listed below or view the full list on the MLTN website.

Environmental Specialist IV, Maine Healthy Beaches Program Coordinator – Maine Department of Environmental Protection

Land Conservation Manager – Georges River Land Trust

Director of Development – Maine Coast Heritage Trust

Administrative Coordinator – Chebeague & Cumberland Land Trust

Steward – Bates-Morse Mountain Conservation Area, Bates College

Seasonal Retail Associate – Maine Audubon

Field Team Member (Fall) – Maine Conservation Corps

Executive Director – Maine Island Trail Association

President & CEO – Maine Farmland Trust, Inc.

MFT Farmland Protection Project Manager/NRCS Easement Specialist – Maine Farmland Trust, Inc.

Farmland Protection and Stewardship Administrative Assistant – Maine Farmland Trust, Inc.

Municipal Planning Biologist – Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife

Seasonal Farm Hand | Labradorx / Granjerx Temporada -Presente! Maine

Policy Advocate – Maine Audubon

MNRCP 2024 Funding Round Now Open

Letters of Intent must be received by 5:00 pm on Wednesday, June 26, 2024

The Nature Conservancy (TNC) is requesting Letters of Intent for the 2024 Maine Natural Resource Conservation Program (MNRCP) funding round. Over $3 million will be available for award in 2024 for those seeking to restore, enhance, and protect wetlands and significant wildlife habitat in Maine. MNRCP will once again be prioritizing funding for projects that include wetland restoration and enhancement, but certain land acquisition/preservation projects may still be eligible to receive funding. MNRCP encourages projects that include both restoration and new preservation. Projects that preserve intact buffers around restoration areas satisfy multiple program goals for MNRCP.

Public agencies, non-profit conservation organizations, tribes, soil and water conservation districts, and municipalities are all eligible to submit a Letter of Intent. Environmental consultants, working in partnership with the above listed groups, are also encouraged to apply. All Letters of Intent must be submitted online at http://mnrcp.org. Applicants whose proposed projects meet the program’s requirements will be invited to submit full proposals, which will be due in September. Final grant awards are expected to be made in November 2024.

For more information, please visit http://mnrcp.org. Contact Bryan Emerson at TNC with any specific questions regarding potential projects or MNRCP in general.

Regional Conservation Partnership Program Grants

Applications Due: 5:59pm on July 2, 2024 (not June 2 as listed in our last Infoline!)

USDA is making an unprecedented $1.5 billion available for partner-driven conservation and climate solutions through the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP). RCPP is a partner-driven approach to conservation that funds solutions to natural resource challenges on agricultural land. 

Through a concerted effort in 2023 using feedback and expertise from partners, employees, leadership and stakeholders, NRCS identified several improvements to RCPP that the agency has implemented and will continue to implement in the months and years ahead. Read more in the press release here.

View information on the RCPP Classic grant.

View information on the RCPP Alternative Funding Arrangements grant.

Email Dylan Krupa with any questions.