The Kennebec Land Trust

“Howard lake mary denison director director partners”

“The organization is a membership organization.”

“Members present at the annual meeting elect members of the board. The board of directors elects officers at the annual meeting or when a vacancy occurs.”

“Members elect members to the board, and vote on any changes to the by-laws at the annual meeting.”

“Form 990 is presented by the treasurer to the finance committee for review prior to submission. The full board receives a copy of the form 990 within 30 days of its submission. At donor request, donor names and addresses have been redacted from the copy of the form 990 made available to the full board. Consistent with the requirements of sec. 6104(d) of the irc and regulations thereunder, copies of the form 990 are available upon request and a copy is posted on the website.”

“Annually, board and staff members are required to sign a statement indicating that they are abiding by the conflict of interest policy. When matters arise in the board meetings for which a board or staff member has a conflict, that person/s will leave the room during discussion and, if a board member, will recuse themselves from the vote.”

“Annually, the executive committee meets to review compensation and benefits for executive director. Comparable data is reviewed from other land trust sources and proposed compensation and benefits are presented to the full board within the budget. The compensation and benefits are adopted at the june meeting as part of the budget adoption process.”

“Using national standards, salaries are reviewed and proposed compensation and benefits for the executive director and all staff are presented to the full board within the annual budget. The compensation and benefits are adopted at the june meeting as part of the budget adoption process.”

“All governing documents, conflict of interest policy and financial statements are available to the public upon request.”

“The kennebec land trust (klt) works cooperatively with landowners and communities to conserve the forests, lakes, streams, wetlands, fields, and wildlife that help define central maine. Klt protects and stewards land permanently, offers access to conserved properties, provides opportunities for people to learn about and enjoy the natural world, and works with partners to support sustainable forestry and farming. Klt has provided over thirty-seven years of conservation work in the kennebec river and lakes region. Thanks to the generous contributions and support of more than 1,100 household members and business partners, dedicated volunteers, board members, and staff, we have experienced over three decades of significant growth and developed a reputation as a conservation leader in our 413,000-acre service region. We have received statewide and regional recognition and awards for our dedication to conserving land for its many community benefits, including public use and recreation. Klt has always been, and always will be, committed to taking care of the lands we conserve. Klt completed a rigorous process to achieve national accreditation from the land trust alliance accreditation commission in 2018 and reaccreditation in 2024. We received a source award from the portland press herald to honor local wood works, a klt-inspired partnership focused on keeping forests as forests and promoting sustainable natural-resource-based economies. Permanent land conservation and promoting land stewardship continue to be the central focus of klt's work. Since 1988 we have partnered with landowners and conservation partners in twenty-one communities to protect 8,047 acres through land donations, fee purchases, and conservation easements, and constructed 61 miles of trails on klt lands. We have developed and implemented management plans for each property that we own and written baseline documents for every conservation easement. All of our conservation properties are monitored annually. Our land conservation program is informed by a strategic conservation plan. Updated in 2022, this science-based assessment guides the trust's conservation planning work and provides valuable planning data to the twenty-one communities in our service area. Approximately one hundred and forty dedicated volunteers, including fifty nine land stewards, committed more than 2618 hours to support klt's stewardship, education, administration, and governance in the last fiscal year. We have hosted forty-four volunteer interns from thirty colleges and universities since 2005, helping to develop the next generation of conservation leaders. Since 2013, klt and seven other statewide entities (the maine forest service, the nature conservancy, coastal enterprises, inc, the maine coast heritage trust, growsmart maine, the northern forest center and the maine organic farmers and gardeners association have worked together as the local wood works (lww) partnership. The lww partnership is committed to promoting greater use of locally sourced wood and lumber as an efficient heating alternative to fossil fuels, a light-weight and strong construction alternative to energy- intensive concrete and steel, and a means of sustaining a diverse and ecologically rich forested landscape. The following lww papers highlight partnership goals and programs: building maine's local wood economy, together with conservation (https://www.tklt.org/local-wood-works-2017-white-paper/) and a long term approach to forest management: a position paper for local wood works, by klt and the nature conservancy, maine, december 2018 (https://www.localwoodworks.org/news/a-long-term-approach-to-forest- management) have been widely distributed. In partnership with the nature conservancy, lww drafted the following draft paper: forestland conservation and housing: a climate, economy, and community triple win for rural new england, https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5a7b8c37a9db0960b0395937/t/6896631c0 ad38177c85f0231/”

“Stewardship klt's stewardship staff oversee the management of the trust's fee lands, monitor conservation easements, and work with 59 community volunteers. Dedicated volunteers commit more than 1418 hours annually to support klt's stewardship program. The mount pisgah conservation area, klt's most popular property was a stewardship focus for this year. Klt staff, interns, and maine conservation corps crew moved 50+ yards of gravel for trail repairs with tracked haulers. The gravel, along with geotextile fabric and crushed drain stone, was placed along a section of the mount pisgah tower trail to replace ~600 feet of worn bog bridging. In addition to adding gravel along the tower trail, a mcc crew began installing stepping-stones along the lower portion of the blueberry trail to replace another section of old bog-bridging. This project will be continued in 2025. A maine recreational trails program grant funded these projects, with matching funds provided by klt's membership. On many other properties, klt volunteers continued to stock sign-in boxes with brochures, clear trails of blowdowns, help with control of invasive species, replace worn signage, clear bush, cut new trail alongside klt staff, and provide boat transport to lake islands. The seasonal stewardship assistant's time was increased and a priority task was annual property monitoring, wakefield wildlife cabin projects and relocating an overflowing latrine on norris island.”

“Education public programs klt hosted public programs with many participants, including our annual lyceum lecture series on maine amphibians and reptiles, high school and public sustainable forestry education programs, nature walks, a maine entomological field day, star gazing events, full moon hikes, property dedications, and more. Publications "klt news: biannual newsletters featuring new conservation properties and an annual calendar of events "2024 intern research projects: conservation land trust and community land trust partnerships: workforce housing with community, conservation and ecological benefits https://static1.squarespace.com/static/52f117dae4b0c08037396a20/t/66c3be59b 018667711287fef/1724104284844/workforce+housing+research+final.pdf alternative lawn covers & their benefits https://static1.squarespace.com/static/52f117dae4b0c08037396a20/t/66c3c0a3b f15c17e74f7f7c5/1724104872433/2024elena+8.13++final.pdf "2023 intern research projects: howard hill universally accessible trail initiative https://www.tklt.org/s/klt-research-paper-2023-final.pdf "take a hike: the kennebec land trust hiking guide, second edition, published in december 2020, with thirty-two hikes. "save howard hill: scenic backdrop to maine's state house, published in 2014. Text, maps, and historic and contemporary photographs focused on augusta's howard hill. "your woodland: a resource guide for kennebec county landowners, published in february, 2012. "between person and place: conservation histories from the kennebec land trust, published in 2010. Essays and photographs highlighting the stories behind klt's conservation lands "writing the land: maine and writing the land: are anthologies of land trusts, including klt, and the work of both adult and youth poets who wrote poems inspired by their adopted lands throughout maine.”

“1. Land conservation since 1988, klt has worked cooperatively with landowners and communities to conserve our region's natural resources. Klt holds conservation easements on, accepts gifts of, and purchases significant lands to further the mission of the organization. Klt's community conservation lands protect wildlife habitat, water quality, working forestland and farmland, and scenic beauty, and provide many opportunities for year-round outdoor activities for maine residents and visitors. Klt has accomplished many noteworthy projects over the past several years, including the following: strategic conservation planning in 2022 we completed an update of the trust's strategic conservation plan. Our plan incorporates 13 ecological and community values, including proximity to trail access and resiliency in the face of climate change, two additions to the previous strategic conservation plan. The plan helps us identify high priority conservation areas for our 413,000-acre service area. New land projects in 2024 - 2025 klt protected 261 additional acres of conservation land in kennebec county. The 39-acre jimmy stream conservation easement in litchfield, conserved in july 2024, protects hardwood and softwood forests as well as wetlands and riparian areas with valuable wildlife habitats. The property features a historic nineteenth century carriage road and stone walls, recreational trails maintained by the white family and friends, and glimpses of oak hill to the west. The 7-acre ferguson parcel, fayette is adjacent to klt's 72-acre hales pond preserve. The parcel was purchased with funds from klt donors who are interested in the trust's partnership work to support workforce housing, forest based local wood economies, public access to conservation land, and forestland conservation. The property has an existing well and septic system and extensive frontage on richmond mills road. Klt is currently paying full taxes on the property while exploring whether a small number of workforce housing units could be constructed on the property if the land was transferred to a community land trust. The 97-acre hopkins sinclair conservation area in manchester was donated to klt in february, 2025. This ecologically diverse property protects valuable woodland and wetland habitats in a largely undeveloped landscape. These forests and wetlands and other nearby conservation and privately owned lands are critical habitat for many of maine's wildlife species, including black bear and moose - wildlife species with extensive home ranges. This conservation land is contiguous with the maine department of inland fisheries and wildlife's 1,140-acre jamie's pond wildlife management area, klt's 68- acre wagner woods conservation area, and the 228-acre town of manchester conservation lands. Taken together, these 1,533 acres comprise a significant conservation landscape. The 8- acre patterson addition to the baldwin hill conservation area protects a productive and ecologically important hayfield in a largely undeveloped and rural landscape. The baldwin hill conservation area, now eighty- eight acres, is close to the baldwin hill cemetery, sturtevant farm scenic area, meadow brook farm conservation area, bamford pond conservation area, and hales pond woodland preserve. Taken together, these 585 acres support agricultural and forest-based economies and protect wildlife habitat, scenic, recreational, and water quality values. The 54-acre eaton mountain conservation area in vienna features the scenic undeveloped ridge of eaton mountain and an ecologically valuable perennial stream that flows into flying pond. The property is close to klt's peter miller woodland and the 6,800 + acre kennebec highlands, the largest conservation property in central maine. Eaton mountain conservation area adds additional conservation value to the highlands, and due to its varied and diverse terrain, protects a landscape that could provide climate change resiliency. The 56-acre parker pond”

“Klt changed from the income tax method-modified cash basis of accounting to the accrual basis of accounting as of 7/01/2024 to present a fuller picture of the organization's financial statements.”