The Kennebec Land Trust

“Lake and denison lake and denison partner partner board members”

“Klt is a membership organization.”

“Members present at the annual meeting elect members of the board. The board of directors elect 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.”

“Annually, comparable data is reviewed from other land trusts and other sources 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.”

“Line 7a, b and c - public securities sold”

“The kennebec land trust (klt)works cooperatively with landowners and communities to conserve the forests, shorelands, fields, and wildlife that define central maine. Klt protects land permanently, offers opportunities for people to learn about and enjoy the natural world, and works with partners to support sustainable forestry and farming. In 2019 klt celebrated its thirty-first year of conservation work in the kennebec river and lakes region. Thanks to the generous contributions and support of more tha 1,100 household members and business partners, dedicated volunteers, board members, and staff, we have experienced three decades of significant growth and have developed a reputation as a conservation leader in our 412,000 acre service region. We have received state-wide and regional recognition and awards for our dedication to conserve 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 also 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 continues 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 more than 6,713 acres through land donations, fee purchases, and conservation easements, and have constructed 53 miles of trails on klt lands. We have developed and implemented management plans for each property that we own and have 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. This science-based assessment, which is updated every seven years, guides the trust's conservation planning work and provides valuable planning data to the twenty-one communities in our service area. One hundred and sixteen dedicated volunteers, including seventy-seven land stewards, committed over 2,160 hours of time this year to support klt's stewardship, education, administration, and governance. Klt has hosted thirty-four volunteer interns from twenty-two colleges and universities since 2005, helping to develop the next generation of conservation leaders. Klt is a founding partner, along with the maine forest service (mfs), of the kennebec woodland partnership (kwp), a regional conservation initiative with thirteen governmental and non-governmental organizations that promotes private and public woodland conservation and stewardship. Since 2013, klt and six other statewide entities (mfs, the nature conservancy, cei, maine coast heritage trust, growsmart maine, and the northern forest center)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 a light-weight and strong construction alternative to energy-intensive concrete and steel, and a means to sustain a diverse and ecologically-rich forested landscape. Two lww papers have been widely distributed: -building maine's local wood economy, together with conservation. -and, a long term approach to forest management: a position paper for local wood works by the klt and the nature conservancy, maine. With a focus on initiatives with builders and architects, lww developed the following programs and initiatives in 2019-20: -third tour of maine wood producers, for architects, engineers, and builders held on november 7, 2019 which included twenty participants and extensive press coverage. -a compelling video of the maine wood + sustainability tour. -a master spec list for architects and builders. -a web-based direc”

“Klt received an estimated 30,086 of donated services and facilities which are reported in our reviewed financial statements. Donated services and facilities are as follows: stewardship baseline work (1,856); legal services for land acquisitions (20,000);general accounting and tax/bookkeeping services (7,750); and other (480).”

“One hundred sixteen dedicated volunteers, including interns and 77 land stewards, committed 2,160 hours of time this fiscal year to support klt's stewardship, education, administration, and governance. Donated services and facilities are not included here, but are recorded on the organization's reviewed financial statements. Donated services requiring specialized skills for printing, professional design work, professional consulting, legal services and accounting services had an estimated value of 30,086. The organization benefits from personal services provided by a substantial number of people for which a donated value cannot be calculated.”

“Education - publications include: klt news: biannual newsletters featuring new conservation properties and an annual calendar of events; 2019 intern research projects: (1)keeping forests as forests: a natural solution to climate change-managing surry hill community forest for carbon sequestration and (2)natural assets and resilient communities: people and the land; take a hike: the kennebec land trust hiking guide, published in 2014, a second edition is to be published in december 2020 with thirty-two hikes; save howard hill-scenic backdrop to maine's state house, published in 2014 - text, maps, historic and contemporary photographs focused on conserving howard hill, the 164 acre scenic backdrop to maine's state house; 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, includes essays and photographs highlighting the stories behind klt's conservation lands; programming includes: annual hikes, paddles, bird walks and outdoor photography and painting workshops; since 2009, over 1,400 central maine students, parents, and teachers have learned about sustainable forestry at the kennebec land trust's annual educational program at the 360-acre curtis homestead conservation area in leeds, me. Annual march lecture series - lyceum (cancelled due to covid); klt annual meeting celebration including hikes, paddles and cookout (cancelled due to covid); annual stewardship workshop for volunteer stewards.”

“Stewardship - klt staff and board members oversee the management of klt's fee lands, monitor conservation easements and work with 77 volunteer stewards. Klt's stewards collectively volunteered over 1060 hours for trail maintenance, monitoring, and public access projects. Conservation parcels that are especially large in acreage, or have unique or complex management needs, have more than one volunteer steward. Klt's board of directors has developed a strategic conservation plan that focuses on ten priority conservation values. Klt's strategic conservation plan was developed with gis base natural resource information, and with information from community open space and comprehensive plans. This 2013 plan, which will be updated in 2021, will continue to inform and guide klt's land acquisition and conservation easement priorities for the future.”

“Land protection - since 1988, klt has worked cooperatively with landowners and communities to conserve our region's natural assets. Klt has conserved 6,713 acres in a service area that covers 412,000 acres and 21 towns primarily in kennebec county, but also androscoggin and franklin counties. 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 recreation for maine residents and visitors. Over the past years, klt accomplished four noteworthy projects: after an ambitious and lengthy 1.2 million fundraising campaign, in 2017, klt transferred the 164-acre howard hill property in augusta to the city of augusta; the city granted a conservation easement to klt, ensuring that the property will be conserved in perpetuity for the benefit of maine's people and wildlife. This urban community park provides year-round recreation including hiking, picnicking, cross-country skiing, nature observation, and hunting. In 2017, with the bequest of the 120-acre wakefield wildlife sanctuary, klt acquired four circa 1895 cabins and 4000 feet of frontage on cobbossee stream. Two of the four cabins were restored in 2018 by the maine cabin masters and are now available to the public for rentals (first rental season began july, 2019). The cabins may be eligible for listing in the national register of historic places. In march 2019, klt launched an ambitious 300,000 fundraising campaign to permanently protect 330-acres around surry hill and the surrounding woodlands, wetlands and fields. Field trips, fundraising gatherings, and communications with the current owner, area residents, and klt donors were incorporated into the campaign. The property will be available for outdoor recreation, including hiking, mountain biking, hunting, snowmobiling, and blueberry picking. The top of surry hill features phenomenal views of the white mountains and the surrounding hills, and the village of wayne and pocasset lake, androscoggin lake, and echo lake. The fields around the hilltop will be maintained for their scenic views and as important habitat for pollinators and many other wildlife species. After four years of planning and research, the 10-acre baldwin hill conservation burial ground (bhcbg)was incorporated as a non-profit corporation in the state of maine in february,2020. The corporation, managed by a five member board of directors, has submitted application to the irs for 501(c)(13) status as a cemetery. Klt transferred the 10-acre parcel to bhcbg in may, 2020. The baldwin hill conservation area and the burial ground is situated in a stand of tall white pines, with an open understory, surrounded by rock walls. A .25 mile universally accessible trail weaves through the pine stand and offers a chance for reflection and a lovely view. The fall foliage is stunning in late september and october. Visitors who linger at the benches overlooking the rolling hills will likely observe many species of birds and butterflies in an area that will be managed for pollinators and early successional habitat. The burial ground will provide ecologically sound burials for people of all faiths. On the operations end, klt will manage the maintenance of the burial grounds, including plowing the access road in the winter, and provide administrative services including coordinating plot sales. We are partnering with funeral homes that have established expertise with grief support, memorial services, and transportation of the deceased and burials. The bhcbg board of directors will apply for certification as a conservation burial ground according to the standards and best practices defined by the green burial council. Klt's most recent fee and easement acquisitions are: in may, 2020 klt purchased two parcels totaling 28 acres adjacent”