Weekapaug Foundation for Conservation

“The executive director reviews the 990 with the accountant and the treasurer. Then the treasurer reviews the return with the finance committee, and then the results are presented to the board and discussed.”

“The chairman, treasurer and attorney regularly monitor foundation relationships. They and all trustees are responsible for raising conflict of interest issues as they arise.”

“Compensation of the executive director is reviewed annually by the board of directors and is similar to other land trusts in the local area.”

“Governing documents are available to the public upon request.”

“To preserve the natural environment in the quonochontaug and winnapaug pond watershed areas and the related area around the weekapaug fire district. This includes preserving open space in the watersheds of the quonochontaug and winnipaug salt ponds, protecting the barrier beaches and ensuring the integrity and water qualilty of the ponds themselves.”

“Preservation includes stewardship of the various properties in our conservation portfolio of fee owned lands and conservation easement holdings. Stewardship activities in 2020 were directly related to ongoing implementation of the organization's stewardship plan, including professional services for certain baseline documentation reports (bdrs) for both fee owned and easement properties, routine stewardship of our properties (mowing, monitoring, clean-up). In 2020 the organization shifted focus to emphasize stewardship and related activities, including implementing a 'buddy program' for each property, organizing community clean-up days, stewardship monitoring and data collection. The organization also took steps to improve communication to our membership and land owners by digitizing/emailing our communications, enhancing our website (including property write-ups/descriptions for both fee owned and easement properties and increasing our presence on social media (instagram). The foundation used grant funding for professional services for several of the bdr reports completed in 2020.”