The Monadnock Conservancy

“Organization review process of Form 990 after initial draft preparation by the CPA of the organization, the executive director conducts an initial review of the 990, asking questions and making edits as necessary. The document is then provided electronically to the full board of trustees for review, comment, and edits as necessary prior to filing.”

“Enforcement of conflicts policy all officers, trustees, and key employees are required to complete and /or update disclosures of potential conflicts of interest annually following the election of new trustees and officers in July and August. All new officers, trustees, and key employees are briefed on the conflict of interest policy when joining the organization, and compliance is monitored and enforced thereafter by using the disclosures to ensure appropriate recusals from board votes and actions. If/when an actual or potential conflict is discovered, appropriate public disclosures are made consistent with state law.”

“The only compensated officer is the executive director. No trustees are compensated. Paid employees include the executive director and other subordinate managers and associates. The salary of the executive director is determined by the board using comparability data from the Land Trust Alliance survey of salaries and benefits for land trust staff. All other staff salaries are determined by the executive director, in consultation with the finance committee of the board, using comparability data from the aforementioned Land Trust Alliance survey.”

“Governing documents, disclosure explanation governing documents, conflict of interest policy and financial statements are available for public inspection in the office of the organization, upon request.”

“Program Service Expenses 165,900, Grants and allocations 0, Revenue 0 EDUCATION AND OUTREACH THE ORGANIZATION PUBLISHED AN ANNUAL REPORT, TWO PRINT NEWSLETTERS, AND MONTHLY ELECTRONIC NEWSLETTERS ABOUT LAND CONSERVATION IN SOUTHWESTERN NEW HAMPSHIRE. SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS ENGAGED MORE THAN 3,500 FOLLOWERS ON SUCH TOPICS AS THE REGIONS BEAUTY, HIKING, SMALL FARMING, LOCAL WILDLIFE, STAFF WORKING ON THE LAND, AND UPCOMING EVENTS. MULTIPLE PRESS RELEASES WERE SENT TO INFORM THE PUBLIC ABOUT COMPLETED CONSERVATION PROJECTS, AND STAFF CONTRIBUTED TO OTHER PUBLISHED PIECES ON LOCAL FLOODING AND SOIL MITIGATION ISSUES. THE ORGANIZATION HOSTED FREE, PUBLIC OUTREACH EVENTS INCLUDING 11 STAFF-GUIDED HIKES, ONE SELF-GUIDED HIKE, AN IN-PERSON STORYTELLING EVENT, AND AN ANNUAL CELEBRATION EVENT AT A LOCAL FARM FEATURING FARM TOURS, MUSIC, AND FOOD.”

“Program Service Expenses 92,738, Grants and allocations 12,000, Revenue 0 COMMUNITY CONSERVATION THE ORGANIZATION PLANNED AND LED A PROGRAM OF WEEKLY HIKES FOR LOCAL SENIOR CITIZENS DURING THE SPRING AND FALL OF 2023. EIGHT HIKES WERE HELD IN THE SPRING OF 2023 WITH A TOTAL OF 123 PARTICIPANTS, AND 10 HIKES WERE HELD IN THE FALL OF 2023 WITH A TOTAL OF 138 PARTICIPANTS. THE ORGANIZATION ALSO MADE A GRANT TO THE CITY OF KEENE, NH FOR A PROJECT TO RECLAIM AND IMPROVE AN OVERGROWN RAIL CORRIDOR FOR PUBLIC RECREATIONAL USE.”

“Program Service Expenses 2,772, Grants and allocations 0, Revenue 0 ADVOCACY THE ORGANIZATIONS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND BOARD PRESIDENT VISITED THE WASHINGTON, DC OFFICES OF NEW HAMPSHIRES ELECTED LEGISLATORS TO EDUCATE THEM ON THE IMPORTANCE OF FEDERAL FARM BILL CONSERVATION PROGRAMS TO THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF THEIR CONSTITUENTS IN THE STATE.”

“LAND PROTECTION Continued IT ACQUIRED FEE OWNERSHIP OF TWO PROPERTIES TOTALING 306 ACRES. ONE OF THESE WAS A 250-ACRE ADDITION TO AN EXISTING CONSERVATION PROPERTY IT OWNED, AND THE OTHER WAS A NEW CONSERVATION PROPERTY. THESE PROPERTIES PROVIDE THE FOLLOWING PUBLIC BENEFITS PASSIVE, PEDESTRIAN PUBLIC ACCESS PROTECTION OF WATER RESOURCES, INCLUDING STREAMS, WETLANDS, AND GROUNDWATER AQUIFERS PROTECTION OF SIGNIFICANT WILDLIFE HABITAT AS IDENTIFIED BY THE NEW HAMPSHIRE WILDLIFE ACTION PLAN CONSERVATION OF HIGHLY PRODUCTIVE SOILS THAT ARE SUITABLE FOR FORESTRY EXPANSION AND CONNECTION OF EXISTING UNDEVELOPED BLOCKS OF CONSERVATION LAND AND CONSERVATION OF LAND THAT IS RESILIENT TO CLIMATE CHANGE. STAFF PROVIDED THE FOLLOWING EDUCATIONAL TRAININGS FOR THE PUBLIC A WORKSHOP ON LAND PROTECTION BASICS AT A STATEWIDE CONFERENCE A SESSION ABOUT THE CONSERVATION EASEMENT AMENDMENT PROCESS IN N.H. AND A TALK ON LAND CONSERVATION FOR A PROGRAM THAT TRAINS VOLUNTEERS IN WILDLIFE CONSERVATION, FOREST STEWARDSHIP, AND OUTREACH. THE ORGANIZATION WAS A MEMBER OF THE QUABBIN-TO-CARDIGAN INITIATIVE, A COLLABORATIVE LANDSCAPE-SCALE EFFORT TO CONSERVE THE MONADNOCK HIGHLANDS OF NORTH-CENTRAL MASSACHUSETTS AND WESTERN NEW HAMPSHIRE. STAFF MEMBERS SERVED ON THE MEMBERSHIP, OUTREACH AND EDUCATION, AND ADVOCACY COMMITTEES OF THE NEW HAMPSHIRE LAND TRUST COALITION NHLTC, AN ORGANIZATION THAT ADVANCES LAND CONSERVATION IN THE STATE THROUGH PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, POLICY ADVOCACY, AND EDUCATION, AND ONE STAFF MEMBER SERVED AS VICE PRESIDENT OF THE NHLTC BOARD. ONE STAFF MEMBER SERVED AS AN ASSOCIATE SUPERVISOR FOR THE CHESHIRE COUNTY CONSERVATION DISTRICT AND AS CHAIR OF THE NEW HAMPSHIRE STATE CONSERVATION COMMITTEE.”

“CONSERVATION EASEMENT STEWARDSHIP Continued STAFF CREATED BASELINE DOCUMENTATION REPORTS FOR TWO NEW CONSERVATION EASEMENTS AND TWO CONSERVATION EASEMENTS THAT WERE AMENDED TO ADD ACREAGE. THEY MIGRATED THE ORGANIZATIONS PROTECTED LANDS DATABASE TO A NEW AND IMPROVED PLATFORM AND CONTINUED TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS IN DIGITAL RECORD-KEEPING PROCEDURES IMPLEMENTED IN THE PRIOR YEAR. STAFF ALSO RESPONDED TO MANY PUBLIC INQUIRIES REGARDING TOPICS SUCH AS HUNTING, CAMPING, AND HIKING ON CONSERVED LAND AND MET WITH SEVERAL PROSPECTIVE BUYERS AND NEW OWNERS OF CONSERVATION EASEMENT-ENCUMBERED PROPERTIES.”

“LAND MANAGEMENT AND RECREATION Continued STAFF REMOVED NO HUNTING SIGNS IMPROPERLY POSTED BY A NEIGHBOR ON ONE PROPERTY AND REMOVED OLD UNSAFE BRIDGES AND AN ASSOCIATED TRAIL. THEY RESPONDED TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC AND CONCERNED CITIZENS TO RESOLVE ISSUES OF TRASH, DEAD WILDLIFE, FIRES, AND OTHER MANAGEMENT ISSUES ON PROTECTED PROPERTIES. STAFF ENGAGED AND SUPERVISED STUDENT CONSERVATION ASSOCIATION VOLUNTEERS ON REPAIRS AND REPLACEMENTS OF SEVERAL BRIDGES ALONG A PUBLIC TRAIL. THEY MET WITH MEMBERS OF A LOCAL TRAIL COALITION TO PLAN FOR A NEW PUBLIC CAMPING SITE THAT WAS COMPLETED DURING THE FALL OF 2023.”