Portland North Land Trust Collaborative

A partnership between Falmouth Land Trust, Chebeague and Cumberland Land Trust, and Oceanside Conservation Trust of Casco Bay, three neighboring land trusts in Southern Maine.

Mission
To strengthen land conservation in the region by coordinating and integrating the goals of the individual member land trusts and developing synergistic collaboration.

The History
In 2006, Oceanside Conservation Trust of Casco Bay, Falmouth Land Trust, and Chebeague and Cumberland Land Trust came together to form the Portland North Land Trust Collaborative to provide administrative help for the trusts. Each trust had undergone strategic planning and had separately identified the need for part-time administrative support. Rather than pursuing this common need individually, the trusts decided to come together to share a staff person. The trusts all signed a Memorandum of Agreement that spells out the parameters of the partnership and commits the trusts to participating for at least three years. The Falmouth Land Trust serves as the fiscal agent for the Collaborative.

In the fall of 2006, the Davis Conservation Foundation awarded the Collaborative a grant that served as a major stepping stone. With those start-up funds, Jessica Burton was hired in December. Since then, Ms. Burton has helped each trust with core administrative tasks such as membership mailings, newsletter production, compiling and centralizing stewardship files, basic correspondence, and internal communications. In addition, the Collaborative has space on Commercial Street in Portland, which not only serves as Ms. Burton’s office but also provides the trusts with a centralized space to store files and hold meetings.

The success of the Collaborative’s first year has led us to explore ways to expand its scope, both programmatically and geographically, far more quickly than we had originally envisioned. A steering committee, with representation from each of the land trusts, ensures that time and energy are being used equally and efficiently. The Collaboration has heightened public awareness of the three trusts and allowed more focus on public outreach. A growing number of board members are interacting directly with Ms. Burton, thereby seeing the direct benefits of collaborating. In addition, informal conversations with board members from neighboring trusts suggest that there may be interest in adding new members.

The vision of the Portland North Land Trust Collaborative is to assist the member trusts so that their stewardship and protection activities will grow in efficiency and effectiveness. The vision for land conservation in the region mirrors and connects the visions of the members trusts - raise the quality and quantity of conservation projects to cross town lines and create interconnected trails and green belts; encourage more community interaction and awareness; practice proactive conservation as the result of planning and prioritizing; and to do all of this while maintaining the local connection. To pursue the vision, the Collaborative is coordinating a joint Strategic Community Conservation Planning Project whereby all three trusts will cooperate to define threats, criteria, priorities and focus areas. Our outcome will be a multi-layered GIS system and a corresponding action plan. In addition, the Collaborative will continue to assist the trusts with their administrative and organizational strengthening tasks.

Chebeague & Cumberland Land Trust

Mission: Our purpose is to preserve and protect the intrinsic values and public benefits of the natural resources in the Towns of Chebeague and Cumberland - mainland, islands and contiguous Casco Bay-- and to be responsible stewards in perpetuity for those resources in our Trust.

Founded in 1987, the Trust was originally named the Cumberland Mainland & Islands Trust. In 2007, the island of Chebeague seceded from Cumberland and the Trust bylaws were re-written to reflect its continued strong partnership with Chebeague and their new independence as their own town.

The Trust has worked to protect vital natural resources in Cumberland and Chebeague including shoreline, nesting islands, wildlife habitat, wetlands, woodlands, and farmland. Strong membership and assets allow the Trust to act quickly when valuable conservation opportunities arise. To date, the Trust has under its protection 571 acres of land on the mainland and in Casco Bay.

Oceanside Conservation Trust of Casco Bay

Mission: to facilitate the conservation of wild or undeveloped open space, scenic areas, and historic landmarks in the Casco Bay region and to foster low-impact and respectful access to these resources, as well as to enhance the cultural, economic, and civic well-being of residents and visitors. The Trust may acquire, hold, and transfer interests in land, including easements, in order to accomplish this mission and to assure that a diversity of ecosystems will be available to future generations. In addition, the Trust may hold charitable, cultural, and educational activities for the benefit of residents and visitors.

Begun in 1982, the Oceanside Conservation Trust is committed to the selective preservation of Casco Bay islands and shores. The founders and supporters of OCT strive to maintain the delicate and mutually beneficial balance between our enjoyment and habitation of the bay. The Trust works to conserve remaining open spaces for future generations. To date, OCT has preserved 85.83 acres of land in Casco Bay.