2006 Annual Report

PRESIDENT’S AND CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGEMCHT’s Campaign for the Coast met with greatsuccess, protecting more than 14,000 acres, 125 miles ofshoreline, and 56 entire coastal islands. The Campaignsubstantially increased the amount of conserved land on thecoast, assuring that some of Maine’s most outstanding—andvulnerable—places will remain protected forever. We extendheartfelt thanks to each of the 1,086 individuals, families,foundations, and businesses that supported MCHT’sCampaign. Help from partners, such as the Land for Maine’sFuture Program and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service,further extended the impact of private contributions byleveraging three dollars for every dollar spent.GAINING GROUNDrole, strengthening the capacity of the Maine Land TrustNetwork and our ability to support local trusts in theirimportant work.The Campaign has helped MCHT undertake a growingarray of stewardship responsibilities (from monitoringecological conditions and public use to overseeing traditionalcommunity uses like grazing sheep or lobster gear storage).RICH KNOXCOURTESY OF ARTHUR SPIESSMCHT joined with Passamaquoddy tribal representatives to celebrate acollaborative effort that helped sustain a sacred site of the tribe, protect significantancient petroglyphs and preserve a scenic and wildlife-rich whole place.The Campaign for the Coast marked an importantturning point in MCHT’s history. It helped us increase thepace and scale of coastal land protection, while setting asidevital funds for land stewardship and operating endowment.It raised the Trust’s public profile, making more people awareof how conserved lands enrich Maine’s quality of life at somany levels. And it enhanced our conservation leadership2 Maine Coast Heritage TrustThe work of stewardship can be complex on preserves that have a diverse arrayof scenic, recreational, productive and historical values (such as Malaga Islandin Casco Bay, shown here). In 2006, MCHT collaborated with the Universityof Southern Maine on an archeological dig at the Malaga Island Preserve.We are expanding our staff of regional stewards to helpaccommodate varied uses while protecting the naturalintegrity of the lands entrusted to us.The Campaign for the Coast set a new standardfor coastal land conservation in Maine, one that wewill maintain into the future. We pledge to sustain themomentum from the Campaign, working harder than ever asdevelopment pressures along the coast intensify.Your support, as contributors and partners inconservation, moves us closer to the goal that inspiredthe Campaign—“to conserve the best of Maine’s coast forgenerations to come.” We are grateful for your commitmentto the Trust and to Maine.Thomas IrelandChairmanJay EspyPresidentMaine Coast Heritage Trust 3