2006 Annual Report

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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 <strong>2006</strong>, 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
1Machias40PortlandAugustaBathMuscongus Bay5Penobscot Bay62112-141110Rockland15/161718198/9 7 20423Ellsworth26232422313632/3330293527 34252837GULF OF MAINE3938<strong>2006</strong> YEAR IN REVIEW SUMMARYProjects Acres Shorefront MilesGifts of conservation easements 11 84 4.0Gifts of land 6 128 0.7Purchases of land 15 867 10.6Purchases of easements 8 1,310 6.9Total 40 2,389 22.2SOUTHERN AND WESTERN MAINE1 KingfieldWith help from Maine Coast Heritage Trust’s RevolvingLoan Fund, the Western Mountains Charitable Foundationpurchased a corridor of nearly six miles along the DeadRiver. Plans are underway to establish a hiking/ski trail(part of a hut-to-hut system between Moosehead Lake andthe Mahoosuc Mountains).2/3 Muscongus BayMCHT now holds conservation easements that willpermanently maintain public access and sustain the wildcharacter of 140-acre Hungry Island and 15-acre Black Island,two properties traditionally enjoyed by travelers on the MaineIsland Trail. MCHT helped negotiate the islands’ transferfrom the Island Institute to Chewonki Foundation, which willuse the islands for educational programs.MCHT now holds conservation easements on Hungry and Black Islands inMuscongus Bay, both of which will remain accessible to the public—thanks tothe commitment of their new owner, the Chewonki Foundation.4 Owls HeadAn easement donated to MCHT enhances theconservation values of 225-acre Monroe Island by limitingfuture development to a single small building envelope setback from the shore. The new restrictions augment a 1973easement held by the Maine Department of Inland Fisheriesand Wildlife.4 Maine Coast Heritage Trust Maine Coast Heritage Trust 5© PAUL REZENDES
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Page 13: BOARD OF DIRECTORSThomas E. Ireland

2006 Annual Report

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