By Tempe Landi, Development and Communications Coordinator
On November 2nd, Coastal Mountains Land Trust launched the Waldo County Conservation Initiative, a community-based effort to conserve natural lands in Waldo County for the purposes of wildlife conservation, outdoor recreation, outdoor learning, and climate mitigation. The goal of the initiative is to grow the capacity to complete land conservation projects within the 12 Waldo County towns served by Coastal Mountains Land Trust: Belfast, Belmont, Brooks, Knox, Lincolnville, Morrill, Northport, Prospect, Searsport, Stockton Springs, Swanville, and Waldo.
For the first year of the Initiative, by March 31, 2023, the Land Trust is seeking to raise an additional $250,000 to match the $450,000 already raised from grants, land donations, and private gifts for important projects across Waldo County. Specifically, $150,000 from grants and $100,000 from the community.
FUNDRAISING GOAL: $250,000
• $150,000 from grants
• $100,000 from the community
PROGRESS TO DATE: March 22, 2023
• We have met our $150,000 grant goal!
• We only need $3,795 to reach our community goal!
DEADLINE: March 31, 2023
Our goal is to raise the funds necessary for this initial round of Waldo County projects by the end of our 2022-23 fiscal year.
Funds raised will support 12 conservation projects that will protect approximately 495 acres including open space on Mt. Tuck in Stockton Springs, near Hurds Pond in Swanville, at the headwaters of Passagassawakeag River in Knox, and across from the three schools in Searsport. Completion of these projects will conserve a wide range of forested and wetland habitats, provide space for hunting and future hiking trails, create an outdoor classroom, and add to the protection of several large areas of undeveloped forest that will continue to sequester carbon.
For more information, email Tempe Landi at tempe@coastalmountains.org
