· LAND GIFT IN CAPE NEDDICK · WELCOME DEBBIE AND PATTY · THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING YLT · SPRING EDIBLES WALK Spring 2015 · LAND AS TEACHER · YOUR VOICE NEEDED ON LMF · PROTECTING PRECIOUS PARCELS · MAY IS MEMBERSHIP MONTH The York Land Trust Newsletter LANDMARKSLANDMARKS Donor’s Deep Connection to Nature Inspires Land Gift in Cape Neddick efore Jeremy M. Strater lost his battle with Stage IV lung cancer on BFebruary 2, he did something purely generous: He made a gift of almost 16 acres of land in Cape Neddick to York Land Trust (YLT), leaving behind a tangible, living legacy for future generations. The parcel, with frontage on Route 1 and on Pine Hill South in Cape Neddick, is a mature hemlock forest with trees that have likely grown for at least a century. For YLT, Jeremy’s gift is an important step toward the goal of protecting 100 acres in Cape Neddick over the next four years. While Jeremy had close family ties to York, he never lived here. He was a long-time resident of West Gouldsboro, Maine where he lovingly maintained his home and a large parcel of land. He worked the land, chopped wood, played music and nurtured his community with his gregarious spirit. Land donor, Jeremy Strater. Jeremy passed away in his childhood home in West Gouldsboro at the age of 70. Before he died, he also donated 65 acres of his property in that area YLT Legacy Society to Frenchman Bay Conservancy. Creating a Legacy that Lasts Jeremy’s gifts of land for conservation mirror his commitment in life. He for Generations to Come “managed his land as a sustainable woodlot and had a deep and profound connection to nature,” his obituary notes. York land trust greatly appreciates thoughtful bequests, like Jeremy’s gift. Please consider joining YLT’s Legacy Society by including York Land Trust in your will/estate plan. For more information or to let us know you have already included York Land Trust in your estate plan, please contact Executive Director Doreen MacGillis at 207-363-7400, x1. Thank you! The mature Hemlock forest on the Strater property provides ideal deer wintering areas. LAND AS TEACHER t was a great winter to be of YLT’s Stewardship Director Iout on the land, enjoying Joe Anderson, Sam is learning the beauty of the woods, how to monitor and enhance fields and streams draped habitat for a number of in white. It’s fortunate species, including one that is that our community has of particular relevance to him access to an abundance and his family—lobster. The York Land Trust is a member- supported, nonprofit organization of conservation lands to dedicated to conserving and explore, thanks to the work Sam has been lobstering with protecting lands of ecological, historic, of York Land Trust. These his Dad, Mark Sewall since scenic, agricultural and cultural special places add so much he was eight years old and significance in the greater York, to the quality of life we PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE now has his own boat and 150 Maine area, for the benefit of all. enjoy in York and they can traps he manages during the teach us so much. summer. Sam has a keen interest in efforts to THE YORK LAND TRUST sustainably manage this resource and protect PO Box 1241 I was reminded coastal habitats so there will be abundant York Harbor, ME 03911 Telephone: 207-363-7400 of this on a walk lobsters in the future. E-mail: [email protected] recently with seventeen-year-old Sam will be working with Joe on various For more information, please visit Sam Sewall, a junior resource management tasks on YLT’s our website: www.yorklandtrust.org at York High School. Preserves throughout the Spring. We’re YLT’s Preserves grateful for his volunteer help and look are serving as an forward to seeing how the hand’s on outdoor classroom experience that he is acquiring may influence for an independent his future career goals and desire to advocate Sam Sewall on study course on on behalf of conservation. monitoring walk of new Strater property. natural resources management that Sam has underway, as an alternative to traditional science courses offered at the high school. Under the tutelage -Hilary P. Clark The Mount Agamenticus to the Sea Conservation Initiative (MtA2C) is an effort led by a coalition of ten national, regional and local partners to protect a network of connected Welcome, Debbie and Patty! conservation lands and natural Debbie Shelton recently joined York Land Trust in the resources within a 48,000-acre focus area in Southern Maine for the benefit position of Development Director. She replaced long- of people and wildlife. time Development Director Nancy Lowenberg who left YLT last fall for a new job. Debbie brings with her over The MtA2C Partners include: the US Fish 20 years of experience in philanthropy including seven and Wildlife Service/Rachel years as Director of Development at Mercy Hospital and Carson National Wildlife Refuge, the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries three years as Annual Fund Manager at Maine Medical and Wildlife, the Wells National Center. She spent the last 10 years as the Vice President Estuarine Research Reserve, Maine of Philanthropy for the Wentworth-Douglass Hospital & Coast Heritage Trust, the Trust for Health Foundation. While at the Foundation, she helped Public Land, The Nature Conservancy, raise over $9 million to support a variety of programs and services and a new Great Works Regional Land Trust, Kittery Land Trust, York Land Trust hospital wing. and York Rivers Association. Debbie has a Bachelor of Science degree in Geology from Middlebury College in For more information, please visit www.mta2c.org. TWO YOUR VOICE NEEDED ON LAND FOR MAINE’S FUTURE PROGRAM t is not often that York Land Trust asks But now, the Governor refuses to release the Iits supportors to advocate on political funding until the state legislature yields to issues. But, recent actions by Governor an unrelated bill that would allow increased LePage that threaten to negatively impact logging on state-owned lands. the work of land trusts, have prompted me to ask for your help. The majority of the LMF bonds will expire if unsold by the end of this year. Without In March, Governor LePage announced EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S the LMF funding, 36 land conservation that he would withhold $11.4 million REPORT projects in Maine risk failing, despite the in voter-approved bonds for the Land fact that project participants (land trusts, For Maine’s Future Program (LMF), a landowners, businesses, municipalities, etc.) popular state program that has protected 560,000 acres of have conducted due diligence, spent time and money, and conservation and recreational lands throughout the state negotiated in good faith. since 1987, including 151 acres at Highland in York. The Governor’s actions are putting a chilling effect on The Governor withheld these same bond funds in January conservation activities statewide. So, I am urging you to of 2013, pending legislative passage of a bill to repay the join thousands of conservationists throughout Maine in State’s hospital debt. After the legislature agreed to repay contacting Governor LePage on this important issue. Please the hospitals, Governor LePage said he would issue the take a moment to call the Governor today at 287-3531 and bonds on an expedited basis. Then, the Administration’s ask him to make good on his past promises and allow the LMF Board proceeded to approve funding for three dozen LMF funds to be spent. Thanks so much for your help. land conservation projects throughout the state, including $125,000 for Kittery Land Trust’s Brave Boat Headwaters project and $75,000 for several farm land projects led by Great Works Regional Land Trust. -Doreen MacGillis Middlebury, VT and a Master of Science degree in Geochemistry from Cornell University in Ithaca, NY. Debbie is a board member for the Cocheco Valley Humane Society and the Friends of Hyder Family Hospice House. As an avid outdoor adventurer and nature-lover, Debbie is excited to help advance York Land Trust’s mission in her new role. Patty O’Connor recently joined York Land Trust as our new Development Assistant. Patty comes from across the Piscataqua River, where she spent 17 years at The New Hampshire Charitable Foundation (NHCF). For eight years, she managed the administration of the regional grant program and supported Development and Planned Giving staff. During the last nine years at NHCF, Patty worked in the Philanthropy Department assisting statewide Development staff with structuring charitable gifts including bequests and charitable gift annuities. Her past volunteer work includes the Town of North Hampton 250th Anniversary Committee, the North Hampton Recycling Center and the North Hampton Conservation Commission. THREE Thank You For Supporting York Land Trust in 2014! Landmark Giving Circle Donors ($500 or more) appear in bold typeface. Acorn Kitchen Julia Clough Mr. Alan C. Gault, Jr. Mr. Robert Johnston Michniewicz Dr. Amy L. Ryan and Christopher Volpe Mr. & Mrs. Russell Adams Mr. and Mrs. Edward J. Cole Drs. Michael and Naomi Mrs. Mabel H. Jones David Michniewicz Dick Bachelder Barry and Kim Waddell Kim and Michele Adams and Marvin and Laurie Collins Gauthier Alan and Nancy Junkins Linda L. Michniewicz Mr. and Mrs. David Sanderson Peter and Kathryn Wagner Michele Bolle Mr. and Mrs. Richard D. Collins GE Foundation Kathy Kavanagh Gerry and Sylvia Missal Saner Family Foundation Sydney Wakefield Mr. and Mrs. L. Talbot Mr. and Mrs. Lance J. Colwell Mr. and Mrs. Joshua L. Gear Ms. Elizabeth Kehoe Venise C. Mitchell Ms. Anna Kristina Sawtelle Mr. and Mrs. David Walchak Adamson Barbara Conda Cherie Geiger Peter Kelly Sandra Mitchell Mr.