Regional Conservation Partnership Gathering Raising and Spending Private Dollars November 15, 2010

1. Regional Conservation Partnership Gathering • Raising and Spending Private Dollars • November 15, 2010 • Tin Smith • Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve

2. Committed to investigating coastal environments and increasing understanding of their ecology.

3. 48,000 acre focus area • Northern limit of southern hickory / oak / pine forest • Southern limit of northern spruce / • fir forest • Greatest diversity of species • Largest number of rare and endangered species

4. Highest density of population in the state • Least amount of conservation land • In a state that ranks last in the nation in • protected land • 12,951 acres protected • Coalition of 10 organizations and agencies

5. Coalition Partners The Nature Conservancy Maine Coast Heritage Trust Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge Maine Dept. of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife The Trust For Public Land York Land Trust Great Works Regional Land Trust Kittery Land Trust York Rivers Association Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve

6. Fundraising Efforts 1988-99 individual organizations and actions. Raised $1.9 million. 1999-2002 Mt. Agamenticus Conservation Initiative. Formed land protection and fundraising committees. Raised $3.2 million. 2003- 2008 Mt A to the Sea Conservation Initiative: Formal coalition, expanded committees, hired joint staff. Fundraising goal of $10 million. 2009-2010Continuing to implement conservation plan with remaining and new funds.

7. Landscape: • Land use changes • Increasing awareness / concerns • Resource information • Efforts having an impact

8. Protection Priorities • Site Conservation Plans • Contiguous forest • Water quality & quantity • Working landscapes • Blandings and Spotted turtles • Rare and sensitive habitat • Early successional habitat • Recreational and educational • opportunities • Cultural and historic landscape

9. Feasibility Study – 66 interviews Strengths of the initiative Challenges for or concerns Overall reactions to proposed plan Challengers for or concerns about the plan Potential campaign leaders Reaction to preliminary financial goals Potential major gift donors

10. Feasibility Study – 66 interviews Philanthropic priority of this initiative Potential for personal involvement Personal gift level Personal gift type Naming opportunities Obstacles to campaign success

11. Working Agreements Oversight Fiscal responsibility 80% land acquisition / 10% stewardship 6% fundraising / 5 % capacity building Land acquisition split into four funds; three geographic and one revolving

12. Campaign Coordinator Partners play their part Strengths and Weaknesses Tell a story

13. The York River watershed may well be the most ecologically and biologically diverse coastal drainage for its size in the Gulf of Maine. - Dr. Michele Dionne, Ecologist, WNERR

19. Track Accomplishments $17 million raised $ 8 million in land/easements $ 3.1 million from state and federal $ 405,000 from municipalities $ 430,000 for stewardship 45 projects 2,676 acres protected

20. Mount Agamenticus to the Sea 2010

21. Challenges: Eye on the Prize • Coalition Building • Time / energy / enthusiasm • Growth and change • Fundraising • Stewardship • Mission drift • Outreach • Evolving story