Generous Support Helps York Land Trust Exceed Goals in MtA2C Region

We set our ambitions high at York Land Trust, so when we reach — or even exceed — our goals, we’re all the more proud and grateful for the support that makes all of this work possible.

In 2014, we committed to ramp up our efforts with partners of the Mt. Agamenticus to the Sea Conservation Initiative (MtA2C) and to jointly protect 1,500 acres in the region. For our part, York Land Trust pledged to work to permanently protect 500 acres in York by the end of 2018, and launched a campaign to raise $5 million toward these efforts. We also committed to set aside $500,000 in our stewardship endowment to care for the lands.

As 2018 draws to a close, we’re pleased to announce that we have exceeded our 500-acre land protection goal by more than 200 acres, are just $200,000 shy of reaching our $5 million goal and have set aside $530,000 in endowment funds. We’ve completed 14 projects over the past four years resulting in more than 700 acres of land preserved in the MtA2C region of York, along with another 103-acre parcel currently in the works. Together with our nine other MtA2C partners, we have helped ensure that more than 14,000 acres are protected in the MtA2C region to date — about three quarters of our ultimate goal of 19,000 acres.

Some of the highlights of our efforts since 2014 have included acquiring our headquarters on Long Neck Marsh Road, along with seven abutting acres of forest and fields. This property is now accessible to visitors to hike along our 3/4 mile Near Point Trail with beautiful views of Smelt Brook. We also protected the 220-acre Fuller Forest — now one of our largest preserves — and will soon begin developing a trail network through this forest to make it publicly accessible.

Our priorities as a land trust, driven by our core values, carry us through all of these projects. These priorities include filling conservation gaps, preserving critical habitat for endangered species, creating and protecting trails, protecting drinking water, and conserving natural areas for traditional uses including hunting, fishing, forestry and farming.

Above you’ll find a complete summary of all of the projects we have completed toward this end since 2014. We extend our gratitude to the Town of York as well as the many individuals and foundations that made our ambitions a reality.