The public is invited to attend the annual meeting and membership celebration of the Kennebec Estuary Land Trust (KELT) on Tuesday, April 2 at 5:30 p.m. at the Maine Maritime Museum in Bath. Join KELT’s board of directors, members, and friends to celebrate 30 years of conservation and discover more about KELT’s successful stewardship program that annually cares for 23 miles of trail and 3700+ acres of land.

Join us at the evening reception to mingle and learn about our partnerships with community members and organizations to care for KELT’s conserved properties throughout the region. Following the reception will be the annual business meeting, an opportunity to learn more about the land trust’s three-decades of work, newly updated strategic plan, and lands conserved in 2018. Attendees will be able to enjoy hearty appetizers and a Maine-made wine and beer tasting generously supported by Sasanoa Brewing, Now You're Cooking, Devenish Wines, and Henry and Marty Restaurant and Catering.

The evening will feature presentations from Carolann Ouellette, director of the new Maine Office of Outdoor Recreation. Last October, Maine got closer to leveraging its billion dollar outdoor recreation economy by welcoming Carolann as the first director of the newly designated Office of Outdoor Recreation. Join us to hear her vision on how to grow Maine’s outdoor recreation economy. Guests will also hear from Nancy Sferra, director of Stewardship and Ecological Management for The Nature Conservancy. She is a co-chair of KELT’s Stewardship Committee and former board member and will speak about the vital importance of stewardship for the Kennebec Estuary’s lands, waters, wildlife, and people.

KELT’s Stewardship Program is more than clearing trails and building bog bridges. The land trust must also understand the ecological resources of the land, including species diversity, habitat, water quality, and the impact of invasive plants. These needs are balanced with providing access and recreation for people and recognizing that access to local nature adds vitality to our communities. Stewardship is a multifaceted and costly undertaking requiring time and money for expertise, labor, equipment, materials and management. As the number of acres increases, so do the resources needed to meet these responsibilities.

Of course, KELT staff cannot do all this work alone. Volunteers and regional collaborations are vital to steward local lands and waters. This network includes individuals such as KELT’s volunteer preserve stewards, who take ownership over the care of a specific public preserves. It includes local organizations like the Six Rivers chapter of the New England Mountain Bike Association that work with KELT across all seasons to maintain trails for a plethora of users. It includes regional collaborations like the Regional Field Team, which provides important on-the-job experience for young conservationists to care for the lands and trails of four land trusts in the region (KELT, Phippsburg Land Trust, Brunswick-Topsham Land Trust, and The Nature Conservancy) each summer.

Please RSVP to this event by calling 207-442-8400 or register online at www.kennebecestuary.org/upcoming-events/annual-meeting-2019.

The Maine Maritime Museum is located at 243 Washington Street in Bath. Special thanks to the Merrymeeting Bay Trust for generously sponsoring this annual event.