A Message from our New Board President
Our new Board President, Kathy Stevens, recently introduced herself to the Midcoast Conservancy membership and shared priorities guiding her, and our Board’s work. She writes:
“The midcoast region is so important to me. I have been able to spend time at Damariscotta Lake every summer for more than half a century. Investing in a community that my grandparents valued, and now seeing their great grandchildren enjoying it is very special to me.
Kathy shared this image of morning on Damariscotta Lake, her favorite time of day!
In my role as a Midcoast Conservancy board member I have found a way not only to support the environment we all cherish but to listen to the issues facing staff and volunteers and better understand how we are all able to contribute to the success of the organization in fulfilling its mission.
Recently the question was posed to me, “Kathy – as the new board president for Midcoast Conservancy, what do you see as the top priorities for the organization in the near future?” It is a great and fitting question as I take on this role and a great question for the organization in this, its 10th Anniversary Year.
Guidance for our priorities is already in place through our mission and our Strategic Plan. I am particularly proud of the work that the staff and board did over the last year to design and implement this strategic plan. The five core objectives: Land Conservation, Land Stewardship, Water Quality Protection & Ecosystem Health, Connecting People to Nature, and Organizational Excellence and Sustainability focus the important work that the staff and volunteers do within the watersheds of Damariscotta Lake, and the Sheepscot and Medomak Rivers. The breadth of activities undertaken by Midcoast Conservancy to preserve, protect, and enjoy the natural world in our service area, continues to amaze me and inspire me to get out and enjoy the lands and waters we have helped to conserve.
The strategic plan offers focus areas where staff and volunteers channel their efforts, and beyond the day-to-day work sets our path for long-range goals. As the organization enters the next phase of its young life, one of my main priorities is to support communication among the staff, members, board and volunteers to ensure we build on the rich history of the organizations which came together to form Midcoast Conservancy ten years ago.
While we continue doing this important conservation work, the world in which we work is continually in flux as the climate shifts, funding sources are reduced, and externalities that we can’t always predict show up in unexpected ways. I am emboldened in my role as the organization continues to be guided by the plans in place and focus on the priorities of land conservation and stewardship, connecting people to the needs of our waterways and habitats, while growing our member and volunteer base and investing in a sustainable future for our staff and the work we do.
I look forward to connecting with you and seeing you at this year’s events, and invite you to bring friends and neighbors as a way to introduce them to Midcoast Conservancy and our work.”
