OUR MISSION

Build lasting relationships and commitments that conserve the distinctive landscapes and natural  resources of the Frenchman Bay and Union River watershed

Paddlers enjoy Upper West Bay Pond in Gouldsboro on a rare sunny day in July,

summer 2009.  Rental kayaks courtesy of Water's Edge in Franklin.

FROM OUR PRESIDENT LISA HEYWARD

Land trusts have changed how we recount our successes. In the past all the emphasis was on acres conserved.  Now we talk about lands under stewardship.

What is the difference?  The difference is a philosophical shift in considering the importance of the people in the communities in and around the conserved lands. Stewardship done well allows land conservation organizations and their communities to build healthy relationships.  Inviting people in the communities to have a say in how the properties are managed and inviting the public to enjoy the lands strengthens trust and mutual appreciation between land trusts and their communities.  Such healthy relationships have both present and future benefits.  People who appreciate their conserved lands will go to great lengths to protect them if they are endangered. 

This “new” philosophy is one that Frenchman Bay Conservancy has espoused from our earliest days.  Our mission statement emphasizes building lasting relationships and commitments.  All of our preserves are open to the public.  Our “Short Hikes” map informs anyone who wants to hike the trails in the preserves where to find them.

(To read the rest of this article, go to page 2 of the Fall 2008 newsletter.)