None The Nature Conservancy in Maine Press Releases Search All Press Releases Roger Cole Coordinator (207) 439-9133 mtatosea@comcast.net

Mt. Agamenticus to the Sea Initiative Exceeds Fundraising and Land Protection Goals

Effort Brings Total Open Space to Over 12,000 Acres in the Mt. A Region

Lowe's Contributes Campaign's largest Corporate Gift

YORK, MAINE — May 29, 2007 — The Mount Agamenticus to the Sea Conservation Initiative (MTA2C) celebrated its extraordinary achievements to conserve land and natural resources in southern Maine on Saturday, May 19, 2007. The celebration – which took place on the summit of Mount Agamenticus – featured an announcement of the fundraising and land acquisition success of the 3-year-old Initiative.

“We set a goal to raise $10 million for land conservation when we launched the Mount Agamenticus to the Sea Conservation Initiative three years ago” said Campaign Committee Chair Helen Winebaum of York. “We exceeded all expectations and raised $17 million, which has resulted in the protection of highly valuable recreation and scenic lands and wildlife habitat. It is a testament to the commitment of the people in our communities of how much they value open space, which is

The $17 million dollar campaign was capped by a $315,000 donation from Lowes that will finance the purchase of two woodlots to be managed as working forests.

“The Mount Agamenticus to the Sea Initiative is a highly effective coalition committed to protecting the coastal landscape of south coastal Maine,” said Senator Susan Collins. “It should serve as a national model for other efforts to conserve natural resources within the rapidly developing coastal zone communities in the United States. I am pleased that we have been able to assist the Initiative by ensuring there were federal funds available for land acquisition.”

“The Nature Conservancy is committed to protecting significant lands throughout the State of Maine,” said Angus King, who serves on the Board of Directors of the Maine Chapter. “The Mount Agamenticus region has been one of our focus areas for over a decade because of the richness and diversity of its plant and animal communities. Though the establishment of the Mount Agamenticus to the Sea Conservation Coalition, the Maine Chapter of the Nature Conservancy has been able to better achieve its landscape-scale protection goals. We are proud to be part of this highly successful and unique partnership.”

The MTA2C Initiative is a coalition of ten partners representing governmental agencies, statewide land protection organizations and three local land trusts. The MTA2C region now consists of 11,637 acres of open space, which includes lands managed by conservation organizations and those owned by two water districts. By the time MTA2C completes its current land acquisition projects in two years, the total of open space will exceed 14,000 acres. This is a remarkable achievement, considering that land ownership in this part of Maine consists of many people who own relatively small parcels.

The MTA2C Initiative relied on many different sources of funds and the generosity of hundreds of people. About one-half of the $17 million was in land donations; the other was in cash contributions from individuals, foundations, businesses, state and federal agencies, and municipalities.

“We are truly grateful to the citizens and business owners for their generosity and to our elected leaders for their support,” said Winebaum. “They have helped leave a conservation land legacy for residents and visitors of Maine for generations to come.”

The Initiative encompasses the forests around Mount Agamenticus, the York River, the Brave Boat Harbor Estuary, Cutts Island and Gerrish Island. The greater Mt. A to the Sea region represents the largest unfragmented coastal forest between Acadia National Park and the New Jersey Pine Barrens. The MTA2C focus area is approximately 48,000 acres and includes six communities (Kittery, Eliot, York, Wells, South Berwick and Ogunquit). The effort builds on the success of the ‘Mt Agamenticus Challenge’ and was born from the realization that a large vision and collaborative effort was needed in order to protect this landscape. The initiative conserved a broad assemblage of ecological, scenic, agricultural and recreational lands that weave the rich fabric of the region’s lifestyle.

MTA2C partner organizations include the following: the US Fish and Wildlife Service/Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge, the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, the Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve, the Maine Coast Heritage Trust, the Trust for Public Land, The Nature Conservancy, the Great Works Regional Land Trust, the Kittery Land Trust, the York Land Trust and the York Rivers Association.

The Nature Conservancy is a leading conservation organization working around the world to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people. To date, the Conservancy and its more than one million members have been responsible for the protection of more than 15 million acres in the United States and have helped preserve more than 102 million acres in Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific. Visit The Nature Conservancy on the Web at www.nature.org.