Another Strong Year for the PLC

“Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.” -- Theodore Roosevelt

The Piscataquog Land Conservanc completed it 2017 Fiscal year on June 30, and I’m happy to report that it was another very productive year for your local land trust. Here are the highlights:

We protected more than 450 acres of land
PLC permanently conserved another 456 acres of land in our region during our FY17. This included our landmark acquisition of the Florence M. Tarr Wildlife Sanctuary - 332 acres of undeveloped forest, ponds, wetlands and streams in Bedford and Goffstown, 75 acres along the Nissitissit River in Brookline (see cover story), and 49 acres on the floodplain of Rand Brook in Francestown. With the addition of these latest projects, PLC has protected 106 properties totaling almost 6,900 acres in our region, up from 6,000 acres just two years ago.

We kept our stewardship commitments
Thanks to the diligence and skill of our volunteer monitors, PLC once again walked 100% of our existing lands and easements during the year. Staff fielded numerous minor issues and inquiries, but we had no major violations requiring enforcement action. PLC continued to add to our internal stewardship and legal defense funds, and maintained coverage on all our properties under the Terrafirma legal defense insurance program.

We fostered community
Again thanks to many volunteers giving of their time and talents, PLC sponsored recreational and educational outings that got several hundred people outside on our lands during the year. Events like Lobster by the River and the Rose Mountain Rumble brought people together while raising funds for PLC’s mission. We also connected with our members and the wider community through this newsletter, our website, monthly e-news alerts, and social media.

We became a stronger organization
After more than a year of intensive work, PLC was awarded first-time Land Trust Accreditation this summer (see story on next page). Thanks to the generosity or our members and other funders, we once again balanced our operating budget. Our circle of financial supporters grew 20% during the year, and is up more than 60% in the past three.
These achievements are all crucial “vital signs” measuring the health and effectiveness of PLC, and indeed of any land conservation organization. I hope you will agree that based on these measures, the Piscataquog Land Conservancy continues to do its chosen work, and do it well.
Thank you for being part of this organization, and here’s to another great year ahead.