On Sept. 26, exactly 35 years to the day that Boothbay Region Land Trust (BRLT) officially became a nonprofit land conservation organization, it held its annual business meeting following The Great Hike.

Under a large tent on a beautiful autumn afternoon, members gathered to hear updates on land trust fundraising efforts, programming activities, and board and committee work. BRLT members said goodbye to three board members and welcomed two new ones.

The meeting kicked off with highlights of the land trust’s development work by Development and Outreach Manager Skye Wood, including the formalization of a Naming Opportunity Program and Osprey Legacy Gift Society.

Honorary chairman of the society, Chuck Koch, spoke on the beauty and importance of the region and encouraged the audience to consider a planned gift. In his words, “When there’s a will, the land trust is in it.”

Executive Director Nick Ullo then touched on land trust efforts over the year related to lands, stewardship and education. Cross River Preserve was officially opened, a new trail was developed on Zak Preserve, a public mooring was put in at Porter Preserve and the roof was replaced on the tower and museum on Damariscove Island.

The BRLT lands committee has been working closely with the newly formed Edgecomb Conservation Committee, and acting as a resource for private landowners interested in conservation options. Education efforts have resulted in more free guided hikes offered than ever, a successful completion to the expanded partnership with the Y summer camp, the launch of a water sampling program, and the creation of the Passport to the Preserves booklet.

President Jack Fulmer continued the meeting by describing the board’s current focus on strategic planning. The board has selected three strategic initiatives: lands, education/outreach, and facilities. Conservation of lands is the core mission and has a robust program under the direction of Jim Dun, chair of the Lands Committee. In education, BRLT presently partners with local schools and the YMCA.

To increase the land trust’s relevance to the community, plans are underway to expand the adult programming. This effort is being led be Nancy Adams. BRLT is also in the process of identifying facility needs to better serve the mission both now and into the future. To assist in this task, a facilitator for programming and planning is being sought. The Facilities Strategic Planning Committee is led by Danielle Betts.

Finally, gifts of hand carved walking sticks were distributed to retiring board members Nancy Adams and Jim Dun. (Retiring member Jeff Wells was unable to attend.) Each has been truly valuable to the land trust through the time, expertise and dedication they have offered for many years.

New board members Sue Mello and David Whitt were unanimously voted onto the board for a four-year term. Mello has worked as a biologist, newspaper reporter and as a stay-at-home mom in four states over the course of three decades. She and her family, husband Jon Lewis and daughter Lizzie, moved to Boothbay in 1997.

Whitt settled in the Boothbay Harbor region three years ago and works for the state of Maine as a director in financial services. He is also a member of the local Rotary Club in Boothbay Harbor and spends a fair amount of his time jogging the local BRLT trails. New BRLT officers include: Jack Fulmer, president; Hal Moorefield, vice president; Ham Meserve, treasurer; and Linda Burley, secretary.

Boothbay Region Land Trust members and the newly appointed board concluded the meeting, ready to make 2016 even more spectacular than the Land Trust’s 35th year.