Gaining Ground

Maine

6,043,303

Acres Protected

That’s about 4,578,260 football fields!

Land trusts have already conserved 61 million acres of private land across the nation — more than all of the national parks combined. Help us conserve another 60 million acres by the end of the decade.

Together, let’s keep Gaining Ground.

Visitors to Land Trust Properties

534,550

Visitors in 2020, more than double that of 2015.

Percent of Land Trusts That Provide Public Access to Their Lands

95%

Land trusts provide opportunities to recreate and recharge.

Number of People Served

93,316

Land trusts provide programs and activities to get people outside and learn about the land.

Miles of Trails

768

Walking, hiking and other outdoor recreation improve people's health and well-being.

Miles With Universal Access

24

Universal access trails are designed to be used by all people, regardless of ability.

Percent of Land Trusts Who Increased Community Engagement in the Last Five Years

75%

Land Trusts Are Deepening Relationships With:
  • People from various racial and ethnic backgrounds

  • Older adults or those living in retirement communities

  • People who identify as LGBTQ+

  • People living with disabilities

  • Veterans

Land Trusts Are Helping Address Community Needs, Including:
  • Youth education and development

  • Community and economic development

  • Food security and agriculture

  • Health and wellness

  • Social and environmental justice

Demographics

Every land trust is as unique as the community it serves.

Maine land trusts are community-led and supported and protect lands and waters that help the entire state.

Active Land Trusts

72

A land trust is a nonprofit that conserves land by acquiring and stewarding land or conservation easements.

Learn more about land trusts
Alliance Member Land Trusts

52

Land Trust Alliance members commit to adopting Land Trust Standards and Practices as their guiding principles.

Learn about the land trust alliance
Accredited Land Trusts

28

Accredited land trusts undergo a thorough review of their practices in governance, finance, transactions and stewardship.

Learn about land trust accreditation

People

  • 45,825

  • 7,339

  • 215

  • 155

  • 911

Land Trust Longevity

  • 181 years old (1843)

  • 19 years old (2005)

  • 37 years old

Percent of Land Trusts Who Increased Focus on Climate Change in the Last Five Years

81%

Percent of Land Trusts Receiving Funding to Address Climate Change

31%

Sources of Funding to Address Climate Change
  • U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

  • Maine Natural Resources Conservation Program

  • National Coastal Wetlands Grant Program

  • North American Wetlands Conservation Act

Land Protected

There has been a 31% increase in Maine land protected by land trusts since 2010.

Acre by acre, land trusts are helping to conserve Maine lands, waters and ways of life.

2010
2015
2020
Total acres protected
4,600,817
5,778,124
6,043,303
+31%
Under easement
1,916,129
2,352,098
2,484,647
+30%
Owned
830,923
577,074
587,041
0%
Acquired and reconveyed
387,046
878,679
905,997
+134%
Protected by other means
1,466,718
2,019,773
2,065,595
+41%

Disclaimer: Land trusts conserve land in many different ways and every project is unique. Category totals may change depending on how acres are reported by survey respondents to reflect the most current data and minimize double-counting. In some instances, the total may be greater than the sum of the separate categories due to organizations that provided total acres not broken down by category.

Percent of Land Owned and Under Easement Held by an Accredited Land Trust

58%

Source: 2020 National Land Trust Census

Total Public Funding for Conservation From 1998-2017

$293 million

Source: Trust for Public Land's Conservation Almanac

Acres of Land Lost to Development From 2012-2017

13,900

Source: NRCS - Natural Resources Inventory

This information reflects data collected in the National Land Trust Census, the longest-running comprehensive survey of private land conservation in America. Learn more about the Census and see which land trusts participated in the 2020 National Land Trust Census.

Making a Difference

Maine land trusts are gaining ground.

Land trusts across the state are helping find solutions to some of Maine's most pressing issues.

  • Addressing community needs: Blue Hill Heritage Trust works with Speaking Up for Us of Maine not only to make trails more accessible for those living with developmental and physical disabilities but to create volunteering opportunities. Chris DuPont, one such volunteer, who tracked the growth and development of several plants on the land trust's properties, said, "Being able to work outside and get exercise at the same time is a dream come true."

    Read more
  • Tackling climate change: Warmer winter temperatures in Maine have led to a population boom for the winter moth, an invasive species from Europe. The accredited Cape Elizabeth Land Trust worked with Maine Forest Service officials and landowners to band trees, which trap climbing caterpillars and stop the destructive bugs from laying eggs in the high branches of oak and maple trees, and to release parasitoid flies that feed on winter moths.

    Read more

Land Trusts Working in Maine

Land Trust Alliance member land trusts, listed below, commit to adopting Land Trust Standards and Practices as their guiding principles.