The Kennebec Land Trust

What it reported doing in 2024

1. Land conservation since 1988, klt has worked cooperatively with landowners and communities to conserve our region's natural resources. Klt holds conservation easements on, accepts gifts of, and purchases significant lands to further the mission of the organization. Klt's community conservation lands protect wildlife habitat, water quality, working forestland and farmland, and scenic beauty, and provide many opportunities for year-round outdoor activities for Maine residents and visitors. Klt has accomplished many noteworthy projects over the past several years, including the following: strategic conservation planning in 2022 we completed an update of the trust's strategic conservation plan. Our plan incorporates 13 ecological and community values, including proximity to trail access and resiliency in the face of climate change, two additions to the previous strategic conservation plan. The plan helps us identify high priority conservation areas for our 413,000-acre service area. New land projects in 2024 - 2025 klt protected 261 additional acres of conservation land in kennebec county. The 39-acre jimmy stream conservation easement in litchfield, conserved in july 2024, protects hardwood and softwood forests as well as wetlands and riparian areas with valuable wildlife habitats. The property features a historic nineteenth century carriage road and stone walls, recreational trails maintained by the white family and friends, and glimpses of oak hill to the west. The 7-acre ferguson parcel, fayette is adjacent to klt's 72-acre hales pond preserve. The parcel was purchased with funds from klt donors who are interested in the trust's partnership work to support workforce housing, forest based local wood economies, public access to conservation land, and forestland conservation. The property has an existing well and septic system and extensive frontage on richmond mills road. Klt is currently paying full taxes on the property while exploring whether a small number of workforce housing units could be constructed on the property if the land was transferred to a community land trust. The 97-acre hopkins sinclair conservation area in manchester was donated to klt in february, 2025. This ecologically diverse property protects valuable woodland and wetland habitats in a largely undeveloped landscape. These forests and wetlands and other nearby conservation and privately owned lands are critical habitat for many of Maine's wildlife species, including black bear and moose - wildlife species with extensive home ranges. This conservation land is contiguous with the Maine department of inland fisheries and wildlife's 1,140-acre jamie's pond wildlife management area, klt's 68- acre wagner woods conservation area, and the 228-acre town of manchester conservation lands. Taken together, these 1,533 acres comprise a significant conservation landscape. The 8- acre patterson addition to the baldwin hill conservation area protects a productive and ecologically important hayfield in a largely undeveloped and rural landscape. The baldwin hill conservation area, now eighty- eight acres, is close to the baldwin hill cemetery, sturtevant farm scenic area, meadow brook farm conservation area, bamford pond conservation area, and hales pond woodland preserve. Taken together, these 585 acres support agricultural and forest-based economies and protect wildlife habitat, scenic, recreational, and water quality values. The 54-acre eaton mountain conservation area in vienna features the scenic undeveloped ridge of eaton mountain and an ecologically valuable perennial stream that flows into flying pond. The property is close to klt's peter miller woodland and the 6,800 + acre kennebec highlands, the largest conservation property in central Maine. Eaton mountain conservation area adds additional conservation value to the highlands, and due to its varied and diverse terrain, protects a landscape that could provide climate change resiliency. The 56-acre parker pond

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 27.2%; rating input score 27
• Program expense ratio: 75%; rating input score 75
• Fundraising efficiency: $101.36 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 87; 87th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: Limited
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: Limited
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 8 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 100
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
  • Other executive compensation review process: Pass
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: 66.7%; rating input score 96; 96th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 18.21; rating input score 96; 96th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0; rating input score 80; 80th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 14.6%; rating input score 24; 24th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: -1.3% per year; rating input score 0; 14th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 6.2% per year; rating input score 100; 50th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 6.3% per year; rating input score 100; 44th percentile among comparable filings