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This past Saturday, Upper Saco Valley Land Trust (USVLT) celebrated its 25th anniversary at its annual meeting at Tin Mountain Conservation Center in Albany. The meeting began with a report and land acknowledgement statement by Board President Doug Burnell, followed by general business and the board election slate. Doug was re-elected president, along with vice-president Lindsay Kafka, secretary Sean Wadsworth, and treasurer Jim Hastings. Doug and Jim were also re-elected to serve another three-year term along with Alex Drummond, and Chris Marshall.

Afterwards, a presentation and discussion was held by the featured speaker, Bryan Wentzell. Bryan is the executive director of Maine Mountain Collaborative & Exemplary Forest Management, as well as a delegation member of First Light. His presentation revolved around First Light, which is a collective of different conservation organizations working alongside Wabanaki communities, with the goal being to expand access and land stewardship in their homelands. He discussed how this collective works, why it matters, and how it benefits both natural and human communities as a whole.

Awards were then presented to some of USVLT’s most dedicated supporters. For his self-motivated drive to repair and maintain critical parts of USVLT’s trails across its eighty-seven properties, his Thoreau-like excursions into the woods to experience his love of the not yet completely human-controlled natural world, and for his practical embrace of the philanthropic ideal in making nearby footpaths accessible to all wishing to experience nature in its nearly untouched state, the Award for Excellence in Volunteerism was given to Rob Adair. “From its inception to the present day, the land trust has been composed of great people doing very important work,” says Rob. “I strongly believe in USVLT‘s mission, and I am very grateful to have the opportunity to contribute to their efforts.”

For his inspiring commitment to USVLT over so many years, his service as a board member and past vice-president and, as important, as a freelance identifier of lands USVLT could protect, the President’s Award for Damn Good Work was given to Jim Doucette of Jim Doucette Real Estate. Jim has continued to use his professional real estate skills to assist USVLT, ensuring its magnificent and ever growing suite of natural places for the residents and visitors of the Upper Saco Valley.

For their primacy as a leading conservation-education NH nonprofit, their focus on the betterment of the lives of children, families, and of the whole lands and waters of our exquisite Saco River Valley, and for having donated five conservation easements to USVLT on Tin Mountain Conservation Center properties, the Conservation Partner Award was given to Tin Mountain Conservation Center. "We couldn't have a better partner in the environment than the Upper Saco Valley Land Trust. We're very proud of all five of our easements with USVLT. We also have a special relationship in education with the Exploration series, which is such a wonderful way to educate people about the natural world using the land."

In the 25 years since its founding, USVLT, an accredited member of the Land Trust Alliance, has completed 87 conservation projects, and with its partners preserved more than 12,300 acres of sensitive habitat, working forest, and prime farmland in its 11-town service area in New Hampshire and Maine.