The focus of this quarter's call will be on Volunteers: Recruiting, Engaging, and Retaining. This could be targeted toward using volunteers for fundraising and development purposes.
MLTC staff and a number of our contacts have recently received emails from multiple senders, offering to sell a list of Visitors/Attendees to the March 21 Mass. Land Conservation Conference being held at UMass Amherst. After consulting with the security departments of our CRM, events platform, and our computer consultant, we are confident that our systems have not been hacked, nor has information been leaked.
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With Paul Catanzaro, UMass Professor and State Extension Forester
New England touts a strong conservation ethic, but we suffer from a considerable shortfall in production of forest products compared to our enormously high rates of consumption and our capacity for sustainable production. Given New England's favorable climate and abundant, productive forests, as well as New Englanders' strong capacity to apply strict environmental oversight, few places on earth should be better poised to be a leader in advancing forest protection and the sustainable harvesting of forest products while upholding ecological and social values. This webinar will discuss an ambitious vision for 2060 to protect forests, reduce consumption, and expand ecological forestry that would not only remedy these production and consumption imbalances but also dramatically enhance protection of our forests and propel us toward meeting urgent climate and biodiversity goals.
Since January 20th, a series of executive orders and memos from the Trump administration have raised concerns for nonprofits, particularly regarding a freeze on federal grants and loans. The Office of Management and Budget issued a memo calling for a freeze on nearly all federal grants and loans, effectively pausing funds that had been appropriated by Congress. A judge temporarily blocked this freeze until February 3, citing the need for more time to evaluate the broad implications of the order. The situation has developed quickly, and as of January 29, the administration reversed the freeze with a brief two-sentence memo.....
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With Mark Anderson, director of TNC's North American Center for Resilient Conservation Science (CRCS); Barbara Charry, Director of Rivers and Lands; and Arlene Olivero, Aquatic Ecologist.
With Jennifer Ryan, Assistant Commissioner for Strategic Initiatives & Climate Policy at the Massachusetts Department of Fish & Game, and Eve Schlüter, Deputy Director at MassWildlife.
Executive Order No. 618, signed by Governor Healey, calls for the Department of Fish & Game to develop nation-leading biodiversity conservation goals for 2030, 2040, and 2050. DFG Assistant Commissioner Jennifer Ryan and Mass Wildlife Deputy Director Dr. Eve Schlüter will present on progress, next steps, and key priorities for a whole-of-government approach to biodiversity conservation. The presentation will highlight the crucial role of local land trusts and conservation partners in the success of this initiative with time for discussion on how we can come together to achieve the goals.
Hybrid
Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, 113 Brattle Street, Cambridge MA and via Zoom
Successful landscape-scale land conservation projects can hinge on productive engagement across municipal, sectoral, and sometimes national boundaries, but these boundaries can also pose logistical challenges to planning and collaboration. In this presentation, ILCN Director Jim Levitt, will look at the role of international communities of conservation, share insights into the work of the International Land Conservation Network (ILCN), and explore examples of cross-boundary conservation in New England and Canada. Please register even if you are coming in person, for planning purposes.
Are you interested in being a volunteer leader working to advance land conservation across Massachusetts? MLTC is seeking nominations for volunteers to serve on its Board of Trustees, or as non-governing members of its Public Policy, Finance, Development, or Governance Committees. We’re looking for folks with skills, experience, time and energy to help advance MLTC’s Strategic Plan. Board members are elected to 3-year terms at MLTC’s annual meeting each June.....
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Join the Land Trust Alliance for a timely policy update addressing critical developments affecting land trusts. With a new Congress and administration, in addition to recent IRS updates to Treasury regulations, there's a lot to unpack. Hear the latest insights from Lori Faeth, Senior Director of Government Relations, and Diana Norris, Conservation Defense Network and Tax Manager, and get your questions answered.
Congress is currently debating an extension to the Farm Bill that may include disaster relief for producers affected by hurricanes, wildfires and other natural disasters, as well as economic assistance to farmers. There is bipartisan support for incorporating the remaining Farm Bill conservation title Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) funding into this extension. Totaling approximately $13 billion, this money would help protect funding while also increasing baseline funding going forward. MLTC encourages you to reach out to your Congressional Representatives ASAP and ask that they urge leadership to include the remaining conservation funding from the IRA in any extension of the Farm Bill....
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