Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust

Mount Grace
Land Conservation Trust

Statement of Philosophy

An Overview & Brief History

Mount Grace was incorporated in June of 1986, when local citizens and land use professionals came together to discuss their common concerns. The group met informally over seven months, and talked about how they might address the rapid, unorganized development of productive farm and forestland in north central and western Massachusetts.

The first project attributed to the newly established “Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust” was the preservation of a tract of land that had been doomed to be transformed into 200 house lots: the 365-acre Lawton Tree Farm in Athol, now the Lawton State Forest. Since that first success, Mount Grace has protected over 21,000 acres through the completion of over 200 projects.

Mount Grace’s extraordinary success is attributable to a highly qualified and committed Board of Directors with extensive experience in land conservation, forest stewardship and communications. The Board of Directors is supported by an energetic and dedicated staff, which has grown from one land protection specialist in 1986, to our present staff of 10 full-time and 1 part-time employees. In addition, numerous volunteers—many of whom provide pro-bono professional services—assist in Mount Grace’s efforts.

The base area of our conservation efforts is a 23-town region in north central and western Massachusetts, but we occasionally work with landowners outside of these towns. Membership support comes from the region that we serve, as well as from individuals across Massachusetts and the United States.

Mount Grace is a private, registered, 501c3 non-profit organization. Over 700 members support us with annual membership dues, special gifts and donations. The trust’s work is sustained by individuals who have a common goal: they want to see the rural landscape and natural resources of north central and western Massachusetts preserved, so that all may enjoy and appreciate these lands in perpetuity.

Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust
Land Protection Projects 1986-2007

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Statement of Philosophy 2006

Focus
The core strength of Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust is our focus on completing significant land protection projects and actively stewarding the conservation areas we own. Our effectiveness is a function of our “just do it,” no-frills approach. Keeping focused on our mission, Mount Grace balances creativity and innovation with sensitivity and responsiveness to the diverse conservation ethics held by the landowners of our region.

Adaptability
Mount Grace’s track record demonstrates our adaptability in efficiently matching the goals of landowners and the natural resources of their land with appropriate funding sources. Solution-oriented thinking is applied to the particulars of each potential project in the confidence that an appropriate conservation option exists for each situation. Staff members strategically evaluate, then educate, advise, and make referrals in response to requests for conservation assistance.

Collaboration
Respecting organizational differences while recognizing common interests, Mount Grace effectively collaborates with a wide range of conservation agencies, organizations, and individuals. Increasing the capacity of less experienced groups helps protect more land in our region. Concentrating on the benefits of reciprocally sharing resources and knowledge, Mount Grace makes good use of opportunities that arise. Collaboration similarly characterizes staff and board interactions.

Stewardship
Mount Grace’s status as a landowner and property taxpayer gives us credibility with other landowners when discussing land conservation and land stewardship options. We encourage land stewardship by demonstrating site-appropriate management of all our land, including ecologically sound forest management practices on portions of our conservation areas. We invite members and the public to experience forest stewardship firsthand through guided tours of our conservation areas before, during, and after logging operations. Our conservation areas, many of which have maintained trail systems, are open to the public for non motorized uses.

Neighborhood Land Trust
Most important is that the organizational culture of Mount Grace is compatible with the rural character of our 23-town service area. We are the neighborhood land trust, approachable by people of the region. That we are part of the local landscape, in the fabric and tradition of its social and natural communities, shows in the projects that comprise our organizational history. Bequeathed to Mount Grace in 1999, Skyfields is the farmhouse and forty acres of forests and fields that are our organizational headquarters. It is a place that exemplifies our mission, our work, and the trust of our supporters.

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