Outstanding Conservationist of 2024
From Left: Tom Aversa, Cheryl Daigle, and Ellen Batchelder
At our 80th Annual Meeting, we honored Sebasticook Regional Land Trust (SRLT) with the Conservationist of the year award. Cheryl Daigle, Tom Aversa, and Ellen Batchelder accepted the award on behalf of the SRLT.
Every year, we honor an individual, farm, or organization, to someone that has met or exceeded the guidelines, put in place in 1981, and this year, the SRLT met them all!
1. Consistent and continued conservation practices employed in land management.
2. Contributed service to the district.
3. Advocate for agriculture.
4. Appearance of the operation.
5. Cooperator of the district.
6. Long term conservation planner.
7. Community service.
8. Conservation education.
The Sebasticook Regional Land Trust (SRLT) was formed in 2004 as the Friends of Unity Wetlands. The original vision was to conserve a wild and working landscape brimming with economic and ecological value and that continues to be their driving force. Their programs are focused on land conservation, habitat restoration and public education.
Cheryl Daigle became program manager in March 2023 after a period of time where the land trust was unstaffed, and was promoted to executive director within the first year. She brought three decades of experience in conservation, habitat restoration and communications to the position. Previous work by past directors provided a solid foundation for our current progress, but the organization struggled during the time it was all-volunteer. In the past year and a half, SRLT expanded the areas of expertise on their board with new directors, bolstered their stewardship and outreach programs, attracted funding from the Quimby Foundation, Morton-Kelly Charitable Trust, Momentum Conservation, and the Maine Outdoor Heritage Fund, and new business supporters. A grant from NRCS allowed them to update four Forest Management Plans this year. They are working to protect additional conservation land in Unity and are initiating a regional conservation planning process in the watershed with diverse partners this fall. In the next year, they will focus on continuing to strengthen board engagement, build partnerships, and expand awareness of the importance of land conservation to the region.
If you would like to get involved or want more information visit their website here.
Cheryl Daigle also contributed to this article.