Maine's Community-Driven Conservation Efforts Redefine Stewardship

A statewide network of over 80 land trusts is adapting to address climate change, housing, and community needs.

Apr. 19, 2026 at 8:36am

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A highly stylized, abstract grid of brightly colored, silkscreen-like images depicting an overflowing community garden plot, conceptually representing how Maine's land trusts are adapting to support local communities in new ways.Maine's community-driven land trusts are redefining conservation to support local food security, climate resilience, and connections between people and the land.Portland Today

A network of more than 80 land trusts across Maine is redefining conservation as a tool for building stronger, more resilient communities. These organizations are shifting their focus from just protecting the environment to also serving the needs of local people, through initiatives like creating affordable housing, supporting community gardens, and providing resources for those in need.

Why it matters

Maine has the highest number of land trusts per capita in the country, reflecting the state's strong conservation ethic and community-driven approach to stewardship. As Maine faces mounting pressures from climate change, housing shortages, and changing access to natural resources, land trusts are evolving their work to address a broader set of local priorities and strengthen connections between people and the land.

The details

Land trusts in Maine are designing conservation projects with community needs at the center, creating accessible trails, protecting working waterfronts, supporting community gardens and food programs, and even helping to address housing challenges. Partnerships between land trusts and housing organizations, as well as collaborations with Wabanaki communities, are emerging as key strategies. Through the Maine Land Trust Network, these local organizations share resources and best practices while staying rooted in the unique needs of their own communities.

  • The Maine Land Conservation Conference, the largest annual gathering of its kind in the state, will take place later this month in Augusta.
  • A recent partnership in Rockport between Maine Coast Heritage Trust and Midcoast Regional Housing Trust conserved farmland and created year-round workforce housing.
  • In Casco, Loon Echo Land Trust helped fund an 'open space plan' to guide future development while protecting natural resources and public access.

The players

Angela Twitchell

Senior director of community and government relations at Maine Coast Heritage Trust.

Matt Markot

Executive director of Loon Echo Land Trust and incoming chair of the Maine Land Trust Network.

Maine Land Trust Network

A statewide network representing over 80 land trusts, the highest number per capita of any state in the country.

Coastal Rivers Conservation Trust

A land trust that has partnered with Twin Villages Foodbank Farm to help grow thousands of pounds of food annually for local food pantries and other programs.

Brunswick-Topsham Land Trust

A land trust that supports community agriculture through gardens, farmers markets, and donations to the Mid Coast Hunger Prevention Program.

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What they’re saying

“Together, these examples point to an important evolution. Land trusts are shifting from organizations that serve the environment to organizations that serve both the environment and people — recognizing that there are many interconnections between them.”

— Angela Twitchell, Senior director of community and government relations at Maine Coast Heritage Trust

“At a time when many people feel disempowered about decisions affecting their future, community-led stewardship and taking care of the land offer hope and an opportunity to help people feel more connected — to nature, to one another and to their future.”

— Angela Twitchell, Senior director of community and government relations at Maine Coast Heritage Trust

What’s next

The upcoming Maine Land Conservation Conference will provide an opportunity for conservation leaders from across the state to share tools, strengthen partnerships, and explore emerging challenges facing Maine's communities.

The takeaway

Maine's network of community-driven land trusts is redefining conservation as a holistic approach to supporting local resilience, addressing complex challenges like climate change and housing shortages, and strengthening the connections between people and the land they depend on.