Partnerships 
by Lucy Quimby
Fall 2018
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        Everything in the natural world is interconnected.  Plants and animals depend upon other living organisms for sustenance and survival. Human communities are no different. Bangor Land Trust is part of an ecosystem that helps to sustain us. In addition to our generous members and corporate sponsors, who are our lifeblood, we’ve received support of many kinds from a wide variety of organizations in our community. We’re giving a shout-out of appreciation to some of them here:

PINE STATE AMATEUR RADIO CLUB:  These are the generous and dedicated folks who make Pedal the Penobscot a fully supported ride. Thanks to their ham radio operators riding the routes in the SAG wagons, Pedal  participants have been assured of help in case of trouble on the road.

MAINE AUDUBON AND FIELDS POND AUDUBON CENTER: Maine Audubon, centered in Falmouth, owns about half of West Penjajawoc Grasslands Preserve, and allows Bangor Land Trust to manage their land along with ours. Fields Pond Audubon Center in Holden co-sponsors bird walks every spring with Bangor Land Trust, along with additional occasional nature programs
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MAINE MASTER NATURALIST PROGRAM:  Several members of BLT’s Programs Committee, and a number of our walk leaders are Maine Master Naturalists. Expert naturalists volunteer their time, through the Maine Master Naturalist Program, to train other naturalists, who then volunteer in their home communities to share with others. 

BOY SCOUT TROOP 41: Troop member Lukas Modrusan and his father built a number of Bluebird/Tree Swallow houses for West Penjajawoc Grasslands. Thank you, Daniel and Lukas!

UMAINE STUDENTS IN CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERING: INTRODUCTION TO CONSTRUCTION ESTIMATING AND PLANNING:  These students put their skills to work building nesting boxes to welcome kestrels to Bangor Land Trust preserves.
 
SPEAKING UP FOR US (SUFU): This organization is run by and for adults who live with developmental disabilities. Members and staff have volunteered for Pedal the Penobscot and help monitor Walden-Parke Preserve.

ORONO LAND TRUST: In 2001 OLT invited BLT to join with them on the Caribou Bog-Penjajawoc Lands Project, a landscape-scale effort to conserve significant portions of an 18,000-acre corridor reaching from Penjajawoc Marsh north to Alton. For 17 years Orono Land Trust has partnered with Bangor Land Trust on grant applications, management plans, publicity, and specific conservation projects. Representatives from both boards meet together periodically as the Corridor Committee.  Thank you OLT for being such a reliable, generous, and trustworthy partner.

PENOBSCOT REGION NEMBA: Our local mountain biking organization put their Wednesday Night Trail Grind energies to work to construct two low bridges over some seasonally very wet trail and help clear brush that was cut to widen and dry out Walden-Parke’s Blue Jay Trail.