ALT 2011 Annual Meeting
November 29, 2011
Androscoggin Land Trust Annual Meeting to Include Award Presentations and Androscoggin Greenway Highlights
With the backdrop of the late Senator Edmund Muskie’s archives on the campus of Bates College, the Androscoggin Land Trust (ALT) will host its Annual Meeting on Tuesday November 29th, 2010. Beginning at 6:00 PM with light refreshments and networking, the evening will include recognizing Kathy Eickenberg of the Maine Department of Conservation with ALT’s Elliott Bates Stewardship Award and Tim DeMillo and Mary Howes of Otis Ventures LLC with the inaugural Androscoggin Partner Award.
In addition to award presentations, the annual business meeting will include election of directors and a look back at the last year of conservation and recreation development in ALT’s region of the Androscoggin River watershed. Since its annual meeting in December of 2010, ALT has had the most successful 12 month period of land conservation in its 22 year history.
The meeting will conclude with a look forward at the potential of the Androscoggin Greenway; a network of conservation land and recreation trails linking the natural landscape of the river corridor to the heritage of its industrial villages. First envisioned by the cities of Lewiston and Auburn, along with ALT and the National Park Service, in the mid-1990’s, the concept has been gaining significant momentum in recent years.
The recipient of this year’s Elliott Bates Stewardship Award, Kathy Eickenberg, has played a leadership role in planning for conservation and land stewardship along the Androscoggin River for a number of years. In her role as Chief Planner for the Department of Conservation, Kathy became a significant resource for ALT as the communities of Lewiston, Auburn, Turner, Leeds and Greene assessed opportunities on Gulf Island Pond tied to the federal licensing of the hydroelectric dams on that section of the river.
As an offshoot of that relicensing process and community engagement, Kathy framed the master planning process for the Androscoggin Riverlands, now the Androscoggin Riverlands State Park. Her commitment to honoring the original intent of the land’s protection, now at close to 2,600 acres of land in Turner and Leeds, and ensuring that the natural resources and ecological integrity of the land would remain central to its recreational use going forward were major factors in ALT’s decision to select her for this honor.
To emphasize the importance of collaborative efforts to advance conservation, recreation and revitalization of communities along the Androscoggin River, the Board of Directors of ALT created the Androscoggin Partners Award. In its first year, the award will recognize the Tim DeMillo and Mary Howes of Otis Ventures LLC. At a time when the community of Jay and Livermore Falls faced uncertainty following the closure of the Otis Paper Mill, Tim and Mary rose to the occasion, taking the risk to buy the shuttered mill and then seeking a way to bring new businesses to the complex.
The vision that they held, to look at the connection to the Androscoggin River for recreation as a major draw for business investors, would reopen a downtown section of riverfront blocked for over a century from public use in lieu of industrial use. That commitment, linked with the expertise at ALT, has created a master plan for new hand-carry boat access and a new trail that will link the downtown business district to regional trail networks certain to bring new visitors to local restaurants and shops.
With nearly than 5,000 acres of land conserved, including ten miles of frontage on the Androscoggin River, ALT’s programming has diversified to enhance the connections between the natural landscape and the diverse and vibrant communities along the corridor.
The event is open to the public and free of charge. The membership of ALT will also elect new board members for the 2012-2014 term during the Annual Meeting. The Muskie Archives are located at 70 Campus Avenue in Lewiston. To RSVP, call the ALT office at (207) 782-2302 or e-mail info@androscogginlandtrust.org
The Androscoggin Land Trust is a membership supported organization dedicated to protecting, through land conservation and stewardship, important natural areas, traditional landscapes and outdoor experiences in the Androscoggin River watershed. ALT offers recreational programs in the region include LA Trails, serving Lewiston-Auburn, Chisholm Trails, serving Jay and Livermore Falls, and the Great Falls Paddling Society, offering seasonal outings on the Androscoggin River.
For more information about the Androscoggin Land Trust, please visit our website at http://www.androscogginlandtrust.org/ or our offices at 86 Main Street, Suite 201 in Auburn.
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