Approved by the Board of Trustees January 19, 2021

Mission

To preserve and protect Harpswell’s natural resources, cultural heritage, and access to the outdoors now and forever through conservation, stewardship, and education.

Our Vision for Harpswell

Key areas of Harpswell’s natural environment are preserved to sustain a healthy marine and terrestrial environment and maintain scenic beauty and rural character.

Protected land in Harpswell supports a variety and abundance of wildlife habitat, biodiversity and climate resilience.

People enjoy varied and high-quality recreational access to Harpswell’s forests, fields and shore.

Harpswell’s fishing community thrives with access to a clean and productive marine environment.

People of Harpswell and surrounding towns care about, engage with and understand Harpswell’s natural resources and cultural heritage and the reasons to protect and preserve them.

Harpswell residents and visitors are active and responsible stewards of our natural resources.

Our Vision for Harpswell Heritage Land Trust

The community recognizes and broadly supports HHLT as a trusted partner for preservation of Harpswell’s natural resources and cultural heritage.

HHLT has the capacity, capabilities and physical facilities needed to fulfill its mission. HHLT has the financial foundation needed to meet its obligations and contributions to the community in perpetuity.

HHLT is an inclusive organization that collaborates broadly with local government and community organizations.

Our Values

In everything we do, we pledge to:

• Be honest, transparent, trustworthy and dependable.
• Actively seek community feedback.
• Be flexible and respond to emerging concerns.
• Collaborate with other organizations to meet common goals.
• Emphasize inclusion and equity.
• Respect differing opinions.
• Maintain a long-term perspective.
• Be prudent stewards of the organization’s resources.
• Have high standards for the quality of our work.
• Work together and value all contributions of time and money.
• Trust science.

 Overall Strategic Priorities

Conservation:  Preserve land to protect Harpswell’s marine habitat, clean water, undeveloped shoreline, islands, wetlands, fields, forests, wildlife habitat, recreational and scenic resources, and cultural heritage.

Stewardship:  Protect and nurture the natural environment while providing varied outdoor recreational opportunities and access to forests, fields and the shore. Meet our legal and ethical obligations as we manage our preserves and protect our easements.

Outreach and Education:  Offer opportunities for people of all ages and circumstances to encourage connection to and knowledge of Harpswell’s natural environment and cultural heritage. Inspire the next generation of stewards through engagement with local children.

Community Conservation Resource:  Motivate and enable community members to be advocates for and active stewards of Harpswell’s natural resources. Act as a role model of sustainability.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion:  Ensure that all people in our diverse community engage with, are included in and benefit from our work.

Capacity:  Provide the financial, physical and human resources needed to achieve our mission, vision, values and strategic priorities into the future.