Ashby Land Trust Annual Report January - December 2003

The Board of Directors of the Ashby Land Trust is pleased to offer this Annual Report to our membership and friends.

This year the work of the Board focused primarily on fundraising to complete the purchase of Mt. Watatic. By December 31 we had paid expenses and repaid $575,000 plus interest on our loans. Only $25,000 remained to complete our financial obligation. The organizational effort to accomplish this goal was huge. We have many more skills and have learned many things that will continue to strengthen the Land Trust. We are also confident that our experience and increased visibility both locally and regionally will serve us well as we continue to protect land.

In spite of the focus on the Campaign for Watatic, the Land Trust also pursued other priorities this year. In the area of community outreach and public education, Bob Leary led a winter hike up Mt. Watatic in January, and we sponsored an information table at the Pumpkin festival in October. In November, Ken Brown, Jeanie Lindquist and Francie Steffian met with students at Ashby Elementary School for an exchange of ideas about land conservation. This was the first of several conversations we will be having with the students, and we were all pleased at their participation.

Our organization and structure continue to mature. This year we successfully underwent our first full audit, and appreciate the impeccable bookkeeping of Treasurer Chris Nash. We received our permanent 501©3 status from the Internal Revenue Service, which means that we were successful in meeting the criteria for a non-profit tax-exempt charitable organization. We opened a brokerage account and have accepted our first gifts of stock.

At the end of the year the Board voted to co-hold a Conservation Restriction with the New England Forestry Foundation on a portion of the William and Vincent Arnold property on New Ipswich Road. This is our fourth Conservation Restriction.

Campaign for Watatic

We include in this report a few highlights of the Campaign for Watatic in 2003. During this year the Campaign reached its highest level of activity and intensity.

• We organized a team of volunteers to make 150 phone calls in support of a positive vote at the Ashby Special Town Meeting on January 11, 2003. Over 100 people attended the meeting and the vote passed nearly unanimously.


• We worked with the Ashburnham Conservation Trust to organize volunteers to make phone calls in support of the Ashburnham Town Meeting on May 3, 2003. That vote passed easily also.


• We wrote, produced, and distributed approximately 3000 copies of a full color Campaign fundraising brochure. The printing was donated by NEBS.


• Land Trust member Mike McCallum completed and submitted 21 Foundation grant applications. We received funding from twelve.


• Land Trust member Diane Wright completed and submitted 35 Business applications for funding.


• Individual solicitations continued throughout the Campaign coordinated by Chair Jeanie Lindquist.


• We had weekly press contact and coverage throughout the summer.


• The Campaign conducted nine events during 2003.
  Boulder Coffeehouse fundraiser in Fitchburg on January 11
  Plant Sale – May 25
  Watatic Wine Tasting – June 22
  Community Chant – July 5
  Hike with Author Tom Wessels – July 10
  Poker Run up the mountain – July 12
  Dressage Exhibition – July 26
  Watatic Folk Festival – August 9
  Community Dance with the New England Swing and Soul Orchestra – Sept. 13
  Silent Art Auction – November 23

• Work began on the design and creation of the donor recognition exhibit and final celebration.