The 12 Rivers Conservation Initiative in Newcastle recently received a $5,000 grant from the Fund for Maine Land Conservation of the Maine Community Foundation.

The 12 Rivers Initiative is a group of 10 independent land trusts working together to connect the natural landscapes of Midcoast Maine. The grant, obtained by the Sheepscot Valley Conservation Association on behalf of the Initiative, will support a project coordinator in the coming year to assist member land trusts in their efforts to raise awareness about the 12 Rivers project and help create understanding about, and interest in, regional land conservation and stewardship.

“This grant is a terrific boost to the 12 Rivers Initiative’s work to connect people, land, water, wildlife, recreation and economy,” said Liz Petruska, chairman of the 12 Rivers Steering Committee and executive director of Medomak Valley Land Trust. “With 10 organizations working together, we’re doing what no one organization could do alone to protect the quality of place from Bath to Rockland, Whitefield to Freedom, Appleton to Liberty.”

The Midcoast has a small amount of conserved land relative to the rest of Maine, and the 12 Rivers Conservation Initiative formed in 2011 to increase the pace, quality and connectivity of conservation in the region.

The Initiative’s mission is to accelerate conservation of the forested landscape from the Kennebec River to the St. George River with the goal of doubling the amount of protected lands.

Its members include Boothbay Region Land Trust, Damariscotta Lake Watershed Association, Damariscotta River Association, Georges River Land Trust, Kennebec Estuary Land Trust, Maine Coast Heritage Trust, Medomak Valley Land Trust, Pemaquid Watershed Association, Sheepscot Valley Conservation Association, and Sheepscot Wellspring Land Alliance. Links to member land trust websites can be found at www.12rivers.org.

For more information on the 12 Rivers Conservation Initiative, please contact a member land trust, or email 12riverscollaborative@gmail.com. For information on the foundation, visit www.mainecf.org