WHo we are
Conserving and protecting land in the Royal River watershed - forever.
Our mission
Royal River Conservation Trust’s mission is to protect the natural, recreational, scenic, agricultural, and historic resources of the Royal River region for current and future generations.
ABOUT THE ROYAL RIVER CONSERVATION TRUST
Royal River Conservation Trust (RRCT) is a Southern Maine land trust that serves as a catalyst to conserve and protect land in the Royal River watershed.
We are the only organization focused exclusively on conserving land across the communities of our watershed and are funded almost entirely by charitable gifts.
How we work
Royal River Conservation Trust works with private landowners, community members, municipalities, national, regional, and local conservation organizations, government organizations, and others that are interested in conserving our shared environment for perpetuity. While each project is different, most fall into several broad categories whereby we:
Acquire land through donation or purchase (and then steward the property through regular maintenance and long-term management);
Use conservation easements or other legal agreements to conserve land in perpetuity without acquiring the land itself;
Assist or collaborate with municipalities, conservation partners, and other groups with land conservation projects, property access, nature interpretation, and educational programming.
RRCT actively manages over 7 miles of Royal River shoreline and 25 miles of hiking trails within the watershed's primary municipalities of Auburn, Durham, Gray, New Gloucester, North Yarmouth, Pownal, and Yarmouth.
Royal River Conservation Trust serves as a catalyst for land conservation in the watershed by engaging landowners, government officials, community members, businesses, local, regional, and state non-profits, and others to protect, steward, and restore the Royal River watershed.
OUR HISTORY
Since 1988, RRCT has protected 6,020 acres of land including 1,120 acres in 16 Trust-owned preserves and 2,010 acres through 62 Trust-held conservation easements – and is actively pursuing new projects to add to these totals.
Royal River Conservation Trust’s roots date to 1988 with the founding of North Yarmouth Land Trust and New Gloucester Preservation Trust. In 2006, these two trusts joined forces with Yarmouth Land Trust (established in 1990) and Friends of the Royal River (established in 1992) under the RRCT umbrella. The Pownal Land Trust (established in 1989) joined RRCT in 2009.
RRCT has assisted with the creation or expansion of 18 municipal and state parks, preserves, and wildlife areas totaling 2,890 acres. The Trust actively manages over 7 miles of Royal River shoreline and 25 miles of hiking trails within the watershed.
