T H A N K Y O U !

The Forever Cape Campaign for Our Community was successfully completed in December 2020, having exceeded its goal by raising $7.5 million for conservation and stewardship in Cape Elizabeth from more than 950 donors. Read the final report for more details.

Maxwell Farm – Dyer Field

FOR THE FUTURE OF FARMING IN CAPE ELIZABETH

CELT partnered with Maine Farmland Trust (MFT) and landowners Nate and Kathy Maxwell to permanently protect 76 acres of beautiful working farmland in Cape Elizabeth. Located between Spurwink Avenue and Sawyer Road, this family-owned property has been a working farm contributing to the local food economy for generations.

Maxwell Farm-Dyer Field is the “icing on the cake” of a three year comprehensive campaign. Funds raised secured the full value of a farmland easement on Maxwell Farm-Dyer Field, assuring the property is forever designated for farmland use for generations to come. Thanks to a generous donor match of each and every contribution up to $854,000, gifts to Maxwell Farm-Dyer Field were able to go twice as far. Today, this farm remains a working farm, supporting the local food economy for generations to come.

Development Growth in a Changing Community

Once a sparsely populated rural community, Cape Elizabeth has witnessed substantial residential housing growth in recent decades. From 2000 to 2015, Cape’s housing stock grew by 364 new units—a rate of growth that is ten times the pace of population growth.

The Erosion of Cape’s Rich Agricultural Heritage

Although many farms remain in Cape today, their numbers are diminishing having been replaced by residential development. Town-wide surveys have repeatedly and overwhelmingly shown that maintaining the viability of local, safe, and reliable food sources is highly valued by Cape Elizabeth residents.

Habitat Destruction

For many in rural areas, going to bed listening to spring peepers is a sure harbinger of spring. Yet in many areas, this experience is now a mere memory. When a parcel of land is developed, hundreds of species are negatively impacted and most are permanently displaced. Thanks to CELT’s conservation efforts, Robinson Woods, to cite but one example, is a thriving ecosystem, with 300-year-old trees and a broad array of wildlife.

INITIAL GOAL: $6.25 MILLION

CELT’s Forever Cape Campaign took strategic and bold steps to conserve Cape by identifying and raising funds for immediate needs within the community and for stewarding lands in perpetuity. During a successful quiet phase of the campaign, CELT raised more than $5 million dollars to support a comprehensive capital campaign. Charitable support from concerned members of the community helped realize a strategic vision for Cape to secure and steward conservation priorities and education programming in Cape Elizabeth over the next 5 to 10 years.

Protecting Land in Perpetuity

Goal: $4 million

Immediate Key Opportunities include 76-acre easement at Maxwell Farm-Dyer Field

Protecting and stewarding lands cherished by our community is our highest campaign priority. During the quiet phase of the campaign, CELT conserved both Robinson Woods III and the Pollack Brook Preserve on Spurwink Avenue (now consolidated with Runaway Farm) using $2.2 million of funds already raised. The 76-acre easement at Maxwell Farm-Dyer Field was then secured. Following the close of the campaign in December 2020, remaining funds were used in the conservation of Chapel Woods and the Davis Parcel.

Stewardship

Goal: $300,000

5-Year Needs

CELT’s work does not stop when we purchase land. There are immediate needs such as bridges, invasive species removal, boardwalks and trail development to provide public access, all that require staff and volunteer time and materials.

General Endowment

GOAL: $1,200,000

Ensure long-term financial health for CELT

Expansion of the General Endowment Fund as a part of this campaign supported conserving CELT properties forever and allows the organization to continue to engage, educate, and connect the community with conserved lands.

Supporting Operations

Goal: $750,000

Fiscal year ’18 through fiscal year ’20

This portion of the campaign ensured that annual operations revenue covered all budget needs for running the organization during the time of the campaign, including funds for educational programs, stewardship activities, land protection, and working with landowners so we continued to do our good work.