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.
Here’s the story of Maxwell Farm-Dyer Field:

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Although many farms remain in Cape today, their numbers are diminishing having been replaced by residential development.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.
Learn why community members find CELT’s role critical to Cape’s rural character:
Impact of Giving
Your gift to CELT makes a real difference to our mission. Here’s how your gifts help us protect Cape lands, take care of lands and trails, and educate the next generations. Thank you for all you do.
FUNDS THE EQUIVALENT OF: | ||||
Land Protection | Land & Trail Stewardship | Education | ||
Major or Endowment Gifts | $50,000 | 2 acres | 20 acres/forever | 80 kids/forever |
$25,000 | 1 acre | 10 acres/forever | 40 kids/forever | |
Annual or Single Gifts | $10,000 | 0.4 acres | 100 acres/one yr. | 400 kids/one yr. |
$5,000 | 0.2 acres | 50 acres/one yr. | 200 kids/one yr. | |
$2,500 | 0.1 acres | 25 acres/one yr. | 100 kids/one yr. | |
$1,000 | 10 acres/one yr. | 40 kids/one yr. | ||
$500 | 5 acres/one yr. | 20 kids/one yr. | ||
$250 | 2.5 acres/one yr. | 10 kids/one yr. |
Major or Endowment Gifts* | Funds the Equivalent of: |
$50,000 | Land Protection 2 acres |
Land & Trail Stewardship 20 acres/forever |
|
Education 80 kids/forever |
|
$25,000 | Land Protection 1 acre |
Land & Trail Stewardship 10 acres/forever |
|
Education 40 kids/forever |
|
Annual or Single Gifts | |
$10,000 | Land Protection 0.4 acres |
Land & Trail Stewardship 25 acres/one yr. |
|
Education 100 kids/one yr. |
|
$1,000 | Land & Trail Stewardship 10 acres/one yr. |
Education 40 kids/one yr. |
|
$500 | Land & Trail Stewardship 5 acres/one yr. |
Education 20 kids/one yr. |
|
$250 | Land & Trail Stewardship 2.5 acres/one yr. |
Education 10 kids/one yr. |
*Options assume 4% endowment income from major gifts and the annual impact per year in PERPETUITY.
Read more about the Forever Cape campaign: Case Statement
Every gift counts!
Cape Elizabeth is a special place. Once CELT conserves land, it is preserved forever. Please join us conserving this beautiful place for generations to come. Your support will make a real difference in preserving the character of Cape and helping this community campaign succeed. To learn more about giving options, please contact CELT staff at 207-767-6054.