The Cathance River Education Alliance and the Brunswick-Topsham Land Trust have been working together for so long, and their histories and staffs are so intertwined, that the union of these two organizations might seem like no big deal. But it is a big deal — a wonderful deal — and let us tell you why.
For 22 years, CREA has engaged thousands of students, through its school-based programming and summer camps, in hands-on exploration of the amazing natural world that is our little corner of the world in the Brunswick-Topsham region. And for 38 years, BTLT has been conserving land here in the Midcoast to protect the health of its natural resources, to promote local agriculture and fisheries, and to create access to places where people can explore, enjoy, and find renewal in nature. Many local residents are familiar with BTLT’s much-loved Saturday Farmers’ Market, Tom Settlemire Community Garden, Labyrinth in the Woods, and extensive trail system. Both organizations have an impressive record of hosting public programs and creating partnerships to help people enjoy the outdoors and learn about birds, insects, animals, gardening, climate change, and myriad other environmental topics.
With this merger, CREA will have the opportunity to expand both its school-based programming and summer camps, engaging even more students across a wider variety of natural habitats. BTLT will benefit from the growing numbers of people who are educated about ways to be good stewards of land that we all enjoy here. Both organizations will benefit from combining our previously separate community programming into a robust, comprehensive program, to say nothing of the efficiencies gained by eliminating duplicative administrative functions.
These days, all of us are facing the challenges that climate change and an increasing population bring to our environment. This merger will result in a larger, stronger organization that is better prepared to understand, communicate, and address these challenges through conservation and education. Together, CREA and BTLT will reach a broader audience, forging connections with those who may not have had the opportunity to engage with us.
In addition to making our programs more robust and more efficient, we anticipate that through merger, we enhance our attractiveness to foundations and donors, further increasing our capacity for conservation and education. Foundations are increasingly interested in funding mature, stable organizations that are sophisticated enough to recognize the advantages of combining forces when conditions are right. We have already received two grants from foundations in support of our merger exploration, and we believe our combined organization will attract strong support for our programs from foundations.
Finally, the pandemic caused many institutions to re-evaluate how they do their work. For both CREA and BTLT, it was a catalyst, a reminder that circumstances can change quickly. In response to the pandemic, many people turned to nature for solace and distraction. Both BTLT and CREA responded to the increased interest in the outdoors, sometimes in similar ways. This led us to think, “Are we being duplicative?” BTLT and CREA weathered the pandemic by being nimble and innovative, with a heightened awareness that together, one plus one will equal three; that as a single organization able to carry out the missions of both, we are stronger together.
We hope you will be part of our future — enjoying our many programs and helping us keep our beautiful natural resources healthy in the years to come.
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