Committees

The SVCA committees are the heart of the organization. Committee participation is generally open to any SVCA member, and volunteers are needed and encouraged. For meeting schedules and more information on joining a committee, please contact the office

Development and Membership

Recommends long-term and annual financial fund raising goals
Develops fund raising policies and strategies
Develops plans for annual and special fund raising campaigns, including associated publications
Participates directly in fund raising

Events and Outreach

Create and implement events for membership recruitment, annual meetings and other special events
Promotes SVCA's relationship with the media on a regular basis
Organizes annual events that foster a relationship between the SVCA, its members and the community
Develops strategies to encourage member participation in SVCA programs

Stewardship

Monitors easements and lands owned annually for compliance with applicable rules
Creates management plans (for in-fee properties)
Develops and recommends to Board response policies for easement violations
Produces, in cooperation with Lands Committee, baselines for newly acquired properties/easements

Lands

This committee developers and recommends land protection priorities and focus areas to the Board, oversees, evaluates, negotiates and finalizes Board approved lands and easement purchases and donations, and develops easement and acquisition standards

Trails

This committee performs trail design, construction, and maintenance functions on the properties owned by the SVCA, and sees that the work is performed in accordance with all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations, and is consistent with SVCA property management plans.

Sets trail construction schedule and secures volunteers to meet the schedule
Sets a maintenance schedule for each property
Plans and executes any special cleanup projects
Assists in establishing appropriate educational activities for each property
Provides educational/informational tours of each property
Creates and maintains signage
Maintains fences and boundary markers

Water Quality

This committee is responsible for the oversight and planning of all water quality assessment activities. This includes the annual volunteer monitoring and any special studies undertaken as part of the SVCA program.

Evaluates past year's monitoring results and reviews site locations
Recruits, retains, and trains volunteers
Ensures methods unutilized comply with established guidelines
Analyzes the collected data for trends, implications, for water quality classification, and areas in need of remediation or closer scrutiny
Disseminates results
Maintains contact with other groups doing water quality work on Maine water bodies

Finance and Investment

This committee is responsible for developing and overseeing the systems that control and account for SVCA's finances. The Finance Committee is also charged with the responsibility of providing regular, ongoing financial education to Board members to that each Board member obtains a working understanding of the of the significance of, and relationships among, the budgeting and accounting processes, investment policies and financial reporting.

Advocacy

The mission of the advocacy committee is to publicly advocate for the conservation and restoration of the natural systems, their inhabitants and the historic heritage of the Sheepscot watershed. Advocacy activities can include public education, and influencing public opinion; research for interpreting problems and suggesting preferred solutions; constituent action and public mobilizations; agenda setting and policy design; lobbying; policy implementation, monitoring and feedback

Governance

Review and evaluate personnel policies
Review and evaluate the personnel needs of the organization
Review table of organization to ensure efficient and effective functioning of the organization
Review SVCA practices on a continuous basis to insure consistency with the Land Trust Alliance Standards and Practices
Propose changes to SVCA practices
Propose amendments to SVCA charter and by-laws