John,
I’m writing to tell you about one of our most urgent land-protection projects … because it’s quite exciting, and because we desperately need your help to see it through.
The community is Kingfield, Maine, nestled in the mountains near the Appalachian Trail. About four miles from the center of town is Shiloh Pond, surrounded by 215 acres of the most gorgeous woodland you can imagine. The woods and pond have been owned by the same family for nearly 200 years. They have always allowed locals access, so generations of Kingfield families have learned how to swim, canoe, and fly fish in and on Shiloh Pond’s crystal-clear water.
Last year, the family put the property on sale. It undoubtedly would have been purchased by a developer, who would have broken the land into small lots and built vacation homes with paved roads. Access to the pond would have been limited to the select few who bought the parcels on its shore.
Fortunately, we were able to negotiate an agreement to purchase the land for the town. We expect to close on the property in June, with a project cost of $500,000 … but we’ve only raised $300,000 so far.
If we can’t come up with the remaining $200,000 in less than 3 months, we’ll have to let the property go, and the residents of Kingfield will have to watch vacation homes replace their beloved pond and woods.
John, you have done so much in support of our critical fights to protect land and build parks for people. But because this project is so important and the deadline is so close, I need to ask you to do a little more by making a gift of $35 to help create Kingfield Community Forest — and other community forests across the country.
Shiloh Pond is the kind of place where you run into and catch up with your neighbors on a Sunday afternoon. Because many Kingfield residents live outside the town center, the pond is an important location for preserving social and community connections.
What’s more, Kingfield is right on the way to one of the largest ski areas in Maine. Residents are working to make the town an attractive destination for people visiting from southern Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts. The establishment of Kingfield Community Forest as a recreation destination is a key part of that plan.
Creating this forest will have social benefits, economic benefits, health benefits, and climate change benefits for the people of Kingfield. But if we can’t come up with that additional $200,000, none of it will happen.
That’s why it is imperative that you take just a moment — right now — to make a tax-deductible contribution to our community forest efforts and all our vital work.
Sincerely,
Kim Elliot
Director of Membership
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