Manchester Essex Conservation Trust

Mect conserves land through acquisitions of fee interest and Conservation easements in Manchester and Essex Massachusetts. In 2023, we continued to execute our strategic plan to increase the rate of acquisitions in the face of increasing development pressures. Mect acquired approximately 40 acres through purchase and donation, and signed a purchase and sale agreement for 17 additional acres. Mect agreed to partner with Essex county greenbelt to hold Conservation restrictions in Essex, gloucester and Manchester, which will close in 2024. We continued to work with sellers, and to monitor and steward our holdings. We have continued to pursue our capital campaign goal to raise 5m for land acquisition and defense. We continued to defend our Conservation land from a proposed development at our borders, and hired environmental consultants and lawyers to assist.

Mect held 7 hikes, and hosted a cocktail party to reach our educational and development goals. We expanded the reach of our newsletters to include nearby towns. Our social media and e-newsletter reach have been expended substantially. Our annual meeting, with a forensic ornithologist, was attended by approximately 150 people.