Loon Echo Land Trust (LELT) has been awarded $10,000 through the L.L.Bean Maine Land Trust Grant Program, which Maine Coast Heritage Trust (MCHT) administers. Entering its 21st year, the program continues L.L.Bean’s long-standing commitment to support public access, habitat protection, and outdoor recreation across the state of Maine, bringing total funding to $558,750 for 129 projects since 2004. LELT is one of nine land trusts across the state to receive this year’s award.

The grant will be used to hire a trail crew to conduct significant trail work on Pleasant Mountain, one of southern Maine’s most-visited recreation destinations. The work will include stone staircase construction, tread hardening, erosion mitigation, and repairs to areas degraded by high use on the Ledges and Bald Peak trails. These improvements are part of LELT’s multi-year maintenance plan for the 10-mile trail network, backed by visitor data showing 7,000 – 9,000 users annually on each of these trails alone.

Over the past decade, LELT has invested over $100,000 to construct and expand trailhead parking areas, improve trails and signage, and pursue formal access agreements over private lands on the mountain.

“We are proud and humbled by the responsibility of caring for a place with such deep cultural, ecological, and economic importance,” said Matt Markot, LELT’s Executive Director. “The work planned for next summer will help the Ledges and Bald Peak trails better handle heavy visitor traffic while preventing erosion, improving the trail experience, and protecting important plant species."

“The entire land trust community continues to deeply appreciate L.L.Bean’s enduring investment in Maine’s lands, waters, wildlife, and communities,” said Angela Twitchell, senior director of community and government relations at MCHT. “As nonprofit organizations, Maine’s land trusts rely heavily on private donations and grants to carry out their work. Support from partners like L.L.Bean is essential to protecting the remarkable places that make Maine so special."

According to Twitchell, land trusts are involved in an incredible breadth of work, from conserving important outdoor places to saving wildlife habitat and building trails that communities rely on. The 2025 Census Report from the Maine Land Trust Network shows that land trusts now care for nearly 3 million acres—close to 15 percent of the state—while supporting efforts that range from restoring marshes and rivers to improving fish passage and maintaining well-loved trail systems.

“The support of partners like L.L.Bean helps make this work possible,” Twitchell said.

The Maine Land Trust Network (MLTN) enhances the quality and effectiveness of land conservation organizations across the state. Since its establishment in 1995, MLTN has served as a central hub for conservation collaboration, technical assistance, and grant administration, ensuring sustainable and impactful conservation efforts. A program of Maine Coast Heritage Trust, MLTN is led by a Steering Committee representing up to 25-member land trusts. Learn more at mltn.org.