Thank-you Bremen

For the second year in a row Bremen voters approved funds for deposit into the Land Conservation Reserve Fund. Despite these tough economic times and while other towns have had to make tough decisions, Bremen voters displayed their dedication to conservation by generously approving the request as submitted by the Bremen Conservation Commission.

Thank-you,

Dennis Prior
Chairman, Bremen Conservation Commission

Compost Bins Available

As part of Earth Day 2009 celebration, the Bremen Conservation Commission is participating in a statewide sale of backyard composting bins. Through May 2, a home compost bin and how-to guide with a combined retail value of $100 can be purchase for only $37.50 (tax included). Order forms are available now at the Town Office. On Bremen Clean Up Day, Sat., April 18, the BCC will take orders and have a sample bin on display in Bremen Fire Station parking lot; on Earth Day, Wednesday, April 22, they will be set up in the Town Center parking lot. There are a limited number of compost bins available and they are being sold on a first come, first serve basis.

It's estimated that 25 percent of the average household's waste consists of yard trimmings and kitchen scraps that can be easily composted and turned into rich soil for your garden.

Residents from other towns are welcome to participate in the sale. For more information, or to receive an order form, call Diane at 529-4499 or email doc@tidewater.net.

Woodland Assistance

Need assistance in caring for your woodland? The 2008 Farm Bill expanded access to some conservation programs for forest landowners and managers. Local Soil and Water Conservation Districts are sponsoring meetings throughout Maine in March to provide information about programs such as the Environmental Quality Incentives Program, Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program, Conservation Stewardship Program and Forest Stewardship; how they could benefit Maine's forest landowners; and eligibility requirements. One meeting is scheduled for Waldoboro on Thursday, March 26, 1:30 - 3:30 p.m. at the Knox-Lincoln Extension Service office at 377 Manktown Road. If you'd like to attend, please call 273-3005, ext. 3, a week in advance.

A list of all the meeting dates, locations, times and contact information is available at www.me.nrcs.usda.gov.

Coastal Access

If you are interested in coastal access issues, check out this new website developed by Maine Sea Grant. Www.seagrant.umaine.edu/accesslaw offers legal tools to address specific coastal access questions, and is a resource for coastal property owners, beach and waterfront users, public and environmental interests groups, and governments. It is well designed, easy to use and offers a lot of concrete suggestions.

Tax Benefits of Donating Conservation Land by Robert Levin

---

There are several kinds of tax benefits available to donors of land or conservation easements. This article attempts to summarize these benefits and provide some examples of how they work. If you are uncertain about the differences between bargain sales and donations, or conservation easements and whole interests in property, go to Conservation 101 for a quick brush up.

Federal Tax Benefits

There are two main kinds of federal tax benefits available to conservation donors: federal income tax benefits and federal estate tax benefits.

Federal Income Tax Benefits- Donors of land and conservation easements may claim an income tax deduction under § 170 of the Internal Revenue Code. The exact amount of tax savings depends on several factors:

• How long the donor has owned the property (benefits are generally greater if owned for more than one year);
• How the donor has used the property (residence, investment, agricultural);
• The income of the donor (the higher one’s income, the more one will save on taxes); and
• The value of the donated property (the more valuable the property, the bigger the deduction).

Federal Estate Tax Benefits - A donor may also save substantially on estate taxes if he donates a conservation easement. Under § 2031(c) of the Code, up to $500,000 may be excluded from one’s taxable estate if he or she had donated a qualifying easement. As with the income tax benefits, the larger the value of the donated easement, the bigger the deduction.

The federal estate tax is currently in great flux. In 2003, any estate of $1 million or more is subject to the estate tax. This number rises gradually and the estate tax is completely phased out in 2010. But in 2011, the estate tax is back, along with the $1 million threshold. It is likely that Congress will revisit the estate tax in the coming years, so it is impossible to make any long-term predictions.

State Tax Benefits

Some states have enacted income tax deductions or credits for the donation of land or conservation easements. Check with your local land trust for more information. For example, there is no such state income tax benefit in Maine.

Local Property Tax Benefits

In general, property tax reductions are available for landowners who grant land or a conservation easement. The exact results depend on state law. In Maine, for example, property subject to a conservation easement. will qualify under the Open Space Tax Program. The landowner must file an application with the local tax assessor, who will then make the final decision on the amount of the reduction.

See some hypothetical examples of how much one couple could save

Woodland Management Workshops Offered

Do you own woodland? If so, you might be interested in free two woodland management workshops being offered this month, both led by Morten Moesswilde, the midcoast district forester for the Maine Forest Service.

On Sat., March 14, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. the Coastal Mountains Land Trust will host a condensed forest management course at their office at 101 Mt. Battie Street in Camden on the fundamentals of managing woodlands. Advance registration is required; to register or for more information, call 236-7091 or visit www.coastalmountains.org.

Sheepscot Valley Conservation Assn. and the Maine Forest Service are hosting a two-part "Woodland Owner's Shortcourse" from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesdays, March 17 and 24, at SVCA's office in Sheepscot Village. Pre-registration is required by March 12; call 586-5616 or send an email to svca@sheepscot.org.

Ocean Front Property: To Preserve Or Not Preserve
By John Maguire

Bremen residents learned how landowners could preserve oceanfront property for commercial fishing use during a presentation at the Town Center on Feb. 25.

Jeff Kendall, a property appraiser from the Property Tax Division at the Maine Revenue Service, spoke in front of a small audience about the state Working Waterfront current use program.

Bremen had the highest acreage (20.70 acres) in Maine classified under the Working Waterfront program in 2008, according to Kendall and the Maine Revenue Service.

To read the article in its entirety link to Lincoln County News by clicking on the link below:

http://www.mainelincolncountynews.com/main.asp?Search=1&ArticleID=44149&SectionID=1&SubSectionID=75&S=1

BCC to take part in Open Space Conservation Planning and Financing Workshop

On Monday, April 27th, the Maine Department of Agriculture, Food & Rural Resources and the Maine Coast Heritage Trust Conservation Innovation Program will be hosting a workshop at the Curtis Memorial Library in Brunswick for people involved in open space conservation and planning.

The Bremen Conservation Commission has been invited to take part in a panel presentation that will discuss open space planning and the path taken in developing the conservation plan for the Town of Bremen.

The 9:00 am - 3:30 pm workshop will also cover Town Bonding for Open Space Plan Implementation, Town Installment Purchase Agreements, and Installment Purchase Agreements for Land Trusts. The finance portion with Daniel O'Connell will acquaint town officials, conservation commissions and land trusts with a very innovative financing method that can save the buyer and seller money.

Community Forests

MEACC will co-sponsor a conference with the Maine Forest Service and the Community Forest Collaborative on Community Forests in October. Two sessions will be offered: Bangor, October 16th and Bath, October 23rd. If you have a community forest, or see the establishment of a community forest as a way of getting your town involved in open space acquisition, be sure to save the date. This is a particularly good strategy for policy makers who see open space just taking property off the tax rolls for the enjoyment of "elites." Community forests can pay real dividends to towns, often in excess of whatever property taxes these lands might otherwise generate.

Discussing Maine's Working Waterfront Tax Law Program

The Bremen Conservation Commission will hold a public informational meeting regarding Maine’s Working Waterfront Tax Law Program on Wednesday, February 25th at 7pm at the Bremen Town Center. Jeff Kendall of the Maine Revenue Service and Town Assessor Juanita Hennessey will provide insight into this program and discuss its benefits to those living and working along Bremen’s Working Waterfront. Anyone interested is encouraged to attend.

Working Waterfront Land Application
www.maine.gov/revenue/forms/property/apps/workingwaterfrontapp.pdf

DIFW: New Website...Check it out!

Great article on the Bald Eagle in this new user friendly interactive magazine. Check it out
www.flipseekllc.com/maine2009winter.html

Sharing community stories

A new website is available for people to post stories about their communities and read about other communities. Developed by the Orton Family Foundation, this is a place on the web where people can share stories about the heart and soul of their community. Through these stories, we can learn about the real fabric of our people and our places. Post a story today at Community Almanac!

Preserving the Working Waterfront

The Bremen Lobster Co-Op, on Keene Narrows, has received a grant from the Working Waterfront Access Pilot Program that will help preserve the property as Working Waterfront. The Co-Op plans to use the funds to remove the decaying hull of the Cora Cressey, make repairs to the lobster pound, and purchase new equipment. In return, the property has a covenant restricting any future development to maintaining fishery use. Neighbor Dan Goldenson helped the Co-Op write the grant application. For more information on this program, go to www.wwapp.org

Another program that can help preserve Working Waterfront property is Maine's Working Waterfront Tax Law. This law allows property to be assessed for what it is worth as working waterfront land and not what its market value would be if it could be converted to other uses.

The program is similar to the Tree Growth Tax Law in that once it is enrolled in the program, the property must remain working waterfront or face penalties for withdrawal or disqualification.

Although not for everyone, the Tax Law has great potential for reducing taxes for those Working Waterfront property owners who want to keep their land for commercial fishing purposes.

For a definition of Working Waterfront and an explanation of how the program works, go to
www.maine.gov/revenue/forms/property/pubs/workingwaterq&a.htm

Both these programs are part of the Strategies Section to Encourage Traditional Rural Occupations in A Conservation Plan for Bremen

---

Historic Maps

Lincoln County Planner Bob Faunce gave a visual presentation at the Bremen Selectmen's meeting November 20 on historic population growth patterns in town.  Using a series of maps from the 1890s on, he showed where the town's residences were located in the past, and where they are today.  Before the 1960s, very few residences were located on the water, but since then that is where most of the town's residential growth has occurred.  Faunce challenged listeners to determine where future growth could occur if Bremen wants to retain its rural character. 

 

Fuance also showed population growth changes in neighboring towns such as Bristol, Damariscotta, and Nobleboro.  He is preparing a similar series of maps for all Lincoln County towns.  He said the population in Lincoln County has almost doubled in the past 30 years. 

 

Faunce left a set of maps and a DVD of his presentation with town officials.  The maps may be viewed at the town office. 

 

 

Programs at Audubon's Hog Island Camp Suspended

Maine Audubon and the National Audubon Society have announced programming at the Hog Island center in Bremen will be suspended in 2009 while the they undertake long-term planning to determine the future for the center.  The suspension includes resdential sessions, wildlife boat cruises, and operations at Todd Wildlife Sanctuary.  

 

For more information go to www.maineaudubon.org/hogisland and read the letter from Seth Benz, director of the Hog Island Center.

 

The Hog Island Audubon Center has been a landmark of environmental education, and of Bremen, since 1936. 

Keeping Bremen Clean

While walking some backwoods trails here in Bremen we came across two comfy looking chairs but no one was home.

Recreation Committee Getting Underway

The BCC's Recreation Committee is underway. We are looking for interested and enthusiastic individuals to assist in fulfilling the strategies recommended by the BCC and stated in the Town of Bremen Conservation Plan. Acquiring water access, maintaining traditional hunting and establishing a network of trails throughout Bremen are some of the projects of focus.

One project already underway is working with the MVLT in planning for the 165 acre Karl F. Berger Preserve on Bremen Long Island. If you have interest in recreation in Bremen then we need you. If you would like to volunteer or have questions please email bcc@tidewater.net

Traditional recreation : Info from IF&W

Dear Friend of the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife:

Here's some important information from the Department we'd like you to knowabout.

HUNTING, TRAPPING AND FALL FISHING:Any-Deer Permits: Please write down your number and keep with your huntinglicense. IF&W will not be sending out permits this year in an effort toconserve funds. For more information, see http://deer.informe.org/index.htm

State Migratory Waterfowl Permit: Is required for all hunters 16 years ofage or older to hunt waterfowl. In addition to the permit, these huntersalso are required to have either a small game or big game hunting license aswell as a Federal Migratory Bird Hunting Stamp. The State MigratoryWaterfowl Permit is available at all license agents or online athttp://www.mefishwildlife.com/

Conservation Account

Did you know the Town of Bremen has established a Conservation Account for the purpose of acquiring land, easements and rights-of-way to maintain open space for Bremen's future?    If you would like to contribute to this account, you may send donations to Conservation Account, Town of Bremen, P.O. Box 171, Bremen, ME 04551.   All donations are tax deductible.   

BCC one and only in Lincoln County

While conservation efforts abound in Lincoln County the MEACC reports on its website that the BCC is the only organized town conservation commission in Lincoln County. While other Lincoln County towns may be in the process of establishing a conservation commission it is imperative that the BCC encourage and promote conservation efforts in neighboring towns. As a member of the Maine Association of Conservation Commissions (MEACC) the BCC has at its disposal tools that will assist in implementing conservation stratgegies.