Back in April, we sent out our second annual membership survey. PRLT members are anyone and everyone who makes a donation of any amount to our organization within a given year. They represent many different age groups and have varying interests, abilities, jobs, salaries, countries of origin, political beliefs, you name it. What unites them is their commitment to protecting our lands and waters, for today and for all time.
Here's what stood out to us the most from their responses to this year’s survey:
Over 109 members submitted a response–that’s over 25% of our membership! As surveys go, that's a smashing success. This alone speaks volumes to the commitment you all show to conserving land in our community.
93.6% of respondents said they feel strongly or very strongly connected to our mission to “conserve and care for the lands and waters of the Presumpscot River watershed and surrounding areas, fostering connections between people, nature, and community through access, stewardship, and collaboration." We carefully crafted this updated mission statement during our multi-month strategic planning process in 2025, and are delighted the updated version resonates so strongly!
When asked what activities you wanted to see expanded opportunities for at our preserves, the top six answers were walking, hiking, snow-shoeing/cross-country skiing, birding, paddling, and mountain biking. Great news: since the survey closed, we’ve opened new tech trails in Lowell Preserve and are hard at work building the trail system in the Gorham Community Forest.
You also want more guided programming, and you were specific about what kind. The top requests were birding walks, naturalist hikes, foraging walks, and educational talks on topics like local geology, invasive species, and vernal pools. Several of you also asked about full moon hikes and early morning events before the workday starts.
A clear theme also emerged around timing: many of you work Monday through Friday and miss out when programming is during the weekday. We're going to make a more deliberate effort to offer weekend and evening options going forward, starting with our Invasive Plant Removal Days, which are Wednesday nights from 5:30-7:00 p.m. You can sign up to join here, and Abigail will email you weekly with the location. (Note: we did try offering these invasives volunteer days on Sundays too, but attendance was very, very low—are some weekend days/times better than others? Let us know!).
Over 80% of people find out about our trail updates and events from our email newsletter! But we also received a response that asked us why we didn’t have an email newsletter, so not everyone knows about this resource. If you don’t already receive our monthly e-news, you can sign up for the list here: https://www.prlt.org/email-list. And if you want more frequent updates, follow us on Instagram and Facebook (we post on both platforms multiple times a week).
When it comes to volunteering, over half of you (57.8%) have volunteered with us at least once. For those who haven’t, about half of you said "too many other commitments" is the main barrier, which honestly tracks with the busyness of modern life. But a number of you mentioned not knowing what the needs are, and that's something we can fix. Expect clearer and more frequent communication about volunteer opportunities, and we'll work on matching you with things that fit your schedule and interests. You can see current opportunities anytime on our website at https://www.prlt.org/volunteer.
And finally: many of you shared what PRLT means to you personally, and reading those responses was a gift. Here are a few that stuck with us:
That a small and dedicated staff can have outsized positive impacts in the communities you serve.
I appreciate having lots of lovely places to walk & enjoy nature near my house. I want young people to be able to enjoy nature walks as I did as a kid.
I’m so grateful to live in this area. Access to so many trails so close to home. The PRLT lands are my happy place and I’m proud to donate to such a great community!
PRLT means a great deal to me. It's invaluable to me to have a variety of beautiful natural areas close to where I live where I can hike, bird, and enjoy nature. It's also very nice to know that others share in valuing and wanting to preserve natural areas, and that PRLT works on furthering the community's connection to and valuing of the natural world.
Preserving wild land in proximity to urban settings provides all species, including humans, a refuge in nature necessary for our long-term well-being.
Everyone at PRLT is genuinely so grateful for the time our members took to share their thoughts. We don't take your time and insights lightly, and are already using your input to shape our decisionmaking.
PRLT exists because of your support, your enthusiasm, and your deep care for our lands and waters. We're excited to keep building on that momentum together.
With gratitude,
The PRLTeam
