Harpswell resident Matt Newberg said he made an “easy decision” in October to accept an offer to lead Harpswell Heritage Land Trust into the future.
Newberg is a former head of school at the Maine Academy of Natural Sciences in Hinckley and worked previously as a teacher and administrator at the Hyde School in Bath. He grew up in Harpswell, is an avid outdoorsman, and fronts a band, Matt Newberg and the Hearts of Gold. He lives with his wife and son and has a daughter in college.
“I’ve been very familiar with (the Land Trust) since it started, and a fan of its work, and have seen firsthand all the incredible things it has brought to our town,” he said in an interview. “I’ve just been an admirer of the organization for a long time.”
In its 42 years of operation, the nonprofit has conserved more than 1,850 acres through acquisitions and easements. It oversees 21 preserves and trails with public access, has more than 160 volunteers, and boasts education programs that teach more than 300 kids annually.
But in 2024, the Land Trust weathered turnover at multiple key positions. Its former executive director, Julia McLeod, resigned in July to pursue a full-time career in children’s education. Its former operations director, Katie Neal, left six months later to work for the town of Harpswell. Its outreach and education director, Lindy Magness, also departed.
Now, the organization is in a rebuilding phase. Newberg said the group has received a flood of applicants for the vacated roles and will be making some big announcements soon. He sees an opportunity to introduce new ideas and improve upon existing ones.
Newberg said he inherited a well-run organization that is financially sound and performs a vital service to the community. Still, he would like to see the group venture into new territory, including partnerships with the town’s working waterfront and support for efforts to build attainable housing.
“Those two topics are really important, and I do think that the Land Trust could find some creative ways to help with solutions on that,” Newberg said.
Land trusts conserve land by acquiring it directly or securing and defending conservation easements, legal agreements that permanently limit development on privately owned land. They’re a mix of environmental stewards, legal enforcers and community connectors.
Maine’s natural beauty has made land preservation both economically and culturally important. Fishing, tourism and outdoor recreation all depend on access to undeveloped land and clean ecosystems.
According to the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, the state has more than 80 land trusts that have conserved more than 12% of the state, providing upward of 2.3 million acres of publicly accessible land and 1,000 miles of recreational trails.
Newberg said the Harpswell Heritage Land Trust has always been involved in protecting public access to shoreline and intertidal zones for shellfish harvesters. He wants to take that a step further and has been talking to Ben Martens, executive director of the Maine Coast Fishermen’s Association, about ways the two groups can work together.
“The working waterfront, it is just the DNA of our community,” Newberg said.
Similarly, he is looking for more ways to promote food security in Harpswell. HHLT is already a contributor to the Harpswell Community Garden and oversees a container garden program with Harpswell Aging at Home that focuses on edible plants and vegetables.
Newberg said he has been in discussions with Two Coves Farm, the only commercial farm still operating in Harpswell, about bringing some summer programs there.
“I think it would be wonderful to partner with them, bringing groups to do tours there, learn about sustainable agriculture, and as a way for us to maybe encourage more folks to (grow food) in their backyards,” he said.
Newberg said climate change poses a challenge to HHLT’s efforts to preserve public access to land, but he also sees an opportunity for the group to take on an expanded role in both climate resiliency and education efforts.
“Just being supportive of that topic in town is something that I think we are uniquely positioned to do,” he said.
