Declaration of Trust Amended

Between 2013 to 2015 the Orleans Conservation Trust worked to update the Trust’s founding Declaration of Trust.  This comprehensive and rewarding exercise, which included careful legal review and four special meetings of the members, has resulted in a new document that was approved unanimously by the entire Board of Trustees and 352 Members, strengthening the Trust at every level.

The primary changes included:

• Reaffirming our purpose, which is to acquire and hold land in its natural state for conservation purposes forever
• Ensuring that the Trust conforms to all state and federal regulations, thus guaranteeing that the Trust retains its charitable status
• Raising the minimum number of Trustees from 5 to 7;
• Giving a vote to each member of any two-person household, that makes a gift or joins as members at a level at least twice the amount of an individual membership (currently $25);
• Creating an independent nominating committee process to nominate and elect future trustees; and
• Establishing achievable quorum levels for our future meetings, elections, and amendments to the Declaration of Trust.

The entire new document is available by clicking HERE!