Overview
“The Compact is the oldest (1986), self-sustaining, regional service center for land trusts in the United States and a model for other environmental coalitions.”
— Land Trust Alliance, Washington D.C. (2010)
Established in 1986, The Compact of Cape Cod Conservation Trusts, Inc. was founded to provide essential technical, legal, and strategic capacity to local land trusts across Barnstable County. Over its first 25 years, The Compact transformed regional land preservation, establishing pioneering legal frameworks, securing millions in grant capital, and accelerating the pace of open space protection across all 15 Cape towns.
Major Accomplishments (1986–2011)
Building Regional Capacity & Foundations
Establishing Local Land Trusts
Helped found the last three local land trusts on Cape Cod: Yarmouth (1986), Dennis (1988), and Harwich (1989).
Mapping Protected Open Space
Produced the Cape's first regional map showing protected open space parcels in 1988.
Network of Professionals
Established a network of specialized professionals (attorneys, surveyors, appraisers) offering donated or reduced-rate services to member land trusts.
Shared Staff Model
Provided a base for local land trusts to engage in staff-sharing (2002–present), drastically lowering overhead and helping train new conservation professionals.
Strategic Mergers
Successfully managed the merger of the Mary Barton Land Trust into the Barnstable Land Trust (2010–2011).
Self-Sustaining Model
Secured reliable annual funding primarily from member trusts without competing against them for private individual donors. No member land trust has ever voted to leave The Compact.
Legal Innovation & Tax Policy
Conservation Restriction (CR) Leadership:
Pioneered CR adoption across the region, including a formula for generous property tax breaks adopted by 14 of 15 Cape towns (1987–2004). No Compact-drafted CR has ever been rejected by local or state authorities.
Charitable Trust Deeds:
Developed charitable trust deeds in 2004 as an alternative to CRs for preserving land trust parcels. Land trusts in all 15 Cape towns (and Marion, MA) voted to adopt this model.
Pre-Acquisition & Grant Eligibility:
Served as pre-acquisition agent for local land trusts—ensuring purchases remained eligible for public grants while holding CRs as required by grant guidelines.
Science-Driven Conservation & Mapping
✔ Critical Habitat Mapping: Created the Cape’s first parcel-by-parcel habitat mapping analysis (1998) and statistical priority ranking system (2003).
✔ Pleasant Bay Watershed Mapping: Drafted the region's first watershed-based open space priority map covering four towns surrounding Pleasant Bay (2003).
✔ Priority Ponds Initiative: Identified key freshwater pondshore parcels across the Cape to preserve based on water quality and ecological habitat (2004).
Financial Capital & Public Grant Success
✔ Thomsen Revolving Loan Fund: Started a low-interest loan fund (1992)—capitalized at $600,000—which disbursed $3.5 million to help preserve over 400 acres of vulnerable land.
✔ 100% Grant Success Rate: Secured over $10 million in state and federal open space grants for towns and land trusts (including $1.75 million for Dennis's Crowe's Pasture in 2004 and a record $3.83 million across 9 towns and 6 land trusts in 2010). No Compact grant application was ever rejected.
✔ Inter-Municipal Funding Partnerships: Coordinated ground-breaking cross-town funding models where one town subsidized another's open space purchase: Brewster-Dennis (2005), Orleans-Brewster (2010), and Harwich-Chatham (2010)—totaling $7 million for 121 acres.
Municipal Planning & Policy Leadership
✔ Town Open Space Plans: Coordinated and drafted 5-Year Town Open Space and Recreation Plans for Orleans (1994), Provincetown (1995), Yarmouth (1996 & 2001), Dennis (1998), and Sandwich (1999).
✔ Land Bank & CPA Guidance: Trained and advised municipal Cape Cod Land Bank Committees (1998–2007) and Community Preservation Committees (2007–present). Compiled a complete history of all 234 Land Bank transactions ($214 million total value) in 2008.
✔ Tax-Title to Conservation: Established a model tax-title program in Brewster (2005), preserving 64 acres at a cost to the land trust of just $330 per acre.
✔ Pioneering "Undevelopment": Coined and championed the concept of "undevelopment"—buying blighted, developed properties and restoring them to natural habitat or public parks—and published case studies in the Take Back the Cape booklet.
Training & Educational Outreach
✔ Regional Education Workshops: Designed and hosted annual winter training workshops for 100+ conservation professionals and volunteers across Southeastern Massachusetts (2002–present).
✔ Conservation Video Series: Produced four short films highlighting Brewster Conservation Trust projects (2010–2011), the first series of its kind in Massachusetts.
Training & Educational Outreach
✔ Regional Education Workshops: Designed and hosted annual winter training workshops for 100+ conservation professionals and volunteers across Southeastern Massachusetts (2002–present).
✔ Conservation Video Series: Produced four short films highlighting Brewster Conservation Trust projects (2010–2011), the first series of its kind in Massachusetts.
| Era | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1962 – 1986 | Before The Compact | 7 projects total |
| 1986 | The Compact of Cape Cod Conservation Trusts is Established | - |
| 1986 – 1992 | Early Regional Coordination | 33 projects total |
| 1992 – 2010 | Advanced Technical & Financial Support | 42 projects total |
Professional Recognition & Awards
The Compact’s regional service model has been recognized with awards and honors from leading peer institutions:
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U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)
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National Park Service
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U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
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MassAudubon
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Association to Preserve Cape Cod (APCC)
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Massachusetts Association of Conservation Commissions (MACC)
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Cape Cod Museum of Natural History
Dedicated Staff Leadership (1986–2011)
The Board of Directors extends its deepest gratitude to the staff members who provided extraordinary leadership and vision during our first 25 years:
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Mark H. Robinson
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Michael W. Lach
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Paula Pariseau
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Russell DeConti
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Jeff Thibodeau
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Heather Lanza
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Vincent Ollivier
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Matt Boulanger
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Eve Vidito
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Lisa Strock O’Connell
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Kris Ramsay
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James McCarthy