What We Do

The Kennebec Estuary Collaboration (KEC) is dedicated to conserving lands that protect the biodiversity and natural resources of the Kennebec Estuary for public benefit, and for the estuary itself.  We work with landowners, state and federal agencies and other conservation organizations to protect land through conservation easements and land ownership, and by providing stewardship of preserved properties.

Four fundamental Conservation Values guide our work:  Ecological Integrity, Water Quality, Working Landscapes, and Cultural Sites.  Each value incorporates more specific conservation values, such as coastal wetlands, fish spawning areas, shellfish beds and access to large tracts of land for hunting and hiking. The KEC Strategic Conservation Plan focuses our efforts on the areas within the estuary that hold the highest value for these conservation purposes. With the help of partner organizations, we have identified areas with exceptional habitat value and local significance, and that serve to protect water quality.