The Belgrade Regional Conservation Alliance (BRCA) is dedicated to conserving the lands, water quality, and natural heritage of the Belgrade Lakes Watershed. Founded in 1988, this grassroots group has grown into a combined land trust and lake trust with over 1200 members, dedicated to protecting the watershed through land conservation, watershed management and protection, education and outreach, and implementation of conservation projects. The BRCA works with area lake associations, state and town governments and agencies, other conservation groups, and private landowners to preserve the area’s natural resources and maintain public access for low-impact recreational activities like hiking, fishing, hunting, canoeing, and cross-country skiing.

Our Land Trust has conserved nearly 7000 acres through fee purchase or conservation easements, including the 6,000 acre Kennebec Highlands. A major consideration of our land acquisition strategy is preservation of water quality through protection ot headwaters streams and wetland corridors.

Our Lake Trust is a strategic alliance of the five lake associations in the Belgrade Lakes Watershed and oversees the Milfoil Committee, which administers the courtesy boat inspection program that inspected over 10,000 boats the summer of 2009 at seven public boat ramps to prevent the spread of invasive plants. The Lake Trust also includes the BRCA Youth Conservation Corps that has completed over 600 erosion control projects in the past 14 years and the Watershed program that has performed water quality surveys of all the seven of the Belgrade Lakes. The Watershed program has worked with the Maine DEP and the Kennebec County Soil and Water Conservation District to develop and implement watershed-based plans to improve water quality. The BRCA Education and Outreach Committee develops programs designed to highlight the linkages between the land use and water quality.  Programs include public lectures, guided hikes, canoe trips, nature walks, bird watching trips, etc.

The Belgrade Lakes Watershed faces threats from accelerating development pressure, invasive species, erosion, and other damage caused by overuse. Once opportunities to protect our lakes and lands are gone they can not be reclaimed, but by joining the BRCA you can help seize conservation opportunities and meet these challenges.

Mission Statement

The Belgrade Regional Conservation Alliance was incorporated on November 1, 1988, as the Watson Pond Conservation Trust, a land trust with a fairly narrow geographical area of interest. It was reorganized in November of 1991 as the Belgrade Regional Conservation Alliance, an umbrella organization for the five individual lakes associations of the Belgrade chain of lakes, and the land trust for the Belgrade Lakes watershed. Our purposes, as they are enumerated in our articles of incorporation, are:

• To promote for the benefit of the general public the preservation of natural resources primarily in, but not limited to, the towns of the Belgrade Lakes watershed and Kennebec County in the state of Maine. These resources include land and water resources, the plant and animal life thereon, and unique scenic, agricultural, natural, and historic sites.
• To engage in and promote the scientific study of, and education regarding natural resources.
• To use all property held by the corporation, and the net earning thereon, for the benefit of the general public and for charitable, educational, recreational, conservation, scientific, or historical purposes.

BRCA Board of Directors

The BRCA Board of Directors includes representatives from the area lakes associations (Belgrade Lakes Association, East Pond Association, McGrath Pond and Salmon Lake Association, North Pond Association, and Snow Pond-Messalonskee Lake Association) and members at large.

Charlie Baeder, President
Dick Greenan, Treasurer
Roy Bouchard, Secretary
Dave Axelman, member at large
Warren Balgooyen, member at large
Mel Croft, East Pond Association
Pat Donahue, Belgrade Lakes Association
Jane Eberle, Belgrade Lakes Association
Don Mairs, McGrath Pond/Salmon Lake Association
Maggie Shannon, Belgrade Lakes Association
Jack Shultz, Belgrade Lakes Association
Bill Swan, member at large

History of BRCA

November 1, 1988 - Founded/incorporated as the Watson Pond Conservation Trust

January 31, 1990 - Became a 501 (c) (3) organization as determined by the IRS

1990 - Acquired first property: French Mountain and 34 acres on the west shore of Watson Pond in Rome

November 22, 1991 - Changed name to Belgrade Regional Conservation Alliance and revised articles of incorporation to reflect broadened focus

1995 - Founded Belgrade Lakes Conservation Corps

1998 - Acquired The Mountain in Rome in collaboration with Belgrade Lakes Association

1998 - Initiated 6,000 acre Kennebec Highlands project in central Maine

1999 - Acquired first conservation easements: Pentlarge property with old growth forest in Rome

1999 - Started Watershed Program with proceeds from Maine Department of Environmental Protection's NPS Grants Program

1999 - Began remediation programs to improve water quality on Salmon Lake and McGrath Pond in conjunction with the Kennebec County Soil and Water Conservation District

2000 - Completed watershed reports on East Pond and North Pond and published Great Pond watershed survey

2001 - Formed BRCA milfoil committee to combat invasive species

2002 - In collaboration with area lake associations, began summer boat inspections at local boat launches to combat the spread of milfoil and other invasive species.

2002 - Created and filled year-round executive director position.

2003 - In collaboration with the Maine Historic Preservation Commision, began an archaeology survey of the Kennebec Highlands.

2004 - Acquired final two properties that completed the Kennebec Highlands, conserving 5,600 acres of watershed land in Rome, Vienna, Mt Vernon, and New Sharon. Planned for additional acquisitions and future expansion of the Highlands.

2004 - In collaboration with Pine Island Camp, acquired 207 acres on Mt. Phillip in Rome, including the hiking trail and summit.

2005 - Acquired two properties near the Kennebec Highlands; 17.5 acres southeast of the highlands in Vienna and 24 acres at the north end off Route 27 in Rome.

2005 - Created a parking lot for Mt. Phillip in Rome for public access to the hiking trail and summit.

2006 - A gift acquisition of 39 acres in New Sharon from Everette Pope, a Medal of Honor recipient.

2006 - Formed BRCA Lake Trust to coordinate water quality efforts in the Belgrade Lakes Watershed.