BRLT President Nan Davison reported that a $25,000 grant made by the Louise H. and David S. Ingalls Foundation last June has been met. One hundred and thirty-seven donors responded to the challenge which specified that the foundation would match gifts up to $25,000 by Oct. 1. The foundation also donated $25,000 in addition to the matching grant.

Another $25,000 challenge grant donated in August by Chuck and Betty Koch, Southport summer residents, is now at the $14,355 mark. This grant is specifically for the Damariscove Island portion of the campaign, one of three campaign goals. The land trust will accept ownership of the island from The Nature Conservancy this fall, and has been raising endowment funds for Damariscove's future care and maintenance. Donors have until Dec. 31 to have their contributions matched by this grant. The current Koch grant is in addition to a $75,000 gift the couple made last year toward the future project of rebuilding Damariscove's stone pier.

Davison reported that with the boost to the campaign from these matching challenges, the overall total for the $1 million campaign is now at $913,644, leaving $86,366 still to be raised.

"We are now very optimistic about reaching our goal," Davison said, "and are very grateful to all our donors." She noted that approximately 475 contributors have given to the three-year campaign announced just a year ago. "This represents a very broad base of support in the region," she said. "We are particularly proud of the fact that expenses for the fund-raising campaign have been kept below 2 percent. This means that all but a tiny fraction of the funds raised go directly to the land trust projects."

She added, "We are especially excited to have come this far, with the prospect of completing the campaign two years ahead of schedule. Our hope now is that the remaining funds will come in by the end of the year, allowing us to close the books on the campaign and move on to completion of the projects for which the funds are intended."

The Koch challenge is still open until Dec. 31, Davison noted. This means that donors who give between now and then effectively double the amount of their gifts up to the $25,000 limit.

Accepting ownership of Damariscove has been contingent on raising sufficient endowment funds for the 210-acre historic island's care and maintenance. With the end in sight, Davison said that the land trust and The Nature Conservancy will announce plans soon for the official ownership transfer. Care of the island includes protection of bird nesting areas, maintenance and repair of the small museum and other buildings, supervision of paid resident caretakers during the summer months and maintenance of hiking trails, moorings and the pier.

The land trust will continue to provide working waterfront on the island for local lobstermen and will use the island for educational opportunities for school children and the general public.

Funds are also still being raised for the other two capital campaign projects:

--Acquisition of property at Wildcat Creek is a project that grew from one 108-acre property to three properties totaling 202 acres. This was made possible by Edgecomb summer residents Michael and Roxanne Zak who donated funds to buy two properties and contributed 52 acres of their own. An additional 5.08-acre adjacent property was donated by Ross Edwards, bringing the total preserve to nearly 208 acres. The Zak Preserve, with trails now open to the public, consists of fields, woods and wetland off of Rt. 27, offering a scenic gateway to Boothbay. Endowment funds are still needed for the preserve.

--Funds are still needed to begin construction of a handicapped access trail and bridge at the Penny Lake Preserve behind the Carousel Theatre. The completed project will provide nature trails accessible to St. Andrews village, the Boothbay schools, the YMCA and the general public.

Contributions to the completion of the capital campaign may be sent to the BRLT at P.O. Box 183, Boothbay Harbor, ME 04538.Working with Davison on the BRLT's Capital Campaign Committee are Nancy and Stewart Bither, Chip Griffin, Dawn Kidd, BRLT executive director, Anne and Mike Grimes, Alan Lewis, Bill Logan, Bob Marden, Bob McLaughlin, Rupert Neily, Mike Pander, Tony Patton, Phil Slayton and Peggy Voight.

The BRLT has, since 1980, worked to protect the natural resources of the region. Some of its better known preserves, containing more than 25 miles of cleared and marked trails open to the public, are Ovens Mouth, Porter, Saunders Park, Lobster Cove Meadow, Penny Lake and Linekin Preserve. Further information on the land trust's work is available on its website, bbrlt.org.