My work leading non-profits intersected with both the business sector and the public sector. When I moved into the land conservation sphere, my work shifted more toward the public sphere; developing projects that fit with federal and state funding objectives and finding that the number of projects and their costs was heavily influenced by local land ordinance.

The local land trusts I ran where both part of a larger, landscape scale cooperative conservation effort (Mt Agamenticus to the Sea). When it was created 20 years ago, it was such an innovative approach that it received recognition from the EPA. A key ingredient in its “secret sauce” was a collaborative strategy on projects and, in the early years, hiring a dedicated coordinator to work with each of the municipalities to have consistent land use ordinances and commitment to conservation in the focus area.

Bi-monthly, land protection staff from the partner organizations met to discuss opportunities, project feasibility and funding strategies. This created the definition of a strong team; local land trusts gained knowledge and expertise from the state and federal level organizations and in turn passed along specific details regarding the local socio-political and ecological landscape. The work we did and success we achieved was invigorating and rewarding. It schooled me on how trust is created and strong teams are built (respect, integrity, transparency and accountability) and cemented my desire to create and work within them.

It also led me to start attending and ultimately join the Eliot Planning Board because of a profound lack of those values- most particularly transparency.

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