Note from our Executive Director
Spring 2011
Greetings! I am thrilled and honored to be working for KLT. The conservation of land, the protection of the beauty and biological richness of our very special corner of the world, is the most exciting and important work I could be involved in.
Recently I was asked how the protection of land that most people will never see or visit ('back land' in conservation jargon) could feel more relevant to the general population of Kittery. I started to talk about habitat, niche, ecological services etc. My conservationist’s language didn't get much of a reaction. Thoughts of hydrology or the needs of non-human residents of Kittery don't typically enter into people's mind unless the streets start flooding or on the rare occasion a moose shows up at Golden Harvest.
I then spoke of how important native plant species and a broad variety of natural areas are for birds. And the interest sparked. This reminded me that meeting people where they are and connecting land conservation to what they care about is vital to this work.
I am excited to catalyze support for KLT and to accelerate our land protection efforts in Kittery. Reason and emotion will play a role in this work. On a rational level, we need to understand and explain the complex biological system we are seeking to protect. On the emotional side, find ways, like a simple walk in the woods, to deepen our neighbors' connection with our natural world.
I look forward to meeting more KLT members in the coming months. I welcome your questions and feedback. To begin what I hope will be an on-going conversation, please take a moment to fill out the short survey included as an insert in this newsletter. I’d like to hear what matters most to you about your land trust
