Generations, Old & New

This week I had the opportunity to stay a bit closer to Boston, touring our properties with long-time Trustees’ staffer, Steve Sloan, our Regional Director for this area. Steve is a fantastic leader, having held a variety of posts during his 15-year tenure with The Trustees. As a child growing up in Ipswich, Steve remembers spending time with his family at our reservations. Almost every member of his family has been involved with The Trustees in some capacity (his father, Norton, is a dedicated and long-time volunteer and the recipient of our Charles Eliot Award for special service) and thus Steve's commitment is both personal and professional. 

More than 100 Youth Conservation Corps members
gathered at Rocky Woods Reservation.

Steve and I had the good fortune of participating in The Trustees’ annual Youth Summit, which was incredibly inspiring. Our Youth Summit is where Youth Conservation Corps crews from around the state gather to share ideas and reflections on belonging to The Trustees as a young staffer. Youth Conservation Corps is a fledgling program for us, now almost 100-teens strong. It's an area I intend to invest in so that we are actively nurturing future conservation leaders. Here’s why: These kids are impressive, dedicated professionals who hail from a variety of locations and backgrounds, and all are interested in advancing the work of conservation and The Trustees. In just a summer, it is clear that we are creating the next generation of Conservation Ambassadors, developing youth who have unique skills and perspective, which will assist and support their career plans.

Teens from different Youth Conservation Corps
had the chance to get to meet and share their work.

Another benefit of this program? Confidence and leadership. These kids learn how to conduct work independently, problem solve, and earn an income. They are doing real work under the supervision of a Youth Conservation Corps Educator, but the majority of their time is spent on entrepreneurial projects like harvesting produce, selling food at farmers markets, removing invasive species, or rebuilding a stone wall. This is serious stewardship work and they are demonstrating to us and to each other that they can be leaders.

Need more reasons why this program is such a good investment? We are finding they become future staffers of The Trustees, a value proposition for any employer. These youth represent our mission and our brand by being such focused, young talent. Our investment in them is not only good for our lands but for our business. 

Finally? They’re great kids. They are funny, smart, and kind. We are fortunate to work with partners like YMCA and Boys & Girls Clubs to identify these stars and I am thrilled to be working alongside them.

The Solstice Stones at Ward Reservation.

After our Youth Summit I had the opportunity to spend some time at the Charles W. Ward Reservation in Andover. A stunning place with a great lookout of Boston, terrific hiking trails –including a stop on the Bay Circuit Trail – a beautiful quaking bog (one of the last in this area), and solstice stones, Ward is a neighborhood treasure. I look forward to bringing my kids to this reservation so they can explore the hills and see the bog in the fall when the leaves, I’m sure, are fantastic.

While there, I met John Kimball, whose grandmother, Mrs. Charles Ward, gifted us the reservation in 1940. John represents a different generation than our Youth Conservation Corps members, but he is just as dedicated. John has devoted his life to supporting the needs of this reservation, logging around 500–600 hours annually in its care. He knows this property in all its curious facets and can tell you the entire history of the plants, meadows, and trees. It’s a phenomenal perspective and endearing to meet someone who is so connected to a reservation. John grew up at Ward and the land is in his blood. He appreciates the mountain bikers, families, and hikers who explore this beautiful place and he takes a great responsibility to ensure its care. He’s a great partner to Adam Rollfs, a Trustees’ team member who works at Ward Reservation. The two represent very different generations that are bonded through the same special place.

John Kimball's grandmother donated the
Ward Reservation to The Trustees. Today, he
devotes more than 500 hours a year to its care.

John now worries about the next generation and how we ensure that Ward Reservation will always be cherished and maintained at the same standard that John has encouraged. We are fortunate to have had John’s volunteerism and advice over the past decades and I take very seriously the responsibility to keep John’s vision alive. With programs like Youth Conservation Corps, I hope that we can develop the interest and commitment of all generations to be good stewards of Ward and all our special places.

It was a great week to see the same passion for The Trustees present across so many generations. I know that’s what our founder, Charles Eliot wanted: a mobilization of thousands to connect to and care for our land. Thanks to people like John Kimball and our Youth Conservation Corps crews of 2012, we are achieving that vision.

A Berkshires Sojourn

Naumkeag, a National Historic Landmark with
gardens designed by Fletcher Steele

Last week was a whirlwind and officially marked the end of my first month at The Trustees.

I spent a few days in Stockbridge getting to know the history of Naumkeag, a National Historic Landmark and one of The Trustees' flagship properties. Naumkeag is a beautiful reservation, made possible by the Choate family. Young Mabel Choate lived at Naumkeag with her parents and siblings and then eventually inherited this country estate. She spent the greater part of her life partnering with the now legendary landscape architect, Fletcher Steele, to create a series of garden rooms that are now the hallmark of this property. Visitors hail from all over the world to visit the Blue Steps and Afternoon Garden, early examples of the modern approach to garden design, which bring a sense of whimsy to the estate.

Nearly 100 friends, supporters, and
volunteers joined us to celebrate
Naumkeag and the Berkshires.

I had the great fortune to meet Tootie Alsopp and Celia Kittredge, relatives to Mabel, who toured the property with me and gave some intriguing personal insights. Mabel loved children, as Tootie would say, especially the naughty ones. I am certain this reinforced the fun times Mabel encouraged at Naumkeag. We carried that spirit at an evening reception for close to 100 friends, supporters, and volunteers during my visit. It was so exciting to see the grounds alive with chatter and laughter, as the property welcomed friends, old and new, to discuss the next chapter of The Trustees' work here in the Berkshires and across the state.

It was also rewarding to learn about our dreams for Naumkeag. Under the guidance of Jocelyn Forbush, our Regional Director, and Cindy Brockway, our Cultural Resources Director, we've begun to conceive a restoration of the gardens and think through opportunities to improve the house and property in a sustainable fashion. Efforts like these require a long-term view as full-scale improvements can take three years or more. The team working on this is dedicated and excited, two key ingredients to success.

But it takes a village, and, in addition to our dedicated volunteers, we have incredible staff on the ground, including veteran Jim Prince, who has been working for The Trustees for more than 20 years; historic resource guru Mark Wilson, who has read and analyzed writings of Fletcher Steele's to inform our decisions; and Colleen Henry, who supports the visitor experience. They, together with other colleagues and volunteers, are what make Naumkeag such a special place for the thousands who visit every year.

Field Farm is a modernist gem with a sculpture garden
and walking trails.

Our Berkshire properties are amazing and all thirteen are unique. One can visit many of our reservations over a weekend and stay at Field Farm with our Innkeeper, Ole Retlev, as your host. Spend time exploring the Berkshires and you can appreciate its cultural vibe that blends so well with the landscape, which I'm distinctly proud to have The Trustees be a part of.