New Hampshire Association of Conservation Commissions SERVING NEW HAMPSHIRE’S COMMUNITIES SINCE 1970

50th Annual Meeting & Conference November 7, 2020 Zoom

Conference Presenter Biographies

Bean, Margie; Coverts Cooperator and member of the Kingston Conservation Commission Marghi Bean formulated the idea of Pollinator Pathways early in 2018 to increase neighbors’ awareness of pollinator loss, and how small changes can help these small creatures. In the past two years, her idea has spread throughout Rockingham County. Thirteen town conservation commissions now support the initiative. Marghi has a proven track record of successful new ventures. In 2005 Marghi helped start the NH Renaissance Faire. For 14 years, Marghi owned and ran Three Maples Arts & Nature Camp, where she inspired two generations of K-8 kids about all things arts & nature.

Blackstone, Cris; Newmarket Conservation Commission and NHACC Board Cris is Supervisor of the Rockingham County Conservation Commission and serves on her town’s conservation commission and is also a member of the NHACC Board. She is the co-host (with Richard Lutz) of the statewide Zoom in on Conservation show, airing the first Wednesday of the month, and they also facilitate Zoom in on the Rock, geared toward Rockingham County municipalities, airing the second Monday of the month. She’s a UNH Natural Resources Steward, Master Gardener, and NH Certified Landscape Professional. She’s happy to serve on NHACD’s Board, weaving all these things together.

Cheryl Bondi; NH Department of Environmental Services Cheryl is New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services Mitigation Program Specialist Cheryl Bondi is a mitigation specialist at the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services Wetlands Bureau. She assists in the administration of The Aquatic Resource Mitigation Fund—New Hampshire’s In-Lieu Fee program. She received a PhD in ecosystem ecology from the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, and a Master’s in Aquatic Biology from Humboldt State University. Her primary focus at DES has been advancing the State’s stream crossing assessment program to prioritize stream restoration projects for mitigation.

1 Boyajian, Zachary; Chichester Conservation Commission and NHACC Board Zachary Boyajian has been a member of the Chichester Conservation Commission since 2003 and is currently the chair. He is also the chair of the Chichester Parks and Recreation Commission. He joined the NHACC Board of Directors in 2016 and is currently the vice chair. Mr. Boyajian has been employed as an environmentalist for the NH Army National Guard since 1995 and is a founding member of the NH Prescribed Fire Council. Mr. Boyajian holds a BS from University of Massachusetts in Natural Resources Studies and MS from Antioch New England in Resource Management and Administration.

Clyde, Malin; UNH Cooperative Extension Malin has been training and leading environmental volunteers for the University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension since 2000. In 2012 she launched Nature Groupie, a regional initiative to foster a culture of stewardship in New England. Focused on mobilizing volunteers in both environmental stewardship and citizen science research, Nature Groupie connects thousands of new volunteers each year to volunteer experiences hosted by over 250 conservation partners across New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts and Vermont. Malin is passionate about connecting new people to the outdoors through volunteer action in forests, fields, waterways, coasts, and our own backyards. She holds a BA from Yale University and an MS from the University of Washington College of Environmental and Forest Sciences.

Crystall, Sandy; NH Department of Environmental Services Earlier this year, Sandy joined the NHDES Drinking Water and Groundwater Bureau after 22 years of working in the Wetlands and Watershed Management Bureaus on wetland permitting, outreach and training, and wetland bioassessment. Sandy is administering the source water protection land conservation grant program under the Drinking Water and Groundwater Trust Fund and managing the Chemical Monitoring Waiver Program. Sandy has a bachelor’s degree in Biology and has done post-graduate work in regional planning, natural resources and GIS. She is on two town boards, the Planning Board, for which she is Vice Chair, and the Conservation Commission, for which she is Chair.

Giallongo, Stefanie; NH Department of Environmental Services Stefanie has worked as a permitting specialist for the Wetlands Bureau for nearly 4 years. Stefanie also served on her local Conservation Commission for nearly 6 years. She completed her undergraduate degree at Western Washington University in 2011, studying Freshwater Ecology and working for the Washington State Department of Fish & Wildlife collecting data and samples from Pacific salmon, coastal finfish and recreational fishing efforts. Upon returning to NH, Stefanie was contracted through NOAA to do similar work with the off-shore commercial scallop industry. Before joining the team at the NHDES Wetlands Bureau in Spring 2015, Stefanie completed her graduate degree at the University of New Hampshire, studying Civil & Environmental Engineering and working part-time for the NHDES Alteration of Terrain Bureau and Shellfish Program.

2 Littleton, Jeffry N.; Conservation Ecologist, Moosewood Ecological Jeffry Littleton is very enthusiastic about exploring our natural world. He is the principal ecologist with Moosewood Ecological LLC, having 30 years of experience in ecological studies and environmental education. He specializes in conservation and land management planning and habitat restoration on multiple scales for a wide range of entities, including private landowners, federal and state agencies, and municipalities, as well as land trusts and other non- profit organizations. He employs a systems approach to understanding the spatial dynamics of the environment, blending conservation biology with the ecology of landscapes. He uses a GIS to analyze natural resources to help guide conservation and restoration planning efforts. Jeffry serves as an adjunct faculty at Antioch University where he provides course instruction on community ecology and inventory techniques for wildlife and their habitats, as well as vegetation and natural communities.

Manzelli, Amy, Esq., Co-owner and Attorney, BCM Environmental & Land Law, PLLC Amy is the Managing Member and a part owner of the law firm of BCM Environmental & Land Law, PLLC, with offices in Concord, NH, and Portland, ME, where she practices environmental, conservation, and land law across northern New England. She is also the President of the Board of the Northeast Organic Farming Association of New Hampshire. Ms. Manzelli regularly advocates for clients’ issues at the State House, with lawmakers and with officials of executive agencies. She uses her governmental relations skills to encourage passage, modification, or defeat of proposed laws. Ms. Manzelli holds an advanced degree in environmental law and a juris doctor from Vermont Law School. Ms. Manzelli earned her B.S. in Environmental Conservation and her B.A. in Spanish at the University of New Hampshire, where she is now a Distinguished Alumna. Ms. Manzelli makes her home in Pembroke, along with her husband, two children, and their dog. She enjoys family time, local food, gardening, edible landscapes, hiking, biking, cooking, and travel.

Megyesy, Josh; Wildlife Biologist with the NH Fish & Game’s Nongame and Endangered Wildlife Program. He is the program’s turtle specialist with extensive experience monitoring and managing populations of Blanding’s, spotted, wood, and eastern box turtle populations. Josh helps manage the Reptile and Amphibian Reporting Program (RAARP), monitors other reptile and amphibian populations, and works on environmental review projects when they involve potential impacts to state listed turtle populations. He also participates in regional turtle working groups with other federal, state, and NGO biologists to conserve turtle populations at the range-wide scale.

Nathan, Evy; Chair of Kingston Conservation Commission and Founding Organizer of Pollinator Pathways Evy Nathan has been chairman of the Kingston Conservation Commission for the past nine years. Evy is a Coverts Cooperator (class of 2012) and a plant conservation volunteer for The Native Plant Trust. Additionally, she serves as Kingston’s representative on the Exeter and Squamscott River Local Advisory Committee. She received a BFA in graphic arts from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY, and she worked as a freelance photographer until starting a family. Evy changed careers and worked as a surgical nurse in San Diego and later in Haverhill,

3 Massachusetts, but though she moved from photography as a vocation, documenting the natural world with her camera continues to be an avocation that has proved invaluable in communicating her conservation message. Evy has authored two books, and in 2014 delivered a TED talk as a keynote presentation for the NH Association of Conservation Commissions annual conference.

Pearo, Zach; Conservation Easement Steward, the Society for the Protection of NH Forests Zach has worked with a variety of GPS and mapping software and has held training events on monitoring technologies for the Forest Society in recent years. He lives in the Monadnock region and when he is not monitoring properties for the Forest Society he can be found hiking with his dogs, canoeing, and traveling.

Schillemat, Katharine; Nelson Conservation Commission and NHACC Board Kathy lives in Nelson, NH and is a member and chair of the Nelson Conservation Commission and also serves as a board member of NHACC. Her commitment to the natural world is evident in her volunteer work as a Salamander Crossing Brigadier for the Harris Center for Conservation Education, an Easement Monitor for the Monadnock Conservancy, a UNH Cooperative Extension Coverts Cooperator, and Speaking for Wildlife volunteer, and a member of the Nelson Trails Committee. She is an avid hiker and amateur naturalist and photographer and keeps a regular journal of her hiking adventures with friends in the Monadnock region.

Spencer, Larry; Holderness Conservation Commission and NHACC Board Larry Spencer is Professor Emeritus of Biology at Plymouth State University where he started teaching in September of 1967. His areas of interest there were vertebrate and invertebrate zoology, ecology and evolutionary biology. Since the 1970’s he’s been chair of the Holderness Conservation Commission. He serves as the NHACC representative to the NH Rivers Management Advisory Council where he is the vice chair of the group. Until a few years ago, he ran many races going from 5k to marathons and did triathlons. Now he is just happy doing short bike rides.

Tilton, Mary Ann; NH Department of Environmental Services Mary Ann Tilton, serves as the Assistant Wetlands Bureau administrator and has worked on compliance, permitting and program development. She has been with the wetlands bureau for 30 years. She has a Master’s of Science from URI (in wetlands ecology); a BA from Connecticut College, and a JD from UNH Law School.

Wells, Chris; President & Executive Director, Piscataquog Land Conservancy Chris is the director of a regional land trust serving 23 towns and cities in southern New Hampshire. Chris has 25 years of experience in the land conservation field and has previously worked at the Society for the Protection of NH Forests and the Trust for Public Land.

4