Then and Now USVLT Turns 20 Peter Benson Interviewed by Meghan Moody Upper Saco Valley Land Trust (and recently rejoined Board member) the side of the road, and everyone knew achieved its 20th anniversary on Peter Benson. where it was. It was fantastic. There September 15th, 2020, a remarkable “When you are in the start of was no way that a larger organization milestone. Over the past two decades, something, you don’t know what the was going to take on a project of its size the organization has conserved more future holds,” Peter said. “We were very at the time. Everything really took off than 12,000 acres. No one, including intentional in developing the Land from there.” USVLT’s founders, could have predicted Trust, but I don’t think anyone could USVLT has continued to fill this how those conservation victories have have guessed where this was going local void within the conservation added up, nor the upheaval 2020 has to go.” Peter used the organization’s community ever since. Some projects delivered. Especially with this year’s first project, the Harding Easement that Peter helped start in the 90’s have increased demand for trails and open in Jackson, as an example of how the only been finalized since he returned to space, for recreational and spiritual group had a much more organic and the Board. Peter smiled and said, “The purposes alike, USVLT’s achievements home-grown approach to conservation. seeds that you plant sometimes can seem more important than ever. To “We just went there, it was 12 acres, saw take a while to germinate, but they do honor the occasion, we asked new that it was beautiful and had a ski trail come up.” He added that there has been Board member Meghan Moody to on it, and said, ‘Sure, why not?’” Peter a shift over the past two decades, as interview Land Trust founding member continued, “It was high-profile, right on some land owners have become much —continued on page 3 Photo: Mike Dana Mike Photo: “Nature is not a place to visit. It is home.” gary snyder 1 USVLT President’s Message Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion months (outside visitors are welcome, by appointment). Uncertainty is the new “rule of thumb,” from stock market swerves and job losses to tentative school reopening P.O. Box 2233 (and re-closing) plans. USVLT has Conway NH 03818 not been immune: the unfortunate (603) 662-0008 cancelations of Art Celebrates Place [email protected] • www.usvlt.org and Fields on the Saco gatherings have resulted in anticipated revenue losses of more than $50,000. Monetary support from caring long-time funders as well as government programs – namely, Doug Burnell the federal Payroll Protection Program and New Hampshire’s Nonprofit In spite of far-reaching and long- Emergency Relief Fund – have helped lasting disruptions and delays caused us bridge this dramatic gap. We have Board of Directors by the Covid-19 pandemic, the Upper also changed work priorities to meet Saco Valley Land Trust is still turning 20 our communities’ needs. Prompted President years old this fall, and we are busier than by unprecedented demand on our Doug Burnell, Conway ever with great conservation projects, region’s high-quality outdoor-recreation Vice-President promising significant public benefit. opportunities, we have been promoting Hart’s Location Mark Dindorf, The coronavirus struck while we the enjoyment of USVLT’s existing Treasurer were adjusting to our wonderful new preserves and accessible easements, and Rebecca Reynolds, Conway office location in the old firehouse are working on more trail networks and Secretary in downtown Conway Village, access points. Rick Jenkinson, Kearsarge transitioning in new Outreach & Office Learning new perspectives from the Manager Aimee St. Germain, working Black Lives Matter movement and how Ann Bennett, Jackson toward reaccreditation with the Land we can better support our work with the Peter Benson, Jackson Trust Alliance, and shepherding along pillars of justice, equity, diversity and Alex Drummond, East Conway nine new land-conservation projects. inclusion are ongoing initiatives. And We adapted nimbly and by March 20th with hope that our collective virus-fight- Lindsay Kafka, South Conway had transitioned to an entirely remote ing efforts may continue toward success, Meghan Moody, North Conway workforce (with the help of Zoom and we value your unwavering support, and Google). Our work has continued Sue Nichols, Center Conway look forward to your helping us prop- apace since then, and we have gradually erly celebrate another landmark: the Anne Pillion, Intervale re-opened the office during the summer Land Trust turning 21, next year! Daniel Stepanauskas, Silver Lake Staff Executive Director William Abbott Land Steward Peter Howe Conservation Lands Manager Abby King Outreach & Office Manager Aimee St.Germain USVLT’s Board met in-person (and masked) for the first time in six months in late summer. Pictured L to R: Rebecca McReynolds, Alex Drummond, Dan Stepanauskas, Anne Pillion, Peter Benson, Sue Nichols, Ann Bennett, Rick Jenkinson, Meghan Moody, Mark Dindorf, Doug Burnell (Not pictured: Lindsay Kafka) 2 “Adopt the pace of nature: its secret is patience.” ralph waldo emerson Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion The year 2020 has been intense and monthly Zoom calls facilitated by the memorable. In June, after months of Maine Environmental Education Asso- locked-down pandemic living, the ciation and Change makers, a forum for USVLT Turns 20 country was confronted with the brutal organizations like ours to do precisely murder of George Floyd. Mr. Floyd’s those things. Participants range from —continued from page one death – one among so many – has been land trusts from around New England, more involved with both the crafting a tipping point, sparking widespread to environmental education groups and and management of their easements in protests, and prompting soul-searching consultancies, to larger non-profits such partnership with the Land Trust. by those in positions of power on every as the Appalachian Mountain Club and For Peter, the future holds more level: individual, community, and The Nature Conservancy. The ongoing opportunities than ever before. The national. conversation is rich and exciting. evolution of land trust movements in The outdoor conservation and recre- In conjunction with the Land Trust’s general has shifted, not only in strategy, ation world, including USVLT, is not Executive Committee, a near-term prior- but also in focus. “Two decades ago, our immune. As board member Lindsay ity is the crafting of a values statement for focus was solely forestry and responsible Kafka wrote in a June statement, which USVLT. We have aspired to develop such ecology. That was very cutting-edge and was endorsed by the Board and shared a statement for some time, but the for- innovative at the time. More recently, with members, “the work that we do mation of the JEDI committee has been we have worked on farm easements, very much intersects with issues of racial a catalyst to make this project a priority. establishing community forests, and justice, although it might not seem so at improving public access. The lesson first blush.” The intersections are multi- . a committee of Board here is that the land-conservation ple: the outdoor conservation movement members, staff, and volunteers community needed to continue to adapt in which our work is grounded has a has convened to tackle the and be responsive to the needs of our legacy of racist practices (Jim Crow laws community at large. Some of the things kept the national parks segregated when project of integrating principles that I would like to see the Land Trust they first opened) and attitudes (the leg- of Justice, Equity, Diversity tackle in the future relate to affordable endary John Muir is known to have held and Inclusion (JEDI) into our housing solutions – we need to be racist views); European settlers wrested creating sustainable communities where the very land we now work to conserve work. The committee’s initial people can afford to live and also enjoy and protect from the local Abenaki na- mandate is to partner with peer the great outdoors.” tive population and imposed a foreign organizations also engaged in “I don’t think you could say this system of private land ownership upon this work to share best practices, everywhere, but here, it is the essence it; outdoor spaces are not equally acces- of where we live,” Peter reflected. “In sible or welcoming to all; and adverse resources and lessons. that sense, we are spoiled because we are environmental practices have a disparate surrounded by more than a million acres impact on Black, Indigenous and People The committee has also created a of conservation land in an atmosphere of Color (BIPOC) communities. page on the USVLT website for JEDI where it’s accessible,” he continued. In this moment of reckoning, how learning resources. This dynamic page is “I think that sometimes we wake up is USVLT responding, beyond the updated regularly, and includes resourc- in the morning and take for granted statement shared in June? Since then, es that are specific to the intersection that we have this amazing legacy of a committee of Board members, staff, of JEDI principles and conservation, as land conservation, whether it be by and volunteers has convened to tackle well as resources for individual learning federal and state governments or by the project of integrating principles of on the broader issues of ally-ship, anti- conservations groups, big and small. It Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion racism, and privilege. is ingrained in our psyche. I don’t know (JEDI) into our work. The committee’s The Land Trust’s JEDI endeavor will how we as a community would function initial mandate is to partner with peer suggest other necessary, concrete steps as without it.” organizations also engaged in this work we learn more and lean into this work.