Five consecutive Tuesdays from May 7 - June 4, 4:00 - 6:00 p.m. via Zoom
This five-part series is targeted to experienced land protection personnel from land trusts and conservation partners who aspire to tackle large or complex land conservation projects in Massachusetts, including those that cross state lines. For these purposes, "landscape-scale" projects are those that may include multiple landowners or require a multi-year and multi-funder strategy. A variety of in-depth case studies will be presented to illustrate challenges and elements of success, such as unifying partners around a shared vision; identifying and securing funding to take large-scale action; engaging multiple landowners simultaneously; scaling up capacity to manage multiple deals; dealing with curveballs; and sustaining energy over time. Participants will be encouraged to share perspectives from their own work, and discuss approaches to projects you are currently working on or contemplating. Facilitated by Jim Levitt from the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy and Robb Johnson from MLTC, with guest faculty sharing replicable strategies from their work:
May 7: Featuring Keith Ross (former VP and Director of Land Protection at New England Forestry Foundation), discussing the Pingree Forest Partnership in Maine (NEFF);
May 14: Featuring Sarah Wells Conservation Director at Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust, discussing the Greater Gales Brook project in central Massachusetts (Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust and partners);
May 21: Featuring Karen Young, Partnership Director at Sebato Clean Waters, and Spencer Meyer, Vice President at BeZero Carbon, discussing the Sebago Clean Waters project in Maine (Portland Water District and partners)
May 28: Featuring Beth Mills, Director of Land Conservation at Berkshire Natural Resources Council (BNRC), and Nick Pitel, Assistant Director of Conservation at BNRC) discussing the Mt Hunger/Tyringham Valley/Konkapot Ridge project in western Massachusetts. (Berkshire Natural Resources Council and partners).
June 4: Featuring participant sharing and discussion of their own projects, with an accomplished panel of discussants including Rand Wentworth, Laura Johnson, Andy Falendar and Peter Stein.
Cost for the full series: $30 per organization for MLTC members; $45 per organization for non-members. (Organizations are invited to send up to three representatives under a single registration fee.) To maximize interaction and discussion, participants are encouraged to attend all sessions, and registration will be capped at 20.