About Fostering Land Trust Engagement in Urban Communities Virtual Series
This 4-part Zoom series, co-sponsored by MLTC and The Trustees, is intended for staff and board members from land trusts interested in initiating or expanding work in urban/developed parts of their service areas. Covers five topic areas, lots of participant interaction, and includes an associated field trip in July. Cost: $20 MLTC members, $35 non-members. One registration covers all participants within your organization for all four weeks.
Each week, speakers from Massachusetts land trusts will share examples of their work in five different topic areas, delving into issues such as their motivations for the project, the relationships they needed to build, considerations for working on land that is owned by partners, and benefits and challenges they’ve experienced. They will also describe lessons learned, recommendations for successful partnerships, and funding sources that may be particular to urban work. They hope to demonstrate that with the right motivation and preparation, any sized land trust can embark on similar work. Each week will offer plenty of time for questions from attendees.
Tuesday, June 3, 3:00 – 4:30 p.m. via Zoom
Part 1 will include introductions and interactive discussion about work your organization has done, and/or is considering, in the more densely developed parts of the communities you serve. Discussion will touch on motivations, concerns, potential barriers, and factors driving readiness. Facilitators: Vidya Tikku (The Trustees) and Robb Johnson (MLTC).
Part 2 covers Topic Area 1: Stewarding existing city parks, featuring Rachel Bruce (Wildlands Trust) talking about their work in Brockton and Doug Brown (BNRC) covering their project in Pittsfield.
Tuesday, June 10, 3:00 – 4:30 p.m. via Zoom
Topic Area 2: Creating new parks and trails. Faculty: Brad Buschur, Project Director, Groundwork Lawrence, and Colin Novick, Executive Director, Greater Worcester Land Trust.
Tuesday, June 17, 3:00 – 4:30 p.m. via Zoom
Topic Area 3: Community farms and gardens. Faculty: Jordan Takvorian, Stewardship Manager Greater Boston, The Trustees.
Topic Area 4: Tree planting programs and canopy development on municipal and/or private property. Faculty: Emily Boss, Community Conservation Program Manager, Franklin Land Trust, and Cynthia Henshaw, Executive Director, East Quabbin Land Trust.
Tuesday, June 24, 3:00 – 4:30 p.m. via Zoom
Topic Area 5: Offering public programs on city/state parkland. Faculty: Paul Kelley, Cambridge Community Education Coordinator, Mass Audubon, discussing Magazine Beach in Cambridge.
Series round-up: Lynn Murray, Director of DBIE Programs & Partnerships, The Trustees, will outline ways to determine if your organization is ready for this work; how to identify and build trust with potential new partners; getting Board buy-in; staffing and funding issues; and more. Will include plenty of time for discussion.
Also open to virtual series participants:
(Optional) Friday, July 18, noon – 2:00 p.m., in-person. Register.
Field Trip: Pawtucket Farm: An Urban Collaboration Success (Lowell)
Led by Jane Calvin, Executive Director, Jane Calvin, Lowell Parks and Conservation Trust and partners from Mass Audubon and Mill City Grows, participants will walk the 22-acre Pawtucket Farm Wildlife Sanctuary (PFWS), and see the implementation of community-based visioning and planning, including a recently completed All Persons Trail and an outdoor classroom under construction. Parking and meeting instructions to be sent to registrants.
Note: The Zoom link for the series is provided in the confirmation receipt you will receive upon registering.
Register
