Hilltown Land Trust | Letter From Our New President

A blonde-haired woman is seen torso up in a portrait-style photo. She is wearing a red shirt and is standing in front of a brown wall in strong sunlight.

HLT’s new president, Susan McAllister of Williamsburg.

When our former president Rus Peotter retired after twelve years of board service, our longtime vice president Susan McAllister of Williamsburg stepped up to lead our board. Rus, who served as president for four years, will continue in an advisory role.

I grew up in the Rocky Mountains before the Endangered Species Act. There were only approximately 450 nesting pairs of bald eagles and less than 1000 grizzly bears remaining in the lower 48. Wolves were largely eradicated from the landscape, and bird species were in serious decline.

Things have improved since then, yet we continue to lose species due to habitat loss and degradation. Here in western Massachusetts, salamanders, turtles, butterflies, moths, bees, and dozens of birds and bats are continuing to decline.

Species recovery requires not just saving habitats, but also forming lasting partnerships with the people who share those habitats.

I have been fortunate to be able to travel and witness first hand the successful recovery efforts of many species—jaguars and macaws in the Pantanal, rhinos in southern Africa, wolves and grizzlies in Yellowstone and Glacier, pink river dolphins in the Amazon, gray whales, sea otters, and elephant seals along the California coast.

Species recovery requires not just saving habitats, but also forming lasting partnerships with the people who share those habitats. All people benefit from the preservation of the natural world, and not only have a right to be included in the conversation but are vital for success.

A brilliant orange and black monarch butterfly sips nectar from a bright yellow plume of goldenrod, against a vibrant background of more goldenrod blooms. — Monarch butterfly, whose habitat we work to protect. Photo by Matthew Watson.

Here in western Massachusetts, we still have large tracts of forested landscapes that are vital for clean water supplies, wildlife habitat, biodiversity, and recreation. Yet, development pressures threaten to fragment and disrupt both these landscapes and our local farming communities.

Hilltown Land Trust has been working to conserve these lands since 1986. From my first days volunteering for HLT, I was impressed with how knowledgeable, professional, and dedicated the people of HLT are. We are a trusted partner for landowners, the communities in our service area, and other local conservation organizations. With our expanded growth in staff this past year, we are now able to protect more land, partner with others on larger projects, and to do so at a quicker pace.

Covid forced me to stay home and explore my own backyard. In the process I fell in love with our landscapes and I want to see them preserved for the benefit of both wildlife and people. I love that Hilltown Land Trust is local, I love the mission and values, and I couldn’t feel more proud and honored to be a part of the journey.