This fall, we welcomed Calla Jones as our TerraCorps Land Stewardship Coordinator, Mariel Hohmann as our Stewardship Specialist (shared with The Trustees), and Gary Epstein as our newest board member. Get to know them below!
Calla Jones
TerraCorps Land Stewardship Coordinator
AmeriCorps persists in Massachusetts, despite federal attempts to slash the program earlier this year. That means we can continue hosting TerraCorps service members – and the fresh, vibrant perspectives members like Calla bring to our field.
“Since starting my TerraCorps term, I have been deeply inspired by the care and commitment of the Hilltown community,” says Calla about her first months of service. “From learning the fundamentals of trail design from a dedicated volunteer, to witnessing the excitement a landowner feels in uncovering the history of their land, to hearing stories of habitat management and the peace a forest brings its caretaker, it has been a joy to witness the love this community holds for the land.”
Mariel Hohmann
Stewardship Specialist (shared position with The Trustees)
Mariel served as our TerraCorps Land Stewardship Coordinator for two years. When her second service term wrapped up in the summer of 2025, HLT and The Trustees hired her permanently to monitor and care for our conserved lands.
“On my first day at HLT two years ago, I got to take part in conversations around the preservation and stewardship of Clary Hill—and I even stepped in my first-ever bear scat,” says Mariel. “I knew then that I would not be saying goodbye to HLT easily. In my new permanent staff role, I’m excited to continue doing my bit for these Hilltowns, helping organize our conservation monitoring, land management, and trail maintenance efforts.”
Gary Epstein
Board Member
Inspired by his passion for local farms and forests, Gary joined our board as its newest member this fall.
“I’ve been a longtime advocate for land conservation, as well as an entrepreneur who has founded and led multiple clean energy companies,” says Gary. “I’m a resident of Ashfield, and it is important to me to participate in regional efforts to protect the natural beauty and wild areas of Western Massachusetts. As a board member, I’ll join the wonderful HLT community as we work towards this goal.”
