Insights

Conservation Funding in the Reconciliation and Infrastructure Bills: An Explainer

In the face of a national climate crisis, the Biden administration is working to pass some of the most significant climate action in U.S. history: the Reconciliation and Infrastructure Bills. Natural climate solutions, such as land conservation and forest restoration that sequester carbon and help reduce net carbon emissions, are seen as one way to address climate change and stand to gain new funding from emerging legislation. Below is an overview of some of the key legislation on the table,  how it relates to existing federal programs, and how it could potentially impact the near future of conservation. Although specific regional funding that could result from these policies is not yet clear, these bills may contain the investments needed to reach our state and regional conservation goals, such as the Wildlands, Woodlands, Farmlands and Communities vision for New England.

Explore:

Infrastructure and Reconciliation Bills

As of October 2021, Congress has been in the process of negotiating two bills that align with the Biden administration’s environmental agenda and would make historic investments in conservation. First, the $1.2 trillion bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs act aims to update national infrastructure and focuses on clean energy and environmental remediation. The infrastructure package passed the Senate in August and awaits a vote in the House. The second, larger $3.5 trillion reconciliation bill (otherwise known as Build Back Better) invests in human infrastructure. For example, the bill would focus on social welfare such as paid family and medical leave, free community college, and child tax credits; while also investing in climate change mitigation measures like electric vehicle infrastructure and farm and forest conservation.

As negotiations continue, the reconciliation bill is likely to decrease in size with many pundits estimating it will land between $1.9-2.3 trillion. The bill relies on a process called budget reconciliation, which refers to a special procedure in the Senate that would avoid the risk of a filibuster and pass with a simple majority.

Both bills have been delayed several times in congress as Democrats negotiate among themselves to determine the timing and composition of both bills.  Most recently, voting for both bills was pushed to the end of October by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and we can expect to see further contentious negotiations throughout the month.

Of particular note, Senator Joe Manchin from Virginia has raised concerns about the bills as they stand now, voicing opposition to the $150 billion clean electricity program which is integral to Biden’s climate agenda and is part of the Infrastructure bill. While he is looking to drastically decrease the clean energy portion of the reconciliation bill, he does not appear to be opposed to the natural climate solution measures in the bill.

Executive Order 14008, Justice 40, and 30 by 30

Learn more about the passage
of the Bipartisan Infrastructure
bill in this update.

If passed, the reconciliation and infrastructure bills are positioned to financially support some of Biden’s key environmental initiatives, namely 30 by 30 (also called America the Beautiful), Justice 40, and Executive Order 14008. Executive Order 14008:, titled “Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad” outlines Biden’s plans for climate action and sets the 30 by 30 goal. 30 by 30 is a stand-alone initiative to conserve 30% of national lands and waters by 2030. Embedded in both Executive Order 14008 and 30 by 30, Justice 40 refers to Biden’s promise to deliver at least 40% of the benefits from federal investments in clean energy and climate to disadvantaged communities. Justice 40 aligns with Biden’s agenda to address environmental justice and create economic opportunities for disadvantaged communities.

The Reconciliation and Infrastructure Bills will fund natural climate solutions.
Sebago Lake Watershed. Sebago Clean Waters, a partnership between the Portland Water District and local, regional, and national conservation organizations, was awarded The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Services Regional Conservation Partnership Program (NRCS RCPP) in 2020. The RCPP supports conservation and water quality protection projects, and is one of the several federal conservation programs poised to receive additional funding with the passing of the Reconciliation Bill.
Photo credit: Jerry Monkman, Ecophotography.com

Increased Funding for Existing Programs 

If the reconciliation bill passes, a portion of the new funding will flow through established conservation and forestry programs, and potentially fund new programs. Several congressional committees submitted proposals for inclusion in the bill, and the House Committee on Agriculture allocated a large portion of funding towards conservation. In particular, the House Committee on Agriculture’s reconciliation provision allocates $40 billion towards forestry investments, including:

Additionally, the Agriculture Committee’s proposal includes $28 billion specifically for farm and forest conservation under the Natural Resources Conservation Service. The package includes guardrails ensuring that a certain amount of funding is targeted towards conservation programs that address climate change. Included in the $28 billion is:

The House Committee on Natural Resources allotted another $25.6 billion in conservation and climate mitigation measures, including:

  • $9 billion for coastal and Great Lakes restoration and climate resiliency projects
  • $3 billion for the Civilian Climate Corps
    • This would support conservation and climate mitigation projects managed by the National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, and projects on Tribal lands

Budget allocations for these conservation programs are likely to fluctuate as negotiations progress.

Emerging Legislation’s Future Impacts

The reconciliation bill and infrastructure package have vast consequences for the entire nation and will certainly impact the forest, farm, and conservation communities if passed. Depending on the final outcome of the reconciliation bill, there could be an influx of funding coming towards conservation and climate resilience efforts in the next few years. While there is a possibility that the bills will create new ways of receiving funding, a portion of the funds will likely be dispersed through established programs familiar to New England conservationists. The bills are currently scheduled for a vote at the end of October, but with all aspects of this legislation, the situation is evolving daily, so keep an eye out for updates.


New as of November 9, 2021: Learn about the latest on the recently passed Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act in a new legislative update from the Highstead Conservation Finance team.

Additional Resources

Category: News

Topics: , ,


How Well Do You Know Your Oaks?

More than a dozen visitors honed their oak tree identification skills during a program entitled “Know Your Oaks,” the first in-person event at the Highstead property since Covid shut the facility down in March 2020.

Know Your Oaks event at Highstead, Redding, CT
Participants review Oak specimens found on the Highstead property.

Highstead Operations Director Geordie Elkins walked the participants through the value and characteristics of oak trees, with an emphasis on the oak varieties found at Highstead.

As a keystone native plant species in the region, Oak trees provide a food source and habitat for dozens of varieties of caterpillar, as well as insects and birds. And the copious acorns provide a critical food source for mammals, from chipmunks and squirrels to bears.

Oaks are also an important source of lumber for building and furniture and are culturally important as the subject of stories, poems, myths, and lore. At Highstead, oak trees are a pervasive presence, from our landscape to the logo, which features white oak leaves. The barn landscape features trees grown from acorns that Mrs. Dudley brought from Long Island in the 80s, and the barn is constructed out of white oak.

Participants were instructed on a basic method for identifying plants, which includes gathering as much information as possible about leaves, flowers, stems, fruit, bark, time/season, geographic location, and habitat.

Know Your Oaks event at Highstead, Redding, CT
Participants practiced identifying oaks by gathering as much information as possible about leaves, flowers, stems, fruit, bark, time/season, geographic location, and habitat.

Using a pamphlet and oak key Geordie developed with Albert Paolini in the 1990s, the group learned to differentiate between the red/black group of oaks and white oaks using a variety of clues from the leaf shape and the presence of lobes and sinuses, to the proportion of cap to nut on an acorn and finally its position on the landscape, often an important differentiator.

Guests were first invited into the barn to study specimens collected on the Highstead property then took a leisurely stroll along Highstead’s woodland paths to test their knowledge and collect a few acorns to plant at home.

With the success of this event, the Highstead team is looking to increase events in the spring, provided Covid rates in the region continue to decline.

Category: News

Topics: , ,


Fall Conservation Interns Focus on GIS, Policy, and Communications

Highstead’s 2021 Fall Conservation Internship program launched this month, offering students or recent graduates the chance to gain real-world conservation experience in an area that is of interest to them— 1) Policy, 2) Geographic Information Systems (GIS), or 3) Communications and Events. Highstead’s fall conservation interns support a variety of projects, working collaboratively with staff, Regional Conservation Partnerships (RCPs) within our network, and other conservation-based organizations. 

As they embark on their internship, this season’s interns, Jackie Rigley (policy), Jenni Fuller (GIS), and Fiona Lunt (communications and events) shared their background and perspectives on the field of conservation. 

Fall Conservation Interns. A composite image of three portraits of young women smiling.
Jackie, Jenni, and Fiona
1) What do you hope to gain from your time at Highstead? / How does your Highstead internship fit into your career plans?

Jackie: In my time at Highstead I hope to connect with the staff and learn from people with more experience in the field of conservation. I also strive to strengthen my writing and editing skills. This internship is a great next step for me as I recently graduated and am able to utilize everything I have learned in the past four years.

Jenni: My goal at Highstead is to stretch my skills in conservation GIS in a collaborative environment, and make connections. I have worked with GIS mainly in academic settings, so I’m excited to be using it for applied conservation management. As a recent MS graduate, this is a great learning experience for me as I work towards a full-time career, ideally involving GIS-based landscape management and wildlife conservation.

Fiona: I’m hoping to improve my communications skills and connect with the vast network of conservation groups that Highstead works with. I’m really interested in working with scientific/environmental organizations that deal with advocacy, communications, and/or justice, and so I hope this internship provides some insight into what that type of work looks like outside of academia. 

2) What was your favorite course in grad/undergrad?

Jackie: My favorite course in undergrad was Forest Ecosystems. In this class I had the opportunity to do field work in old growth forests in Southern Chile. This course in particular sparked my interest in research and conservation.

Jenni: Of course I loved GIS, but my favorite course in graduate school had to be Ornithology.

Fiona: Soundscapes: Anthropology of Music. But if I had to pick a conservation-related one, then it would probably be a course called “Population, Environment, and Sustainable Development.” 

3) What advice would you give to students looking to pursue a career in conservation?

Jackie: My best advice for students looking to pursue a career in conservation is to always consider things from multiple perspectives. Understanding the complexity of decision making in the environmental realm is crucial in any position.

Jenni: Reach out to local conservation groups, volunteer, and apply for internships – being active outside of school is the best way to get involved in conservation, gain important skills, and find your niche (and it’s okay if you don’t find it right away!)

Fiona: I would remind them that the realm of conservation work is vast, so explore your options on multiple scales– local, regional, national, within and outside of academia, etc. Take an interdisciplinary approach since the conservation discipline exists at the intersection of the natural and social sciences and humanities. Start with the parts that are most meaningful to you. 

4) What advice have you received that has stuck with you?

Jackie: Advice that has stuck with me over the years is to always be working on people skills. While it’s important to have a strong resume, knowing how to be personable when networking and completing interviews has been crucial to my career thus far.

Jenni: Don’t be afraid to connect, especially with professionals in your interests!

Fiona: Keep an open mind and let your perspectives be challenged, especially by those who you may not have heard from before. 

Learn more about Jackie, Jenni, and Fiona at the Our People section of the website.

Category: News

Topics:


Ecotype Project Expands Biodiversity and Connection Across the Northeast

As more of Connecticut’s natural places are converted to urban and suburban built environments, the more vital habitat is lost for pollinators and other organisms that support life on the planet. Connecticut’s 2017 passage of “An Act Concerning Pollinator Health” aimed to decrease the application of certain pesticides on crops and landscaping plants, mitigate the harmful effects of those chemicals on pollinating insects and wildlife, and encourage citizens to plant native and organically grown flora as attractants for honey bees and other pollinators. Four years later, Highstead is partnering with Northeast Organic Farming Association of Connecticut (CT NOFA) who is leading this effort with the Ecotype Project, a collaboration to increase the availability of native seed in the Environmental Protection Agency’s classified Ecoregion 59.

A bee rests on a yarrow flower. Ecotype Project Expands Biodiversity.
Pollinator insects depend on native plants for food and habitat.

The Ecotype Project and its role in securing the future for a more resilient and less fragmented ecoregion was featured in a recent article: Sowing the Seeds of Hope in the Autumn 2021 Issue of Northern Woodlands from the Center for Northern Woodlands Education.

In the Connecticut area of the ecoregion, writer Susan Shea met with Highstead’s operations director Geordie Elkins and grounds and facilities coordinator Jesse Hubbard to discuss the organization’s role in the Ecotype Project. As an active partner, Highstead is methodically identifying and collecting local, ecotype-specific seeds from naturally occurring plant populations.

A man bends over meadow plants and harvests seeds. Ecotype Project Expands Biodiversity.
Seed collection in a meadow.

What is an ecotype? It is a genetically distinct species adapted to precise environmental conditions and evolves through isolation and natural selection. As important as native plants are to the local ecosystem, the native insects and pollinators that have evolved with local flora over time are just as vital. Together, native plants and insects play a crucial role in the food web and contribute to the health and effectiveness of the ecosystem.

Even with Highstead’s origins as an arboretum committed to plant science, building a system to support the production and distribution of ecotype-specific plants is more effective when carried out collaboratively. The Ecotype Project assembles the expertise of local botanists, farmers, nursery growers, land trusts, and gardeners to amplify the availability of native seed and support the protection of our shared natural resources.

Native plant seedlings grow in trays in a green house. Ecotype Project Expands Biodiversity.
Native plant seedlings grow in the Highstead greenhouse.

Category: Stories

Topics: , , , , , , , , ,


Highstead’s Herbarium Joins New England Vascular Plant Network

Since its founding in the 80s, Highstead has maintained a meticulous collection of pressed plant specimens that have been found on the 150-acre property. Known as an herbarium, this type of collection documents the flora of a particular location and can also be a treasure trove of information for researchers looking to understand the changes in a landscape over time. And now Highstead’s herbarium will be available as part of the New England Vascular Plant Network digital collection housed by the Consortium of Northeastern Herbaria portal and iDigBio.org.

The Highstead specimen collection consists of records of plants once or currently growing on our property or locally in Redding and, when combined with other collections, helps researchers understand broader information about plant species including the historical range, abundance, morphological differences, seasonal events, the effects of climate change, and more.

Spinulose Woodfern (Dryopteris carthusiana)

“Herbaria are useful because they are a record of our natural environment,” says Geordie Elkins, Operations Director at Highstead, “In addition to documenting what’s here, we use it as a reference that can help in plant identification. If we have interns who are out in the field and they find a plant, it’s almost like having a dictionary or an encyclopedia of plants, except it’s an actual plant that they can compare to help with identification.”

The herbarium digitization project is part of a collaborative effort lead by the Environmental Management and Monitoring Alliance (EMMA), a collaboration of Hudson Valley-area organizations focused on ecological monitoring and research. Through a grant from the National Science Foundation, a traveling team from Vassar College worked at Highstead and other EMMA partner sites including Louis Calder Center of Fordham University, the Edmund Niles Huyck Preserve, the Mohonk Preserve, Pace University, and Vassar College to digitize plant specimens. As a result, Highstead’s contribution to the New England Vascular Plant Network provides more regional data, and the collection becomes a more powerful scientific research tool.

Two students work in an open office and around a large light box and mounted camera. Highstead's Herbarium.
Vassar College Interns, Alison Carranza and Garrett Goodrich digitize plant specimens at the Highstead barn.

Highstead staff worked closely with Vassar College interns to digitize pressed specimens from their collections. The process used a high-resolution camera mounted on a lightbox to ensure that each image was evenly lit, centered, and perpendicular to the specimen. Highstead’s scanned flora consist of plant species recorded on the property and in nearby Redding—native, cultivated, and invasive. As a window into the past and reflection of the present, herbaria can help us prepare for future change in the land.  

Geordie adds, “For instance, I also use the large online herbarium if I’m trying to research a species that we want to collect for the Ecotype Project. The extensive database allows me to see where people have collected the plant in Connecticut in the past to help lead us to locations where we may find it today.”

The resulting collection will join the online database housed by the Consortium of Northeastern Herbaria portal and iDigBio.org sometime this winter.

Category: Research, Stories

Topics: , , , , , , , ,


2021 RCP Network Gathering Social Media Text & Images

Instagram

Text

  1. Caption: Are you interested in #conservation, #foodsovereignty, #landplanning, #landjustice and equity? Join the Regional Conservation Partnership Network on November 18 for the 2021 virtual RCP Network Gathering, Land Justice: The Heart of Resilient Regions and Communities. The Gathering is hosted by @highsteadfoundation and registration is free and open to all. Learn more at the link in our profile. (https://www.wildlandsandwoodlands.org/rcp-network-virtual-gathering-2021-land-justice-heart-resilient-regions-and-communities-thursday) ← Please add this URL to your profile or linktree.

    #NewEngland #Northeast #UrbanConservation #NewEnglandConservation #Sustainability 
  2. Caption: This year marks the 12th annual RCP Network Gathering, and we’re looking forward to learning from and discussing collaborative #conservation and how Regional Conservation Partnerships (RCPs) can support, and form meaningful collaboration while advancing #landjustice and equity now. The Gathering is on November 18, 9 am – 3 pm ET via Zoom and hosted by @highsteadfoundation. Registration is free and open to all.
    (https://www.wildlandsandwoodlands.org/rcp-network-virtual-gathering-2021-land-justice-heart-resilient-regions-and-communities-thursday) ← Please add this URL to your profile or linktree.

    #NewEngland #Northeast#UrbanConservation #NewEnglandConservation #Sustainability

Images

Facebook

Text

  1. Caption: This year marks the 12th annual RCP Network Gathering, and we’re looking forward to learning about and discussing collaborative conservation and how Regional Conservation Partnerships (RCPs) can support and build meaningful collaboration while advancing land justice and equity now. November 18, 9 am – 3 pm ET via Zoom. The Gathering is hosted by Highstead and registration is free and open to all. https://www.wildlandsandwoodlands.org/rcp-network-virtual-gathering-2021-land-justice-heart-resilient-regions-and-communities-thursday.
  2. Caption: Mark your calendars for this year’s RCP Network Gathering on November 18, 9 am – 3pm ET via Zoom. At this year’s Gathering, you can learn how we can all support, amplify, and replicate the successes of groups and communities already driving Land Justice work in the Northeast. Breakout sessions will give you the opportunity to meet new peers and connect with colleagues you haven’t seen in a while. Registration is free and open to all. https://www.wildlandsandwoodlands.org/rcp-network-virtual-gathering-2021-land-justice-heart-resilient-regions-and-communities-thursday.

Twitter

Text

  1. Caption: Interested in #conservation, #FoodSovereignty, #LandJustice and equity? Join the 11/18 Regional Conservation Partnership Network Gathering on Land Justice: The Heart of Resilient Regions & Communities. https://bit.ly/RCPGathering2021 #NewEngland #Northeast #RCPNetwork
  2. There’s still time to join the RCP Network Gathering on 11/18. The focus is on understanding the legacy of land injustice and approaches to incorporating justice and equity into our daily work and vision for #conservation. https://bit.ly/RCPGathering2021 #NewEngland

Images

Category: Uncategorized


Doug Tallamy on a New Conservation Approach in Your Backyard

On the evening of September 1, 2021, best-selling author Doug Tallamy reminded his virtual audience of the critical link between human life and the natural world.  “Humans are totally dependent on ecosystem services,” he said, referencing the many ways natural systems support human life. He continued, “What I want to argue this evening, though, is that living with nature not only is an option, it is now the only viable option that is left to us.”

Native plants and flowers. A New Conservation Approach in Your Backyard
Doug Tallamy proposes we garden to support life– insects, wildlife, and our own.

In his presentation as part of the Mark Twain Library’s adult program series, Tallamy laid out a vision for a grassroots conservation approach where homeowners and property owners can support the insects, plants, and animals that sustain us.  Detailed in his recent book, Nature’s Best Hope: A New Approach to Conservation that Starts in Your Yard, which he sees a momentous opportunity for property owners to shift from viewing the natural world as “out there” to experiencing wildlife and supporting biodiversity at home and in our neighborhoods and communities.

Tallamy stressed how personal and vital it is that we act where we can. He shared the statistic that 85.6% of the U.S. east of the Mississippi is privately owned, and 78% of the entire country is privately owned. “If we don’t do conservation on private property, we’re going to fail. And of course, we can’t afford to fail.” How can we help, and what does this look like? Tallamy suggested a new goal for the landscaping we put forth as humans: to have functional ecosystems where we live. Have a yard with less than lively turf grass? He shares how one can transform their yard into conservation corridors and habitats that support wildlife and increase biodiversity.

This program is offered in partnership by the Mark Twain Library, Highstead, New Pond Farm Education Center, and the Redding Garden Club.

Doug Tallamy by Rob Cardillo. A New Conservation Approach in Your Backyard.

Doug Tallamy is T. A. Baker Professor of Agriculture in the Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology at the University of Delaware. He is co-founder of Homegrown National Park, a grassroots call-to-action to regenerate biodiversity and ecosystem function because every human being on this planet needs diverse and highly productive ecosystems to survive. Photo credit: Rob Cardillo

Category: Events

Topics: , , , , , , ,


Branching Out: How Trees Are Key to New England’s Environmental Future

New England’s rural forests and its urban greenspaces are comprised of one of the region’s most treasured and historically important natural resources—trees. In a recent episode of Connecticut Public Radio’s Disrupted podcast, host Dr. Khalilah L. Brown-Dean interviews three leaders who share how trees are vital to our well-being and future. The segments feature Drew Goldsman, Urban Conservation Director for the Connecticut chapter of The Nature Conservancy; Caroline Scanlan, GreenSkills Manager for Yale’s Urban Resources Initiative; and David R. Foster, Senior Conservationist at Harvard University’s Harvard Forest and President and Board Chair of Highstead.

Goldsman points to the fact that unequal access to forests and trees means a select few enjoy their benefits. He emphasizes the vital connection that urban communities and individuals have with their natural resources, like trees, and how it’s critical to support community leaders in overcoming barriers to access, including, “Making sure we’re finding those partnerships with affordable housing partners, in general, city government, to ensure that this is considered a vital city service along with transit, housing, lead abatement—this all has to be a part of an investment in community health.”

But we actually are converting twenty-four, twenty-five thousand acres of land a year across New England to asphalt and to backyards. That’s the single most intensive and most damaging impact because it eliminates the forest, it releases carbon dioxide, and it prevents future forests from taking that in and providing all the other benefits.

David R. Foster

In New Haven, the Urban Resources Initiative (URI), part of the Yale School of the Environment, has collaborated with city officials to increase the urban tree canopy since 1991. Scanlan shares how their tree planting mission has expanded by centering the importance of trees and respecting the connection that communities have with the land. In addition, they partner with landowners and renters and increase the number of people participating in urban forestry by partnering with local high schools and EMERGE Connecticut to connect those with barriers to employment, like formerly incarcerated people, with work opportunities. She says, “It’s really been an opportunity for URI to reach so many folks in New Haven, to grow our own community and network, and to have voices and advocates for local urban forestry efforts.”

Forest and tree trunks. The understory is covered in fern and shrubs. New England Trees are Key.
The Highstead forest in Redding, Connecticut

On a regional scale, Highstead Board President and Harvard Forest Senior Conservationist, David. R. Foster discusses the impact of climate change in the Northeast and the impacts on New England’s rural forests. As co-author of the 2017 Wildlands & Woodlands (W&W) report, he shares some of the detailed suggestions for what the region needs to do to avoid further forest loss, which is currently at the rate of 24,000 lost acres annually. He discusses how climate change affects our region differently.

“In general, in New England, as the temperatures warm, our seasons will get longer. With more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, ironically our trees grow better… But we actually are converting twenty-four, twenty-five thousand acres of land a year across New England to asphalt and to backyards. That’s the single most intensive and most damaging impact because it eliminates the forest, it releases carbon dioxide, and it prevents future forests from taking that in and providing all the other benefits.”

2017 Wildlands and Woodlands report. Trees Are Key to New England's Environmental Future.
Wildlands and Woodlands, Farmlands and Communities: Broadening the Vision for New England

Foster’s focus remains on deforestation—the clearing of forests and converting of these areas to other landcover like asphalt or buildings—and on reversing the degradation of forests by intensive harvesting, especially in northern New England. He states that landowners, municipalities, states, and individuals all have an essential role in protecting forests and working toward the Wildlands & Woodlands suggested goal of conserving 30 million acres or 70% of our forested land by 2060.

Category: Perspectives

Topics: , , , , , , , , , ,


Together Again: Highstead Staff Team-Building on the Connecticut Coast

Last month, the Highstead staff convened from across New England for an in-person outing for the first time since before the pandemic. While some team members reconnected after over a year of working apart and remotely, others met each other in person for the first time. The day consisted of team-building outdoor activities, including a paddle to Connecticut’s Outer Island, part of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge.


A special thanks to our kayak guide, Eileen from Branford River Paddlesports, and Ian, our Outer Island tour guide, for sharing their knowledge and helping us have a successful gathering.

Highstead staff visit the Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge Outer Island Unit
Photos by Katie Blake
Highstead staff kayak to the Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge Outer Island Unit
Highstead staff kayak to the Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge Outer Island Unit

 

Category: News

Topics:


People of Highstead: Spencer Meyer

Highstead would not be what it is today without the steadfast leadership and diverse experiences of its team members. Meet the people of Highstead: experts, conservation leaders, scientists, and staff that embody Highstead’s mission to build a healthier, more livable world for all in our staff interview series.

Spencer Meyer, Senior Conservationist

What is your role?

Spencer: I lead Highstead’s conservation finance program, which entails everything from working with partners on new public and private funding initiatives, to providing conservation strategy to partner NGOs, to conducting research on land use, economics, and environmental policy.

What drew you to Highstead?

Spencer: Solving the greatest conservation and climate challenges requires taking a long view and investing in foundational programs that may take years to pay dividends. Highstead embodies that patient commitment in its people and partnerships.

What are your favorite parts of your job?

Spencer: Every day I get to work with wicked smart colleagues within Highstead and at many of our partner organizations. I draw a lot of my inspiration from these folks. Collaboration can be hard some of the time, but it’s so much more fun and rewarding than going it alone.

Where does your motivation come from?

Spencer: I am motivated by the woods and waters around my home and my favorite New England destinations. I spend a lot of time outdoors mulling over how we got so lucky to have these places to reflect and recreate. I want everyone to have easy access to places that are special to them. I believe it’s through these personal connections to the land that we will ultimately succeed in accelerating the pace of conservation.

What is the professional accomplishment you are most proud of?

Spencer: If I had to point to one thing, I would say I am immensely proud of what my partners and I have built at Sebago Clean Waters – a true public/private partnership that is investing in preserving a critical watershed that serves millions of people. I also am very gratified by those moments, every once in a while, when I see something exciting happen, and I can look back and know for myself that I provided a little nudge, or a connection, or some advice along the way that helped make it happen.

Who are your conservation heroes throughout history and today and why?

Spencer: I received my forestry and conservation education in a time when mostly wealthy white men were celebrated for the things they did. I can’t help but be inspired by some of those stories, and particularly by Percival Baxter, who persevered over several decades to create Baxter State Park. Baxter is a very special place to me, and on my office wall hangs an original 1931 USGS topo map of the Baxter region from just before it became the Park.  But I also know I have a lot to learn about how so many unsung, underrepresented heroes were working behind the scenes to make things happen. I have learned a lot from Dr. Dorceta Taylor’s book, the Rise of the American Conservation Movement, and still have a long way to go. I have also been inspired by a pair of truly great sustainability visionaries with whom I have been fortunate to have crossed paths personally: Drs. Donella Meadows and Elinor Ostrom.

Do you recommend any books, podcasts, or other resources that have had an impact on your life or work?

Spencer: I’m a sucker for economics podcasts. My two favorites are Freakonomics and Planet Money. They basically show how and why the real world works. Or doesn’t. The podcasts tell these fascinating stories that intertwine motivations, markets, personal passions, and frequently, mistakes. I find all kinds of ways to apply these lessons to my own life and my conservation work.

What is the most important/useful strategy in your conservation and stewardship toolbox?

Spencer: Finding out what motivates people, whether it’s a landowner, a policy-maker, or a colleague, is critical to making connections and getting things done.

Where is your favorite place to recreate in the Northeast? What makes it special?

Spencer: It’s a toss-up between the wilds of Katahdin in Baxter State Park and the salt marshes by my home near Long Island Sound.

What advice would you give to the next generation of conservationists?

Spencer: Technical skills and credentials are important for the résumé, but people skills make or break your career.

What advice have you received that has stuck with you?

Spencer: Focus on what’s important to you.

How does your work connect to 30 x 30 or the Wildlands & Woodlands Vision?

Spencer: Within our Highstead conservation finance program, we are always looking for ways to increase the funding and policies that will be required to achieve both 30 x 30 and the much more ambitious Wildlands, Woodlands, Farmlands and Communities vision for New England.

Category: Stories

Topics: , , ,