Lina Farias, Doris Duke Conservation Scholar with the Yale School of the Environment and Highstead Fellow, attended the 2021 Conservation Finance Bootcamp during her time at Highstead this summer. Lina recounted her her crash course at the 2021 Conservation Finance Boot Camp for the Conservation Finance Network website from her perspective as an Organismal Biology and Ecology major at Colorado College. An excerpt and a link to the full article are provided below.
I’m someone who has always seen conservation as the work done by field biologists on restoration properties and in wildlife rehabilitation centers. As I sat through sessions on debt and ratios, I couldn’t help but think to myself “are all these numbers really that important?” It turns out: yes they are.
That’s the main lesson I registered as I dove into my internship at the Highstead Foundation by joining the virtual 2021 Boot Camp. It felt worlds away from the work I did as a biologist in college. Green bonds, carbon offsets, private equity investors, conservation easements, corporate social responsibilities, and voluntary surcharges were swirling through my mind as I stared at my computer screen seeing presenter after presenter. Each was giving me new vocabulary, but more centrally, each was giving financial advice to dozens of other conservation organizations. I now know that these terms drive strategies and that these strategies drive the capital that enables research and restoration projects to continue.
That’s a profound lesson for me. I have always envisioned myself as the wildlife field biologist who camps in the woods or sleeps on a boat for months on end observing the ways the natural world works. The idea of crunching endless numbers in the effort to come up with the money for a project was a side of conservation I had brushed away as if it were somebody else’s job. But while attending the boot camp, I found that there was a difference between fundraising and financing and this difference seemed to reflect in whether an organization could bring in enough capital to sustain its projects. This clarity came from Peter Stein, Managing Director of the Lyme Timber Company and co-founder of the Conservation Finance Network, when he stated, “Fundraising is money you do not need to pay back while financing is money you do need to pay back – often with interest.” The field of conservation finance, he said, is “an emerging sector that seeks to find new financial vehicles and approaches to attract funding for conservation.”
Embracing its role in building capacity among conservation organizations, Highstead has begun a new spotlight series focusing on new and innovative ways that conservation organizations finance their projects. This spotlight will highlight The Ricci Property/Mill River Watershed Conservation Project completed in partnership between the South Central Connecticut Regional Water Authority(RWA), based in New Haven; the Cheshire Land Trust; and the town of Cheshire, CT.
The Mill River, Cheshire, CT
This joint effort among three very different entities aimed to buy a 45-acre property for open space, recreation, and watershed conservation. While an unusual arrangement, there is a growing awareness that having a water utility join forces with a conservation group can achieve important conservation goals.
To better understand why this partnership worked so well and why the RWA is so committed to conservation, Doris Duke Conservation Science Fellow Lina Farias conducted separate interviews with two key players in the transaction: John Triana from the RWA and David Schrumm from the Cheshire Land Trust to get their different perspectives on the purchase. John Triana, who has been with RWA for 27 years, is the real estate manager in charge of their land purchases, while David Schrumm is part of the Cheshire Land Trust and guided the purchase of the land. Their remarks are excerpted here.
John, can you tell me a little more about the history of conservation at the RWA?
John Triana, Regional Water Authority
John: The Regional Water Authority was created by legislation in 1977, but it wasn’t until the late 1990s and the early 2000s that there was a concerted effort to acquire and protect land for watershed conservation. This was because of Claire Bennett, the Chair of the RWA’s Five-member Authority, who was a passionate conservationist and made it her mission to allocate millions of dollars to buying land in order to conserve the watershed lands in the New Haven area. This initial passion resulted in the RWA buying over 1800 acres for the first ten years before the mid-2000s housing crisis bubble. During that period, the cost of an acre of land shot up, and a change in leadership meant that the RWA was no longer buying as much land as they once had. The real estate market challenges led the RWA to create a matrix system to prioritize properties of interest within the watershed using 14 different variables measuring conservation value and relevance to the RWA mission. This matrix has allowed the RWA to own over 27,000 acres of land, with most of it being used for watershed protection.
Could you walk us through the Mill River Project from your perspectives?
David Schrumm, Cheshire Land Trust
David: So this land was originally on the RWAs radar before it was on the Cheshire Land trust’s which I’m sure John will discuss. The point where the Cheshire Land Trust became involved was when the land developer, John Ricci, reached out to us and asked whether we would be willing to purchase the land from him for conservation. We were interested in doing so, but the price was high. The Cheshire Land Trust applied for a grant specifically meant to protect watersheds. While waiting for the approval for this grant, I called John Triana as I knew the RWA had previously had interest in purchasing this land. He told me to wait for the $200,000 and reach back out. We did eventually receive that grant, and when we reached back out to the RWA, they decided to pitch in $225,000. After that, both the RWA and the Cheshire Land Trust went to the town of Cheshire to ask the town to pitch in the last $250,000 and they would receive full ownership of the open space. Luckily they did so, and through the trust of all three entities we were able to complete the project.
John: Yes, from the RWA’s perspective, once we heard that David had received the $200,000 grant, we became very interested in this land again. Years before, the RWA had identified this property using the matrix as a high priority for watershed protection. We were originally all set to buy the property from the original owner, but she unfortunately passed before signing the letter of intent. After her passing, no deal was ever reached with her son. It wasn’t until many years later that the developer, John Ricci, bought the land and contacted the Cheshire Land Trust. The developer was originally asking for a much more significant amount of money but lowered his price eventually because he was also interested in conserving the land. When we brought in the town and they agreed to be the owner, the RWA would be an easement owner which would allow the town to do more with the land than the RWA would be able to (trails, parks, maintenance, etc). The town was then able to apply for an open space grant (Open Space and Watershed Land Acquisition program – OSWLA) which led to the RWA and the town of Cheshire receiving money back from this purchase to then be able to invest in other properties.
Why does a water utility company care about land conservation?
John: While the RWA has always looked to acquire property for watershed protection, the concerted effort really began with Claire Bennett. Because of her passion, she pushed for the RWA’s efforts in purchasing land for conservation which set the precedent to continue doing so even through leadership changes. It is difficult to center a utility around conservation because much of the time the leadership/board are business-oriented professionals who are not used to prioritizing conservation. The RWA began with a very passionate leader which is the reason we have continued with conservation as a main focus.
I’ve read that the RWA is a member of a Regional Conservation Partnership. Could you tell us more about these partnerships?
John: Yes, the RCP we are a part of is called the South Central Regional Land Conservation Alliance. Connecticut has what is called “Home Rule” which means that each municipality can decide how to do things on their own, and there doesn’t have to be unity between boundaries. The point of this partnership is to cross those boundaries and work together on conservation projects. This is especially important when discussing watershed conservation and protection. I believe it is important to have this cross-boundary partnership because watersheds cross municipal boundaries. In order to conserve them, municipalities need to work together.
How would you recommend conservation groups reaching out to utility companies for financial partnerships? Were there any challenges?
John: This may be difficult, but I would recommend that conservation groups start reaching out to the leaders of utility companies. This is because these people have the most power within the company and control where the money goes. If conservation groups can convince these board members/leaders that their projects would also benefit them, then the company will be more likely to participate.
David: We have never had issues with working with the RWA, and a large part of that is because we have been working together for so many years that we have built a lot of trust in one another’s commitment to conserving land. We work with the RWA because we know of their commitment to watershed protection because of their many land purchases in the past and past projects we have done with them. In the end, this project worked because everyone has proven their commitment to conservation which allows for a joint partnership with similar goals.
About the Author
Lina Farias is a Doris Duke Conservation Scholar with the Yale School of the Environment who was a fellow with the Highstead Foundation during the summer of 2021. She shows a strong interest in watershed conservation and is particularly interested in bridging communities with different beliefs and goals in order to complete conservation projects that are inclusive and beneficial for everyone. She is currently a senior at Colorado College and is finishing her Organismal Biology and Ecology major. After obtaining her undergraduate degree, she hopes to gain more experience in the marine biology field and eventually obtain an M.S in oceanology or marine animal behavior.
For six weeks each summer, the ALPINE Summer Institute brings together students and early career professionals interested in conservation to learn, network and get inspired for the next steps in their careers.
While the Covid-19 pandemic has transformed the Summer Institute into an online, rather than in-person experience, it has delivered distinct benefits says Marianne Jorgensen, ALPINE manager of the program.
“We had more applications to participate this year than ever,” said Marianne. “We’ve also drawn participants from across the country. Yes, our focus is New England, but the diverse perspectives of conservationists from across the country adds a new dimension.”
Program candidates are selected for their academic and career interests in land conservation. This year’s participants include residents of Puerto Rico, Oregon, and Montana, as well as residents from across New England.
The 2021 ALPINE Summer Institute program is designed for undergraduate and graduate students, as well as early career professionals, to learn more about the theory and practice of large landscape conservation. The program is staffed by experts in the field of land conservation from the Lincoln Institute, the Harvard Forest, the Highstead Foundation, and the University of Massachusetts Amherst. In 2021, ALPINE Summer Institute participants who successfully complete all course requirements will have the opportunity to earn 2 academic credits from UMass Amherst.
Each week of the program includes speakers who are experts in different aspects of large landscape conservation, as well as a wide array of readings. Topics range from the history of large landscape conservation to land preservation tools and techniques; case studies and diversity, equity and inclusion in conservation.
The capstone of the six-week program is the projects completed by each attendee. As part of the application process, each student identifies a large landscape challenge and then applies the tools, guidance and mentorship available from speakers and ALPINE leadership to identify solutions that can be implement following the program’s completion.
“This is the most exciting part of the program,” says Marianne. “Large landscape conservation is critical to achieving the Wildlands, Woodlands, Farmlands & Communities vision and addressing a myriad of climate, ecological and social problems. Having such thoughtful committed advocates taking the tools and connections from the program and applying them to real-world problems, gets us closer to our goals.”
The 2022 Summer Institute application process will open in November.
The television news program, Chronicle from WCVB-TV in Boston, Massachusetts, recently aired a series on conservation, forestry, and recreation in the remote North Maine Woods. The episode follows the experiences of local and regional residents, advocates, and innovators like Wildlands & Woodlands partner, the New England Forestry Foundation (NEFF), who are dedicated to advancing forest conservation and fighting climate change in New England. View the recent spotlight on the power of protecting Maine’s forests as embedded videos below or visit the Chronicle website to view segment one, segment two, segment three, and segment four.
Segment One: The Carbon Fighting Power of Maine’s North Woods (06:28)
Begin by meeting Igor and Karen Sikorsky, of Bradford Camps on the shores of Munsungan Lake, Maine. They are stewards and partners with the New England Forestry Foundation for the Pingree Partnership, the largest conservation easement in the history of the United States, permanently protecting 762,192 Maine forest acres from development. NEFF’s executive director, Robert Perschel, and senior forest science and policy fellow Alec Giffen suggest NEFF’s Exemplary Forestry standards as a way to manage New England’s forests and maximize their carbon storage potential as a significant climate solution.
Segment Two: The Problem With Deforestation (06:03)
Segment two sets the scene on the other side of Mount Katahdin, where a healthy forest was clear cut and replaced by monocultured trees by a South African logging company in the 1980s. Ownership of that forestland was transferred to the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC). Steve Tatko, AMC’s director of conservation and land management, shares their approach to sustainable management of almost 75,000 forest acres south of Katahdin in Maine’s Hundred-Mile Wilderness after more than a century of intensive harvesting.
*Note: Although the segment title indicates deforestation, we offer the correction that forest harvesting, even when intensive, is not the same as deforestation. Deforestation is restricted to replacing a forest with another land cover like pavement or buildings.
Segment Three: Nature Regrows Forests Naturally, Can Humans Do The Same? (05:29)
Learn how nature regenerates forests and how careful, deliberate forestry like those in NEFF’s Exemplary Forestry Initiative applies the ecological ways nature improves wildlife habitat, grows better wood for commercial markets, and helps mitigate climate change all at the same time.
Segment Four: Can a Building Made of Wood Fight Climate Change? (03:04)
Now that we know how trees are powerful for absorbing carbon, we are introduced to wooden buildings, where carbon can be stored in our cities and towns. Next, Chronicle visits Dr. Peggi Clouston, a professor of timber engineering at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She shares how cross-laminated timber or mass timber replaces the use of heavy greenhouse gas emitting concrete and steel processes.
Looking to catch up on the latest news about the real-world impacts of conservation in New England? Dig into these six stories from across the region and beyond.
1.Conserving Plant Diversity by the Native Plant Trust and The Nature Conservancy, June 2021
Conserving Plant Diversity is a new report and integrated mapping tool from the Native Plant Trust and The Nature Conservancy that details the specific land protection action necessary to save New England plant diversity while supporting 30 x 30 goals for the region. Read more.
2.Since When Have Trees Existed Only for Rich Americans? by Ian Leahy and Yaryna Serkez, The New York Times, June 30, 2021
The authors investigate the relationships between the number of trees in a community and past environmentally racist and discriminatory policies. They outline current tree equity initiatives and opportunities that improve health outcomes, quality of life, slow the climate crisis, and support economic growth in lower-income communities and communities of color. Learn more.
3. How marginalized communities in the South are paying the price for ‘green energy’ in Europeby Majile de Puy Kamp, CNN, July 9, 2021
In 2009, the European Union instated its Renewable Energy Directive, including biomass from harvested trees as a viable renewable energy source along with wind and solar. However, the increased demand for wood pellets from the American Southeast, the largest wood producing region globally, is harming marginalized communities and perpetuating environmental racism in places like Northhampton County, North Carolina. Learn more.
4. Janet Mills signs 1st-in-the-nation bill to shift recycling costs to packaging producersby Caitlin Andrews, Bangor Daily News, July 13, 2021
Maine recently became the first state in the nation to pass legislation that requires packaging producers to pay for recycling costs instead of consumers and communities. Read more.
5. Forest carbon trajectories: Consequences of alternative land-use scenarios in New Englandby Meghan Graham MacLean, Matthew J. Duveneck, Joshua Plisinski, Luca L. Morreale, Danelle Laflower, Jonathan R. Thompson, Global Environmental Change Volume 69, July 2021
Harvard Forest, the Department of Environmental Conservation at the University of Massachusetts, New England Conservatory, and the Department of Earth & Environment at Boston University examined the impacts of future land-use scenarios on New England forests and those effects on carbon stocks and emissions over a half-century. The modeling considers biomass energy harvesting scenarios, increased longer-term storage, reductions in net carbon emissions, and reductions in timber product consumption and how these strategies mitigate or increase climate change. Access the report.
6.Build Back a Better National Landscape Conservation Framework from the Center for Large Landscape Conservation and the Alaska Conservation Foundation, April 2021
This framework reports that landscape-scale conservation is essential to achieving the Biden administration’s “30 x 30” conservation and biodiversity initiative, increase social equity, and combat the climate crisis. The framework provides recommendations for building a robust and connected national framework of United States landscape conservation efforts that are more effective, equitable, inclusive, and will endure for future generations. Read the recommendations.
Photo Credit: Will Nunez / Macaulay Library at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology (ML198251581)
Steve Hagenbuch, Senior Conservation Biologist and Forester at Audubon Vermont, will present four interactive sessions that will cover different topics such as habitat requirements and management practices, bird-related forestry strategies for landowners, foresters, and conservation partners, and a review of the various technical and financial resources available to support habitat management and conservation. Continuing Forestry Education Credits (CFEs) are available for webinars #2, #3, and #4 through the Society of American Foresters.
Click here to view the Bird-friendly Forestry Resource Page.
Webinar Dates:
September 15, from 2-3:15 pm ET – Session #1: The Power of Birds in Driving and Sustaining Forest Management within the RCP Network.
Birds and bird habitats are effective motivators for engaging landowners in being active forest stewards. This webinar will take a closer look at how the RCP network can utilize birds as ambassadors for sustainable forest management. We will hear from Annette Goyne, a private forest landowner participating in the Cold Hollow to Canada RCP Woodlots program, describing how her interest in birds inspired actions to enhance habitat through active management.
September 22, from 2-3:15 pm ET – Session #2: Habitat Requirements and Management Considerations for Forest Birds in New England. (This webinar is approved for 1.0 Category 1 CFE credit)
Taking actions to enhance habitat for birds begins with taking a “birds-eye view” of the forest. This webinar will promote an understanding of what forest conditions and attributes provide high-quality nesting and foraging habitat for a range of priority bird species found in the northeast. We will hear from Dan Kilborn, a forester with the Vermont Land Trust, on how he has integrated bird habitat considerations with other forest management objectives on VLT fee-owned lands.
September 29, from 2-3:15 pm ET – Session #3: Bird-Friendly Forestry Practices and Strategies for Landowners. (This webinar is approved for 1.0 Category 1 CFE credit)
Managing a forest with birds in mind is compatible with many other landowner objectives. This webinar will explore specific forest management activities and silvicultural options designed to enhance bird habitat while also achieving timber and non-timber forest product, climate adaptation and mitigation, and other ecosystem services goals. Nancy Patch, co-founder of the Cold Hollow to Canada RCP and County Forester with the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks, and Recreation, will be co-presenter and provide examples from the field.
October 13, from 2-3:30 pm ET –Session #4: Technical and Financial Assistance for RCPs, Conservation Partners, and Landowners. (This webinar is approved for 1.0 Category 1 CFE credit)
For many landowners, a barrier to managing their forest with birds in mind is understanding where to begin and how to make it financially viable. Fortunately, there are many NGOs, government agencies, consulting foresters, and other technical assistance providers throughout the northeast ready and able to guide landowners along their forest stewardship journey. In this webinar, we will hear from representatives of these various groups about the services and learning opportunities they provide:
Maine Audubon – Sally Stockwell, Director of Conservation
Mass Audubon- Jeff Ritterson, Field Ornithologist
Audubon NY- Suzanne Treyger, Forest Program Manager
Audubon VT- Steve Hagenbuch, Senior Conservation Biologist and Forester
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.
Ed Faison, Senior Ecologist
What is your role?
Ed: I am senior ecologist and have been Highstead’s ecologist since 2006. I conduct ecological research and monitoring studies in Highstead’s forest and more broadly across the region, in collaboration with partners. My focus is on deer-forest relationships, long-term forest change, and how land protection influences forest characteristics including carbon storage. I write popular and scientific articles on these topics, lead guided tours on natural history, and contribute scientific expertise to the Wildlands and Woodlands Initiative.
What drew you to Highstead?
Ed: I was finishing up a master’s degree at the Harvard Forest, and my advisor, David Foster, mentioned that he was board chair of a conservation organization in southwestern Connecticut that was looking to hire a field ecologist. We took a trip down to Highstead, and I found an organization that was unusually committed to field science, for a small non-profit, which is what I wanted to pursue. Highstead was also transitioning from being a local arboretum to becoming a regional conservation and ecology organization, so there was an opportunity to contribute significantly to the organization’s growth.
Ed leads a guided walk with Operations Director, Geordie Elkins, through the Highstead landscape
What are your favorite parts of your job?
Ed: I like writing and translating science for a general audience, and I enjoy helping people see a particular bird species for the first time or teaching people something new about trees or the landscape on a guided tour. I also get a thrill from observing an unexpected pattern in nature. And just being out in the woods on a beautiful day away from traffic and the built environment is pretty great.
Where does your motivation come from?
Ed: I think it comes from a deep respect for other life forms that my mother helped instill in me, a passion for untrammeled landscapes combined with a sadness that we didn’t protect more of them along the way, and a recognition of the incredible resilience of nature when left to endure and function on its own.
What is the professional accomplishment you are most proud of?
Ed: Early in my career, being awarded Harvard’s Bowdoin Prize for Graduate Essays in the Natural Sciences and publishing an article in the scientific journal Ecology in the same year is high on the list. I am also proud of the popular articles that I have written that aim to translate science to the general reader and to meld science with the humanities. And I take pride in a recent paper that I coauthored on wild forests as a natural climate solution that has reached a broad audience.
Who are your conservation heroes throughout history and today and why?
Ed: Certainly, Thoreau because he was so ahead of his time. In addition to advocating in the 1850s that each town set aside a wild preserve, he also advanced the idea of protecting land along rivers for the public to enjoy.
George Catlin for advancing the idea in 1841 of setting aside a vast section of the Great Plains, which was unfit for cultivation, as a “nation’s park” which would protect the magnificent but rapidly dwindling bison herds and the Native American tribes that called this land home. It never happened, to our great loss, but it was an idea for a preserve that celebrated both wildlife and native cultures, and predated the world’s first National Park (Yellowstone) by 30 years.
The State of New York for adding an amendment into their state constitution in 1894 to permanently protect over 700,000 acres of the Adirondack Forest Preserve as “forever wild”. Today the acreage has grown to over 2 million acres. It represents by far the most consequential act of forest preservation in the Northeast and paved the way for the Federal Wilderness Act many decades later.
Deer in the Highstead meadow
What are some challenges you see facing the conservation and stewardship community in the next ten years?
Ed: I think embracing the idea that change is inevitable in our forests is a big challenge, particularly in the face of climate change and associated disturbances, and that change is not synonymous with “bad” even if it means our forests will endure more blowdowns, pest outbreaks, and the arrival of new species. Our forests may not look exactly the same as they did when we grew up, but if they are providing habitat, storing carbon, and regrowing after disturbances, then they are still functioning just fine.
Do you recommend any books, podcasts, or other resources that have had an impact on your life or work?
Ed:Books:Inheritors of the Earth by Chris Thomas; From Coastal Wilderness to Fruited Plain by Gordon Whitney; On Human Nature by EO Wilson; Guns, Germs, and Steel by Jared Diamond; Thinking Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman; and Wilderness and the American Mind by Roderick Nash. Podcasts:Revisionist History by Malcolm Gladwell
Where is your favorite place to recreate in the Northeast? What makes it special?
Ed: There are so many to choose from; it’s hard to pick just one. Certainly the beaches and salt ponds of Martha’s Vineyard hold a special place for me, as I grew up vacationing on the Vineyard with my family in a friend’s 600-square-foot cottage. Later I brought my own family to this cottage, so I developed quite a few memories over 45 years. Closer to home, I spend a lot of time running the forested trails along the Shepaug and Bantam Rivers in Washington, CT. Experiencing the beauty of rivers across the seasons never gets old.
What advice would you give to the next generation of conservationists?
Ed: Investigate conventional wisdoms. Question your own beliefs. Be careful not to conflate personal values with science. Be open to observing the unexpected in nature. Be skeptical of the idea that nature needs our help aside from being protected from development; nature is generally much more resilient than we think it is.
The Native Plant Trust (NPT) and The Nature Conservancy (TNC) recently published Conserving Plant Diversity, a comprehensive report identifying plant diversity among the ongoing threats to New England plants and plant communities. It’s the first of its kind to assess the region’s land protection status within the scientific framework of regional plant diversity and habitat resilience and applies those results as a foundation for conservation action and climate policy.
Purple Milkweed (Asclepias purpurascens L.)
The report measures progress toward the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation protection targets. These targets are a part of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the 2021 update within the Global Deal for Nature: to protect 30% of the planet’s ecosystems from human exploitation and development by the year 2030. Measuring “places of resilience” is at the foundation of the report’s research and targeted recommendations. According to the report, these places are “where the land provides many microclimates or natural strongholds for current plant populations that will enable them to endure different climate scenarios.” The research team located the region’s most resilient habitat areas and found that 2.3 million additional acres of climate resilient habitat are necessary to meet the New England target of 30% of permanently protected land against development by 2030.
To evaluate progress toward these goals, the research team mapped the distribution of New England habitats, including forests, wetlands, patch-forming terrestrial habitats, and Important Plant Areas (IPAs). IPAs are defined as climate resilient habitats that are hotspots of rare and endangered plant species. NPT and TNC target 234 New England IPAs that represent 212 rare and endangered plant species on climate resilient land and recommends states start conserving IPAs to protect rare plant species and species of conservation concern.
Beyond protection against conversion, these climate-resilient habitats will require effective management to maintain essential ecosystem functions and focus on smaller areas that ensure plant populations survive. TNC’s integrated mapping toolemphasizes the importance of the location of those protected acres and provides data for land trusts, policymakers, and government agencies to understand the specific priority areas and networks necessary to preserve and conserve plant diversity and biodiversity in their states.
Purple Milkweed (Asclepias purpurascens L.)
One of the report’s case studies highlights purple milkweed (Asclepias purpurascens L.) as an example of a rare plant in New England that predominantly occurs outside of areas of resiliency and will require consistent evaluation as plant communities and assemblages change with the climate. In Connecticut, purple milkweed is a plant of special concern, and the report recommends that purple milkweed occurrences on climate-resilient land should be given greater priority for protection and conservation. In a separate effort, Highstead staff are searching for and surveying newly found purple milkweed populations around Fairfield county.
Highstead’s long standing commitment to using and modeling best practices for stewarding the ecological integrity of the land begins on its site in Redding, Connecticut. Managing over 100 acres of fields, woodlands, and meadows involves many decisions that consider the surrounding ecosystem and health of local plants and animals. One of these management priorities includes protecting and enhancing habitat and food sources for pollinators that carry out services vital to plant reproduction and food production.
In honor of National Pollinator Week (June 21-27, 2021), we are sharing a few examples of how you can support healthy habitat and sustenance for pollinators at home and in your community by participating in a Pollinator Pathway.
Photo Credit: Louise Washer
Pollinator Pathways are a compilation of different landscapes such as pesticide-free yards and public spaces that together build a corridor of healthy habitat for pollinators and people. These series of adjacent properties are often found in urban and suburban areas where development and other land use types have eliminated natural pollinator habitat. You can support your local pollinators by planting and caring for your home landscape in a way that expands and enhances an environment suitable for bees, insects, and butterflies by incorporating three key components of the Pollinator Pathway: plant natives, no pesticides, and rethink your lawn.
“You look at the surrounding landscape, how the different habitats are interconnected, and observe the ecological processes and what nature does naturally. ”
Kathleen Kitka, Landscape and Collections Manager, Highstead
1. Plant Natives
Changing what you plant on your property or in your planters can serve to counteract habitat loss from suburban, urban, and rural development which is further exacerbated by climate changes.
You can start by planting native flowers, trees, and shrubs that are well adapted to the local climate, soils, and ecological process which provide food and habitat for the specific pollinating insects in the region. These plantings can be of various flower shapes, sizes, and colors to attract coevolved insects and pollinators. Planting for a succession of blooms that start in early spring and continue through autumn makes food and habitat available for insects in every stage of their lifecycle.
Photo Credit: Louise Washer
In addition to the gently managed existing native flora on the Redding property, Highstead is a part of the Ecotype Seed Project, a collaborative effort to expand healthy pollinator habitat by collecting native plant seeds from local sources and making them available to nurseries and gardeners.
2. No Pesticides
You can combine planting natives with an approach that excludes the use of synthetic chemical pesticides of any kind (insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, etc.) Since pollinators are mobile across the landscape, they can be unintentionally exposed to pesticides when passing through a sprayed lawn or property. For example, if you’re trying to treat lawn grubs with an insecticide, pollinating bees and butterflies may be unintentionally exposed to harmful chemicals, and bees may carry the exposure back to their colonies. This is thought to be a contributing factor to honey bee Colony Collapse Disorder.
When it comes to pesticides, Highstead aims for an all-organic approach wherever possible. Avoiding synthetic pesticides works hand in hand with holistically managing the landscape in regenerative ways and encouraging the natural healing processes inherent within the ecosystem. While an all-organic approach may not be realistic for your situation or your landscape, you can steward your land along organic guidelines like those provided by the Northeast Organic Farming Association in the NOFA Standards for Organic Land Care.
Photo Credit: Louise Washer
3. Rethink Your Lawn
The traditional turf grass lawn doesn’t offer much nutrition, hiding spaces, or habitat for small wildlife and pollinators. However, by rethinking your lawn maintenance, you can enhance your landscape’s value for wildlife and people.
Consider limiting your turf grass to areas where it serves a functional role such as a path or play area and allow other areas to grow. At Highstead, we have reduced the extent of mowing to areas immediately adjacent to our barn and what is used for paths and parking areas.
Cut your grass less frequently, raise the height of your mower, and don’t kill the broad-leafed or non-grass plants when they sprout. These steps will allow flowering plants that are beneficial to pollinators to co-exist with your lawn grasses. For example, dandelions and violets are often food sources for early hatchers. These flowers are sources of food for pollinators that pass through your neighborhood.
There are other approaches to mowing. Cut grass at a longer height and keep the edges unshorn to provide an opportunity for pollinators to find something rather than nothing. After mowing, leave clippings on the grass as a fertilizer instead of applying additional chemicals. In the autumn, leave some leaf litter in flower beds as over-wintering insect habitat, and then mow the remaining leaves in place to build the organic matter in your soil.
Highstead’s Landscape and Collections Manager Kathleen Kitka shares her approach, “You look at the surrounding landscape, how the different habitats are interconnected, and observe the ecological processes and what nature does naturally. For example, we don’t rake our leaves, cut back our perennials, or mow the wildflower meadow in the fall. We leave all that because it is food or over-wintering habitat for wildlife. Cutting it all up would disturb that.”
Seeing an opportunity to expand conservation leaders’ ability to connect with their communities, Highstead, Cornell Ornithology Lab and the Northeast Bird Habitat Conservation Initiative conducted two eBird training webinars focused on how Cornell’s eBird tool, an online bird checklist program, can be used to encourage engagement with supporters, the community and landowners.
Over the course of two webinars, eBird and Cornell Land Trust Bird Conservation Initiative staff conducted interactive workshops demonstrating the power of eBird and how to use eBird science data to support activities such as land acquisition, monitoring, and engagement with landowners, stakeholders, and the birding community. The sessions were designed for Regional Conservation Partnership and land trust leaders who learned the basics of eBird to prepare them to lead their own future workshops. Participants will be eligible to apply for mini-grants in 2022 to subsidize the costs of hosting their eBird workshops.
eBird training resources are available for RCP leaders to conduct their own training sessions.
