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A Word from the President

What has WCLT been up to and where are we going?

These questions have been on my mind for months, so I’ll get over my writer’s block and take a few minutes to bring you up to speed. Last May (2018) about a dozen WCLT Board members and committee chairs attended a day-long retreat and planning session facilitated by Amy Gay of The Mediation Group in Brookline, MA. To begin, each participant brought an object representing his or her answer to the questions: Why is WCLT important to you, and what’s at stake? Each person then explained the significance of the object. Many different objects appeared, including the yellow WCLT T-shirt, the WCLT logo, a dog leash, pruning shears, hiking boots, a jar of soil with decomposing leaves from the forest floor, a poem about the earth’s beauty, a trash bag, and a trail map. There was talk of bringing a chainsaw; and then the realization that chainsaws were a bit too big for the conference room. Participants responded passionately. It was great. Further, each of us had unique answers, yet 3 common threads emerged: family and community; land conservation; and education/appreciation of the natural world. The outcome of that exercise “What’s at stake”, and where are we going with it: an updated WCLT mission statement to roll out in 2019.

We next worked in small groups to brainstorm and address questions for the organization:Define WCLT’s ideal state. What tasks should WCLT prioritize to achieve our ideal state? Although we did not reach a final answer regarding WCLT’s ideal state, we identified and prioritized tasks. I have space here to share two of the outcomes of the “Ideal state” exercise, and where are we going with it: A refreshed, mobile-friendly, easily navigable, image-rich WCLT website to roll out in 2019; and a grant application to the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation for trail improvement around Gilmore Pond. I am grateful and proud of the WCLT Stewardship Committee for coming up with the idea, and then dedicating time and energy on the application (and the project as it becomes established). Thanks also to the WCLT Land Preservation Committee, which also helped with the grant.

Gillian Beamer president@westboroughlandtrust.org

By Nancy Szostak Wright

You’d have to shuffle off to Buffalo to visit the place where Maureen Johnson fell in love with the great outdoors. This most recent Westborough Community Land Trust (WCLT) President’s Award recipient is a four-season adventurer who has always loved exploring the world around her. In her words, “I am happiest when I am outside.”

For her many years as a WCLT volunteer and leader, Maureen received the 2018 WCLT President's Award. “Maureen’s exemplary service to WCLT has been outstanding,” cited Gillian Beamer, WCLT president. “Not only do we recognize her years of service, but also her effective leadership as Membership Committee chair and Board member for the total number of terms allowed.”

Maureen’s love of nature goes back to her childhood days. Having grown up in Buffalo, NY, she doesn’t mind the cold and the snow, and loves the sunshine. “We spent lots of time outdoors in New York when I was young – swimming, biking, and hiking in the summer, and sledding and skiing in the winter. Summer trips to the Adirondack Mountains were always a fun adventure.”

Following her graduation from Boston College, Maureen did a 10-year stint at Fidelity Investments. After that, she joined a small firm as Vice President of Operations and Client Relationship Management. Little did she know back then that building relationships would become her forte in the world of WCLT.

She became a member of WCLT during the years when Tim Buckalew and then Ellen Bishop served as president. Ellen asked Maureen if she would get involved and take on Membership. She agreed, not knowing what she was getting into, or how long she would be involved. She believed in, and was invested in, WCLT’s mission of conservation and preserving open space in Westborough.

Maureen remembers, “I stayed on the Board of Directors and chaired the (one person) Membership Committee for almost 15 years. I met and worked with a lot of great people who were passionate about WCLT and worked diligently to support its mission.“

Learning from environmental stewards such as Kris Allen, Maureen absorbed all she could about member communications and engagement. “Quickly, I learned that membership was all about building relationships and communicating. I got to know many WCLT supporters.” Finding connections with other like-minded outdoorsy residents was easy because she loved being outside every day and met many people on the local trails.

Maureen and her husband, Ian, would take their son, Liam, and their enthusiastic black lab on trail hikes in the area. “My son, who is now 14, has been hiking with me since he was about two weeks old. I’d snuggle him in a baby carrier and we’d walk our dog, Whitney, every day in the conservation area. When he was old enough, Liam began to walk the trails, which made our explorations much longer and more interesting, as we inspected every leaf, rock, stick, and bug along the way. Then we graduated to snowshoeing on the trails in the winter when he was about three or four years old. He is a now a Life Scout in Troop 100 who loves the outdoors.”

The Johnson family spends a lot of time in Maine, too, where they love to swim, boat, and fish. When not on the water, they’re usually in the woods, or on the trails, hiking, biking, snowshoeing, and skiing.

When Maureen is not leading her family on outdoor adventures, she’s leading the way for various organizations through her volunteer work. She is treasurer of the Westborough Cultural Council, chair of Arts in Common, president of the Westborough Education Foundation, committee member in Troop 100 Boy Scouts, president of the Westborough Public Library Foundation, member of the Rangers on Track committee, and a member of Westborough Garden Club. She is involved in the schools and for over 15 years has delivered meals on wheels.

Reflecting on the progress WCLT has made, Maureen noted, “I am thrilled and impressed with how far WCLT has come. We recently celebrated 20 years, and membership has grown. We continue to gain new members every year. WCLT has done a great job with the trails and open space in Westborough, as well as educating the community.” Maureen recognized WCLT for its communication, activities, and events: informational newsletters, “Nature Notes” in the Westborough News, Facebook posts, educational programs like the annual live animal event in the spring, Earth Day Clean-up, and the many talks and walks sponsored by WCLT.

How does she find time to stay so involved? “I have to be organized, efficient, and able to multi-task. I try hard to work effectively and efficiently and I work with a lot of really great, talented people, which makes it fun.”

For Maureen, it all comes down to two things: relationships and passion. “I think forming good relationships with people really makes a difference. I am involved in things that I am passionate about, so it makes it easier to fit it into my daily life.”

WCLT 2019 Scholarships & Earth Day Essay Contest

The Westborough Community Land Trust (WCLT) is again offering two scholarships of $1,000 each. They will be awarded to the winners of our annual Earth Day Essay Contest (March 1 – April 8). The contest is open to:

graduating seniors who attend Westborough High School (WHS);

graduating seniors who reside in Westborough but attend a different high school.

Scholarships will be awarded in June. How to enter? WHS seniors can get essay questions, contest details, and scholarship forms from the WHS guidance office as of Friday, March 1. Seniors who reside in Westborough and attend a different high school can get essay questions, contest details, and scholarship forms online as of March 1 at the WCLT web site. All submissions must be on paper (not online).
Deadline: Monday, April 8. All essays and applications must be received by this date (on paper, not online).
Click here for more information, including essay questions, please check the WCLT web site as of March 1.
If you have questions, please email: scholarship@westboroughlandtrust.org