I’ve joined the Board of Directors of the Cape Elizabeth Land Trust

I’m in the paper! I am delighted to have joined the Board of Directors of the Cape Elizabeth Land Trust (CELT), a nonprofit organization dedicated to land conservation, stewardship, and education in the town of Cape Elizabeth—the coastal community in southern Maine that Fredrick and I call home.

We’re a small org with a big mission: “CELT permanently conserves and stewards cherished lands—from shorelands to marshes, from farmlands to woodlands—for ecological benefit and for the enjoyment and education of all people.”

When Fredrick and I first moved here in February 2019, we were mesmerized by this place where the forest meets the sea. We quickly became acquainted with the work of CELT, exploring every trail, property, farm, field, beach, and forest available to us. These public spaces were a godsend to us during COVID, and we continue to get out onto the trails weekly to calm and connect.

“Within Cape Elizabeth’s 9,000+ acres, you will find a remarkable variety of natural habitats including tidal saltwater marshes, old-growth forests, bold ocean promontories, sandy beaches, dense coniferous woods, and open fields. These special places are conserved and accessible to the public as a result of the partnership between the municipal government, private landowners, and the Cape Elizabeth Land Trust.”

I am honored to be serving on CELT’s Membership & Development Committee, Governance Committee, and Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Justice (DEIJ) Working Group. I was elected by the Board in July and made official at the annual meeting last month alongside four fabulous new Board members: Jill Darling, Kevin Jordan, Lynn Bailets, and Rick Rosu-Myles.

A most lovely blurb in this week’s Cape Courier: “Whitney Hess: Infusing Compassion into Conservation. Renowned executive coach Whitney Hess, known for putting humanity back into business, has brought her wealth of experience to the CELT Board. With a background in user experience consulting and a commitment to cultivating compassionate and inclusive organizational cultures, Whitney’s addition promises to elevate CELT’s impact on both the community and the environment.”

I am so grateful to be of service in furthering CELT’s mission to foster a love of the natural world—acknowledging we are on the unceded homelands of the Wabanaki peoples, mitigating the impacts of climate change, and ensuring equal access for all.

“We acknowledge that our unceded conserved lands are the traditional lands of the first people of the Wabanaki Confederacy of tribes who collectively stewarded these lands for centuries before us. We acknowledge indigenous ancestors—past, present and future. We honor with gratitude the land itself, and we commit to learning to be more conscious and respectful stewards of the land we inhabit and care for, and to invite all people to share in the work.”

Thank you to the CELT Board, staff, members, volunteers, advisors, educators, and community for allowing me to do this important work.