MLTN Lunch & Learn: Everyone in the Backyard! How Gardening Can Foster the Next Generation of Conservation Leaders

Wed., Nov. 20, at 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

This talk will focus on how gardening presents land trusts with an excellent opportunity to meet many goals

Mahoosuc Land Trust’s Habitat For All program seeks to answer the question: How can we engage and inspire individuals who may not be able to participate in traditional land trust activities like hiking, canoeing, or skiing? We believe that reimagining nearby nature – backyards, school grounds, and neighborhoods  – provides tremendous opportunities to rekindle our sense of wonder and empathy for the natural world.

This talk will focus on how gardening presents land trusts with an excellent opportunity to meet many goals, such as:

• Yards represent potential habitats for birds, pollinators, and other wildlife, many of which are in decline. It is estimated that yards represent approximately 30% of the US landscape.
• The time is ripe. People are craving activities where they can use their hands in physical, creative work. This is especially true with younger adults, a demographic many land trusts have difficulty involving in our work.
• There is national momentum to encourage and recognize small-scale conservation efforts, such as Doug Tallamy’s Home Grown National Park initiative.
• Gardening is social and provides unlimited opportunities for staff to meet and get to know members. There are many styles, educational opportunities, and activities associated with gardening, assuring a fit for most.
• Mahoosuc Land Trust’s Habitat For All Garden has grown from a 10’x20′ starter garden to 10,000ft2. In 2023, approximately 10,000 people visited the garden from April through October. Importantly, the garden has given people like me a home in the conservation world while elevating the importance of our work.

Barbara will also discuss some of the challenges she has faced, some of her program’s unique assets, and the typical issues of funding, staffing, trained volunteers, and the need for a passionate leader.

There is no cost to participate, but pre-registration is required. Register here. 

About the Presenter:

Barbara Murphy, Director of Development and Habitat For All, joined the Mahoosuc Land Trust in 2017 and believes gardening in any form is a powerful vehicle for community engagement and global change. Through gardening,

“I gained skills, knowledge, and personal confidence. I came to understand the interplay and impact of seasons, soil, wildlife, microorganisms, temperature, and many other factors on plant growth and the life that supported the garden. Gardening also provided many opportunities to engage with community members, share knowledge, talk science and politics, and better understand the power of plants to change people.”

Barbara taught the Master Gardener course at the University of Maine for 23 years and has in-depth experience in volunteer management. For 10 years, she co-owned a specialty plant nursery with her husband, Mike.