Read below for an essay excerpted from 50 Remarkable Years, 50 Remarkable People, Wildlands’ 50th anniversary book honoring the partners and volunteers who have made remarkable contributions to land conservation in Southeastern Massachusetts.

Read “The Next Remarkable Chapter,” our series introduction by President Karen Grey.

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It can be daunting to transition a blossoming land trust away from the kitchen table and into a board room. Grassroots governance by committed and well-intentioned people often requires substantial adjustments as an organization’s activity and scope expand. Convincing board members to give up their newsletter roles, their bookkeeping duties, or their supervision of staff is a challenge that some land trusts struggle with for decades or longer.

In 2007, Wildlands Trust was just starting down the road to organizational maturity when Doug Hart became Chair of the Board. A strong, quiet leader, Doug held vast experience with larger non-profit boards, instantly earning him the respect of his peers. Guided by a true-north moral compass and strong business acumen, Doug took on the role of teaching the Wildlands board to do its work. And he never wavered. He consistently reminded board members of their roles as fiduciaries, fundraisers, and high-level strategists, while discouraging them from meddling in day-to-day operations, which he made clear was the job of the Wildlands president. Doug was often heard saying, “We need to make the right decision, not the easy decision,” driving home the moral and ethical responsibilities of land trust board members.

After serving 12 years as board chair, Doug stepped down in 2019. Despite the pleas to stay, he felt it was the right thing to do for Wildlands Trust. He was the right person for the important job of nudging Wildlands out of the nest. When we fledged, Doug’s work was done.

Purchase 50 Remarkable Years, 50 Remarkable People today: wildlandstrust.org/shop50