Introduction: The Next Remarkable Chapter

By Wildlands President Karen Grey

As part of Wildlands Trust’s 50th Anniversary Celebration, we shared the stories of 50 people who have made remarkable contributions to land conservation in Southeastern Massachusetts. We celebrated these individuals because their stories tell our story; with their vision and dedication, Wildlands grew from a conversation around a kitchen table to a dynamic organization serving 55 towns and cities.

However, this story is far from over. As social and environmental forces threaten our regional landscape, the urgency of our work has never been greater. Just as our first 50 years relied on the generosity of remarkable individuals, our future relies on the next wave of conservation champions in our region. Can we count on you to help us write the next chapter of our story?

Please consider a gift to the Wildlands Trust Annual Fund today, so we can save important open lands for tomorrow: wildlandstrust.org/50th-donate

Explore “The Next Remarkable Chapter” series: wildlandstrust.org/anniversary-book

Bongiovanni Brothers

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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A common challenge of land protection is working with siblings tasked with determining the future of family land. Conservation deals frequently stall or even fall apart because of the divergent ideas and expectations of the next generation.

The Bongiovanni brothers eased our apprehension around this issue in 2010 when Wildlands began discussions with them about acquiring their Plymouth farmland for our new headquarters. Shortly after World War II, the property we now call Davis-Douglas Farm was given to their grandfather, Percy Douglas, by the children of his employer, Howland Davis. Two generations subsequently grew up on the farm; Percy raised his seven children, and then his daughter Barbara raised three sons.

With a keen sense of what this iconic property meant to their family and the broader community, David, Rob, and John Bongiovanni listened carefully when Wildlands broached the idea of protecting the land and converting the old farmhouse into offices. Then, something remarkable happened: within one week, Wildlands and the Bongiovanni brothers reached a handshake agreement on a bargain sale of the property. In exchange, the brothers would retain naming rights, with which they chose to honor the relationship between Howland Davis and Percy Douglas, hence creating Davis-Douglas Farm.

The Bongiovanni brothers, and the grace with which they conducted business during the farm transfer, will always be an important part of the Wildlands story.

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Hal Thomas & Mary Dunn

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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The neighboring towns of Rockland and Hanover share more than a geographic boundary—they both benefit from the contributions of longstanding open space committees.

These committees, and particularly their leaders, have been invaluable allies for Wildlands as we have expanded our presence in these northern Plymouth County towns over the past several years. In Hanover, Mary Dunn and Hal Thomas have ably co-chaired the Hanover Open Space Committee for many years.

Whether patiently building support at the grassroots level for a proposed land acquisition, taking the lead on trail improvement projects, or periodically updating the town’s open space and recreation plan to ensure its eligibility for state environmental grants, the committee and the Town continue to benefit from Mary and Hal’s astute leadership.

Mary and Hal were instrumental in building community support for the Sylvester Field project, a Wildlands/Town of Hanover partnership that preserved one of Hanover’s most iconic landscapes and is to date our most ambitious project in the town.

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Don Cann

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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In Rockland, Don Cann is the local leader who has helped Wildlands heighten our impact in northern Plymouth County. Don has led the Rockland Open Space Committee since 1999.

Under his leadership, the committee has, among other accomplishments, successfully advocated for the opening of the Rockland Rail Trail, helped ensure that the Rockland Golf Course will forever remain a valued recreational resource, and helped preserve the McCarthy Farm, one of the last remaining open space properties of significance in Rockland.

As part of his work on the McCarthy Farm project, Don laid the groundwork for Wildlands’ first completed acquisition in Rockland—the Conservation Restriction we hold on the Farm.

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David DeGhetto

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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Like many organizations during the COVID-19 pandemic, Wildlands Trust had to rethink its practices for a new world that discouraged people from being together. It was a time when several important projects needed to close quickly, including Sylvester Field, a high-priority land protection project in the town of Hanover.

With an engaged and willing seller, the challenges became all about fundraising. How could we close a $500,000 fundraising gap when we could not visit potential donors? Would people contribute to a project site unseen?

David DeGhetto, a former Wildlands board member and longtime supporter, understood the predicament. With a passion for projects that bring together land and historic preservation objectives, David was drawn to Sylvester Field and offered his assistance. Working with Wildlands, he set up a generous matching fund that established the momentum and enthusiasm required for a local fundraising campaign. The idea of having their gifts matched by the fund compelled over 150 new donors to step forward and provide the support needed to save these important historic fields.

David DeGhetto’s true passion is finding ways to repurpose historic structures slated for demolition, but protecting historic lands is a close second. We celebrate David as a man committed to safeguarding the future by protecting what is truly special about the past.

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Rymut Family

From left: Helen Rymut & Joan Iovino.

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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People raised on farms often develop admirable traits, like being responsible, possessing a strong work ethic, and having the ability to work selflessly as a member of a team. Additionally, they have incomparable love and respect for open land.

Frank and Aniela Rymut established their Halifax farm in 1935, raising animals and growing crops in beautiful rolling fields adjacent to an old one-lane road that connected Boston to the Cape. It was a family affair. Frank and his children Helen, Adele, and Benjamin routinely loaded the farm truck and parked it along the roadside to sell fruits and vegetables to summer travelers en route to Cape Cod.

“We had a bronze bell we would ring when we ran out of vegetables and my mother would come running down with more,” says 94-year-old Helen Rymut, with a smile and a twinkle in her eye.

Five generations of Rymuts were enriched by time spent at the family farm. But as is often the case, farm children grow up and pursue other interests. Transitioning a farm is a complex process, but the Rymut family had a plan. Helen, Adele, and Benjamin Rymut, with the assistance of their niece Joan Iovino, permanently protected their farm fields with the Wildlands Trust in 1997, in a clear gesture of love and reverence for land and family.

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Doug Hart

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.

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Wayne Petersen & Brian Harrington

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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The connection between birds and land is indisputable, so it should come as little surprise that many of the people involved in the genesis of Wildlands Trust were passionate birders.

Brian Harrington was a budding ornithologist at the Manomet Bird Observatory when the idea of a regional land trust first sprouted. “I remember a group of us sitting around Leona Asker’s kitchen table while she pitched her plan to start a land trust,” he says. Along with Asker, Betty Anderson, the president of Manomet, was a primary instigator of these conversations.“Within a few weeks, we had to move the meetings to the Plymouth Airport canteen because the group grew too big for Leona’s kitchen,” adds Mass Audubon’s Wayne Petersen, another young bird aficionado at the time.

Brian and Wayne became world-class ornithologists, traveling the globe to study birds and protect their habitats. Yet neither lost focus on the importance of protecting their own backyard. In the decades following those modest 1973 meetings, their commitment to Wildlands Trust never wavered, leading to multiple terms as board members, committee members, and program leaders. Today, both serve on the Board of Directors, where they are respected by their peers for their important contributions around natural resources. Brian and Wayne also play key roles on the Lands Committee, which visits and assesses the conservation values of each parcel being considered for protection.

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Skip Stuck, Marilynn Atterbury & Rob MacDonald

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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The customary practice in the non-profit sector is to measure volunteer impact by the number of hours served. However, the cumulative impact of Marilynn Atterbury, Skip Stuck, and Rob MacDonald on Wildlands Trust goes well beyond the extraordinary number of hours they work.

With the “Three Amigos,” it is more about the intangibles. It is their positive energy, reliability, leadership, creativity, and intellectual generosity that endears these three amazing individuals to the Wildlands staff.

If you arrive at Davis-Douglas Farm at 8:00 a.m. on a beautiful spring morning, you may encounter a cheerful gardener tending the vibrant flower beds that she designed and built. This is Marilynn, a former horse farm manager, who tends the Davis-Douglas gardens as if they are her own. If you attend a guided hike, your leader is likely to be Skip Stuck. A retired social worker and non-profit manager, Skip has many talents, including teaching carpentry skills to our land stewards. Rob MacDonald, an IT professional, is the man to thank if you use Avenza, the new Wildlands trail app featuring maps of our properties, or if you enjoy the new trail complex along the Indian Head River.

“These are the most special people we could ever have working with us,” said Stewardship Manager Owen Grey. “We talk all the time about how we can find more volunteers like them, and always conclude that it will probably never happen.”

Indeed, there are great volunteers, and then there are the “Three Amigos.”

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Ingersoll Family

Kofi Ingersoll.

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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“As a young kid, I just thought all grandmas were like mine,” says Kofi Ingersoll. In 1957, Kofi’s intrepid grandmother, Hope Ingersoll, waged a lengthy battle against plans to extend a highway through her 900-acre farm in Bourne. After many years in a contentious legal feud with the State, Hope prevailed, prompting a 1982 article in the New York Times: “Farmer Wins 25 -Year Fight Over Cape Cod Road.”

Hope Ingersoll passed away in 2001 at the age of 96, but her legacy lives on. Family members have dutifully carried on Hope’s commitment to the Bourne farm and to land conservation more broadly. Her son Jerry, an architect by training, served on the Wildlands Trust Board of Directors for over a decade and led the Trust’s efforts to protect the region’s last dairy farm, O’Neil Farm in Duxbury. Jerry and his wife Phyllis secured the preservation of hundreds of acres of the Ingersoll family land, which is held today by Wildlands Trust. Their children and grandchildren still live on the family land in Bourne. Son Kofi and his wife Erin are highly respected farmers operating Bay End Farm, including an iconic farm stand on the very land once slated to become a highway.

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Become a member of Wildlands Trust today to receive discounts at Bay End Farm and other farms and retailers across the region.

Phil Clemons

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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With deep family roots in Hanson that extend back into colonial times, Phil Clemons is the epitome of a citizen who gives back to his community. He truly warrants the honorific of “Mr. Open Space” in Hanson, and examples of his good work abound.

For a quarter-century, Phil has served his community’s conservation and open space needs in a variety of capacities. He is currently the Conservation Commission Chair, and previously served as the Chair of the Open Space Committee. He also serves on the High Street Park Committee, established to oversee the transition of the former Plymouth County Hospital site into a town open space amenity.

If that weren’t enough, Phil continues to pursue his passion for trails by representing Hanson on the Bay Circuit Trail Advisory Committee, which helps shape policies governing the trail’s usage. A portion of the 230-mile Bay Circuit Trail runs through Hanson.

Over the past several decades, Wildlands staff have collaborated with Phil on a wide range of projects, including trail improvements, guided hikes, and land acquisition projects. With Phil’s staunch support, we have significantly increased our holdings in Hanson.

Renowned for his vast knowledge of the region’s flora, fauna, and trails, Phil is always generous with his time, wit, and wisdom. We look forward to future collaborations with him.

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Mike Nuesse & Bill Abbott

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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Building relationships, developing protection strategies, and executing transactions are the basic elements of land protection work. Every project, regardless of the budget, the location, or the size of the land, requires a delicate dance of these three steps. Trusted attorneys are critical partners in this intricate process.

While plenty of attorneys practice real estate law, Bill Abbott and Mike Nuesse hold a unique understanding of the highly nuanced details of land protection. Whether regarding the finer points of a conservation restriction, ambiguity around an easement, or encroachment issues with neighbors, Bill and Mike have deep experience that has made them indispensable legal advisors to Wildlands Trust. With their fingerprints on hundreds of land protection projects, some dating as far back as 1973, they have donated their time to the Wildlands mission for a combined 80-plus years.

Bill was an early board member who became general counsel to the Trust, in addition to his busy Boston law practice. His name is synonymous with land protection in his hometown of Plymouth. Mike, a sole practitioner working from his office in Hingham, joined the board in 1997 and has been steering us in the right direction ever since.

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Jerry Sheehan

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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Children often develop a lasting interest in nature by spending time in beautiful outdoor landscapes. Yet other times it happens differently, as it did for Jerry Sheehan, who was born and raised in Jersey City, the second-biggest city in New Jersey.

For Jerry, the natural world of his youth consisted of plants growing in sidewalk cracks and along the railroad beds. His mother taught him to identify these plants he had come to love, and his beloved Jesuit teachers empowered him to learn their Latin names.

Jerry moved to Plymouth as a young man and discovered great happiness spending time in nature with his family, where he routinely recreated the Jesuit Latin lessons on plant names. He attributes his success in business to the opportunity given to him by his wife Maureen’s family, hardworking Italian immigrants who started the L. Knife Company, a business that Jerry has run for most of his adult life.

Driven by the desire to give back to their community, Jerry and Maureen Sheehan were early supporters of Wildlands Trust and the movement to save land in Southeastern Massachusetts. Their genuine love for nature and their passion for learning inspired them to protect important agricultural and conservation parcels for all to experience and enjoy.

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Crystal Gould & Greg Lucini

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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The towns of Berkley and Marshfield lie 50 miles apart, at opposite corners of the Wildlands Trust coverage area. Berkley sits just outside of Providence, Rhode Island, on the banks of the federally designated “Wild and Scenic” Taunton River, while Marshfield is a costal town within driving distance of Boston. These two communities may have little in common, but they are connected in an important way for Wildlands Trust.

We often meet prospective board members while working on projects in their towns. Wildlands was introduced to Greg Lucini of Berkley when he decided to protect his land on the Taunton River; we met Crystal Gould when she led efforts in Marshfield to protect an iconic farm. Greg and Crystal joined the board in 2008 and were quickly respected for their passion for land protection, their strategic minds, and their executive experiences—Greg as an international businessperson and Crystal as an insurance risk manager.

Board Chair Doug Hart tapped Greg and Crystal for his executive committee, where the three worked closely together for a decade. With a calm, thoughtful approach to governing, Greg and Crystal have helped usher Wildlands Trust through times of meaningful change and growth. Both still serve as directors today, with Greg carrying added responsibilities as our capable treasurer.

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Phil Benjamin

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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Massachusetts is the 8th most heavily forested state in the country, with over 62% of land under forest cover. The public benefits provided by these forests are significant and include clean air, clean water, scenic values, wildlife habitat, recreational opportunities, and reducing the impact of climate change.

Phil Benjamin sees the forests for the trees, and Southeastern Massachusetts for the forests. The preeminent forester has devoted his career to working with landowners to advance the health of our region’s woodlands. His dedication, knowledge, and good humor have endeared Phil to his vast base of private, commercial, and municipal clients. Never shy about his passion for our work, he has introduced many landowners to Wildlands Trust, resulting in exciting opportunities for us to permanently protect important forests.

Phil is also a highly regarded member of the Wildlands Trust Lands Committee, which puts “boots on the ground” to assess the conservation value of each parcel we consider for protection. His expertise in reading landscapes and understanding forest ecology has been integral to our land protection work for the past three decades.

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Pine duBois

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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Environmental advocacy is not for the faint of heart. It takes dedication, persistence, and an abundance of patience to conduct research, develop positions, communicate with stakeholders, and attend endless meetings. With a laser focus on land protection, Wildlands Trust rarely enters the environmental advocacy arena, but we certainly appreciate our partners who do.

It is impossible to quantify the impact that Pine duBois has made on our region. A true environmental advocate who never gives up, Pine is the voice of our region’s lands and waters, especially her beloved Jones River and its tributaries. A visionary who understands that reverence for history is a means of ensuring a healthy future, Pine embraces the story of the Jones River in her work to restore it by removing dams and re-establishing fish passage to historic native spawning grounds.

Pine is an ardent environmentalist, but a deeper look reveals that she is much more than that. She is an advocate for the cultural heritage of Southeastern Massachusetts and all that makes it a special place to live. Pine brings together open space protection, river restoration, historic preservation, and wooden boatbuilding at Jones River Landing, where she has directed her passion and talents for the past four decades.

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Herb Emilson

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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The 165-acre Willow Brook Farm in Pembroke is among the most diverse natural areas in Southeastern Massachusetts. The property is exceptionally productive for wildlife, thanks in part to its conservation of a freshwater tidal marsh, a habitat of state and global significance. The opportunity to protect this land was presented to Wildlands Trust in 1995 by beloved South Shore philanthropists Herb and Paulie Emilson.

“Our philanthropy was always about helping people, and one day Paulie said she wanted to do something for the environment,” Herb recalls. “We wanted to do something special.”

They did just that. The Emilsons contributed the necessary funds not only to secure Willow Brook Farm, but also to establish it as one of the most important passive recreation sites in Wildlands’ portfolio. Now, the preserve hosts upwards of 20,000 visitors a year. After the Willow Brook project, the Emilsons’ interest in land protection only continued to grow, resulting in contributions that helped protect other iconic parcels.

Driven by a passion for helping their community, Herb and Paulie Emilson are giants of South Shore philanthropy. Their generosity has built hospital wings, art centers, YMCAs, and Boys and Girls Clubs. It has also helped dozens of organizations, including Wildlands Trust, accomplish their missions.

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Les Plimpton

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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The Plymouth landscape is adorned with beautiful buildings and exquisite homes built by Les Plimpton. So, when Les himself points to Davis-Douglas Farm and says, “This is my baby,” it truly means something.

In 2010, the Wildlands Trust board acted quickly on the unexpected opportunity to purchase the iconic Bongiovanni Homestead as a new headquarters for the organization. The board’s next decision was equally important: to hire Les Plimpton as the general contractor.

“I drove by this beautiful property multiple times a day for 40-plus years,” Les said. “I understood how important it was for the buildings to blend into this beautiful, highly visible landscape.” Adding to this pressure was the fact that the client was a land trust.

Ever mindful of the importance of process and communication, Les adeptly led the project team of engineers, architects, planners, tradesmen, board members, and staff. He poured himself into his work, perfectly balancing aesthetics and pragmatism to create a beautiful product on budget. Thanks to Les, Davis-Douglas Farm is a truly special place that promises an uplifting experience to all who visit.

In addition to being a talented builder, Les is a great person. He exudes kindness, loves his family, and counts many as dear friends and happy clients, including Wildlands Trust.

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Susan Caron & Karen O'Donnell

Susan Caron

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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For about the entire half-century of Wildlands’ operation, the Town of Marshfield has been a leader in locally driven land preservation. Since 2005, two extraordinary town volunteers have maintained that distinguished history: Susan Caron and the late Karen O’Donnell.

Susan and Karen alternated stints as Chair of the Open Space Committee, with Susan serving from 2005 to 2011 and 2021 to the present. Karen assumed the Chair in 2011 and served until 2021, when health issues forced her to step down. She continued to serve on the committee until her untimely passing in the fall of 2022.

Under Susan and Karen’s leadership, the Marshfield Open Space Committee has completed dozens of projects, preserving a wide array of landscapes and habitats across a town that includes extensive coastline, much of the North and South River corridors, and hilly upland terrain. The Town placed Conservation Restrictions with Wildlands Trust on each acquired property.

Karen O’Donnell

Wildlands has relied heavily on Susan and Karen’s guidance and local knowledge. Beyond their project and procedural expertise, they have been a joy to work with—always maintaining good humor in the face of whatever challenges or deadlines arise. Every community in Wildlands’ service area should be so fortunate to have dedicated volunteers like Susan and Karen.

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Sister Barbara Harrington & Kathy McGrath

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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For over 25 years, Wildlands Trust has helped faith-based groups permanently protect the lands they cherish. Across seven projects, we have conserved 590 acres of land previously held by religious schools, temples, convents, and spiritual retreat centers.

The Dominican Sisters of Peace, an order of Catholic nuns in Plainville, have been our trusted advisors in this work. Led by Sister Chris Loughlin, the Dominican Sisters of Peace and several lay board members launched the Religious Lands Conservation Project in 2005 to encourage the protection of religious lands and to advise land trusts in their work with spiritual organizations.

Chris Loughlin was a visionary who inspired all who knew her. Always in a quiet, measured tone, Chris spoke passionately about land conservation and never gave up on a protection opportunity, especially when it came to the land of her own convent, the Crystal Spring Center for Ecology, Spirituality, and Earth Education. Chris died in 2022, but Sister Barbara Harrington and Crystal Spring board member Kathy McGrath picked up the mantle to ensure that Chris’ decades-long quest to protect the land at Crystal Spring ended in success.

Barbara and Kathy carried out the final and most complicated chapter of the project, which involved significant legal work, the approval of the Dominican Order, and the assent of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. In 2023, the Dominican Sisters of Peace gifted 37 acres of the Crystal Spring campus to Wildlands Trust, thus creating Crystal Spring Preserve, Wildlands’ first property in Plainville.

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