Thomas Patti

May 13, 2025

Wildlands Updates

Welcome, Rob Kluin!

Thomas Patti

May 13, 2025

Wildlands Updates

Wildlands Trust is ecstatic to welcome Rob Kluin to our growing staff! As Donor Relations Manager, Rob will forge and foster relationships with generous individuals and businesses across Southeastern Massachusetts, securing vital support for our mission. Get to know Rob in the bio below, and reacquaint yourself with our whole staff at wildlandstrust.org/staff.

Rob replaces longtime Donor Relations Manager Sue Chamberlain, who retired this spring after 11 years of service to Wildlands. We look forward to honoring her at our Leadership Council brunch next month. Stay tuned for more reflection on Sue’s impactful career.

If you would like to support our work to protect the region’s remarkable lands and waters, Rob would love to hear from you! Say hello at 774-343-5121 ext. 113 or rkluin@wildlandstrust.org.

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Rob Kluin, Donor Relations Manager - ☎️ 📧

A people person and a nature person, Rob Kluin is a rarity in the conservation field. As Donor Relations Manager, Rob leverages his networking and communication skills to connect Wildlands Trust with vital support from the communities we serve.

Growing up in the Adirondacks, Rob developed a lifelong respect for land protection and stewardship. At a crossroads in his career, Rob knew he wanted to settle in a place with the same reverence for the natural world. As he flipped through an atlas for potential next stops, Plymouth’s ragged coastline caught his eye. Then came a serendipitous job offer that made his dream a reality. Rob moved in near Shifting Lots Preserve, where he got to know Wildlands’ far-reaching work. Two decades later, Rob jumped at the chance to put his people skills to work for the organization that helped him fall in love with the region.

“I truly love people, and Wildlands brings people together for the common good,” Rob said. “That’s a very positive and impressive thing in a world of so many differences. I would love for my legacy to be that I opened doors for new people to support Wildlands’ mission.”

As Donor Relations Manager, Rob collaborates with the Wildlands team to grow the donor base and maintain strong relationships with existing contributors. Before joining Wildlands, Rob held senior communications and marketing positions with corporate and nonprofit organizations, including Manomet Conservation Sciences and Plimoth Patuxet Museums. He continues to serve on Manomet’s board of trustees and was vice president of the board for Cape Rep Theatre for eight years. Rob holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the State University of New York and a master's degree in Corporate Communications from Ithaca College.

Outside of work, Rob enjoys gardening, traveling, cooking, swimming, and spending quality time with his family, friends, and cat Mocha.

Thomas Patti

April 14, 2025

Wildlands Updates

Wildlands Attends Massachusetts Land Conservation Conference

Thomas Patti

April 14, 2025

Wildlands Updates

STC House Managers Paul Gallerani and Judy Savage share information about the Stewardship Training Center with attendees of the 2025 Massachusetts Land Conservation Conference.

By Wildlands staff

At Wildlands, we’re always looking for ways to improve and expand our work in Southeastern Massachusetts. Sometimes, that search leads us far beyond our region’s borders. Invariably, we come home with new insights, skills, and relationships to share with the communities we serve.

On March 21, a record 15 (!) Wildlands staff members and volunteers traveled to Amherst for the 2025 Massachusetts Land Conservation Conference, hosted by the Massachusetts Land Trust Coalition (MLTC). Wildlands Trust is a strong supporter of MLTC’s mission “to advance land conservation across Massachusetts by providing education, tools, networking and advocacy for land trusts and their partners.” In addition to sponsoring the annual conference, Wildlands shares Chief of Staff Rachel Bruce with the MLTC Board of Trustees.

“The Massachusetts Land Trust Coalition provides the platform for land conservation professionals to stay connected to one another and to present a unified voice,” Wildlands President Karen Grey said. Grey served on the MLTC board for 14 years. “Wildlands Trust is a stronger organization because of the resources we access through our active participation in MLTC.”

Wildlands President Karen Grey spoke about our Brockton Kids Lead the Way Initiative with Manomet Conservation Sciences during her presentation about our Community Stewardship Program.

Beyond our attendance numbers, Wildlands was well-represented at the conference, presenting workshops, organizing networking events, and tabling with information about the Stewardship Training Center. Four Wildlands-hosted workshops shared our successes and lessons learned with the state land conservation community. Karen Grey presented with Jen Plowden of the Land Trust Alliance about “A Blueprint for Better Boards: Three Strategies for Board Recruitment.” Land use attorney and Dennis Murphy presented on Wildlands' complex project to save Picone Farm in Middleborough. Rachel Bruce and Programming Coordinator Amy Burt presented “Beyond DEI Statements: A Case Study for Delivering a Land Trust Mission in a Gateway City,” recounting our ongoing environmental justice work in Brockton. To end the day, Karen Grey presented once again, this time with Barnstable Land Trust’s Janet Milkman about our Community Stewardship Program.

The MLTC conference offers land conservation professionals a rare opportunity to bond over their shared missions and values. Communications Coordinator Thomas Patti serves on the Organizing Committee of the Early Conservation Career Network (ECCN), an interest group of the MLTC that “provides networking and training opportunities for those in their first 10 years of a career in land conservation.” ECCN gathers the night before the conference every year to build camaraderie and community. This year, the event saw over 30 early-career conservationists, including eight from Wildlands, learn about spotted salamanders at the Hitchcock Center for the Environment before heading to Tree House Brewing Company for pizza and drinks.

Rachel Bruce presents at the pre-conference ECCN gathering.

ECCN listens for frogs at the Hitchcock Center for the Environment.

ECCN learns about spotted salamanders at the Hitchcock Center for the Environment.

Stewardship Programs Manager Zoë Smiarowski also led a stewardship networking lunch during the conference, giving land stewards across the state a chance to come together and “talk shop.”

Below, hear from Wildlands staff and volunteers about their experiences at this year’s Massachusetts Land Conservation Conference.

Rachel Bruce, Chief of Staff & MLTC Trustee

“The conference is a great opportunity for Wildlands both to showcase our work to our colleagues, as demonstrated at our multiple presentations and our outreach table, and to learn from the incredible work taking place at nonprofits and state agencies across the state. Networking with land professionals from many walks opens up doors for creative problem solving, big-picture thinking, and meaningful collaboration that advances our collective mission to protect and steward Massachusetts' natural landscapes.”

Amy Burt, Programming Coordinator

"The ECCN meeting was a timely reminder of the importance of new generations' commitment to the conservation field. I am inspired to look towards the future with such enthusiastic individuals."

Rob Kluin, Donor Relations Manager

“Overall, the Massachusetts Land Conservation Conference was very beneficial for me. Beyond the knowledge and great insights that I gained from a variety of informative workshops, the conference offered many opportunities for making conversations and meaningful connections. I was impressed by the mission-driven organizations and passionate people at this conference and came away feeling inspired and even more grateful for the work of Wildlands Trust.”

U.S. Representative Jim McGovern delivered the keynote address at the 2025 Massachusetts Land Conservation Conference.

Zoë Smiarowski, Stewardship Programs Manager

“At my first MLTC conference in 2023, I spent a lot of time at the Stewardship Training Center table, talking with folks. This time around, I had the opportunity to attend more sessions. I really enjoyed not only the speakers but also listening to questions and comments for the speakers from audience members. It's inspiring to see the ways our land trust community shows up for each other and engages in reciprocal learning.”

Rebecca Cushing, Land Steward

“The ECCN 'Big Night' talk and social gathering was definitely a highlight for me. I loved connecting with a diverse group of people brought together by their passion for conservation and hear about what they're doing in the early stages of their careers in the field. I also really enjoyed the presentation on managing invasive plants at the conference. The presenters shared their unique experiences in great detail and offered strategies that could be applied across different organizations with different resources and goals.”

Sam Butcher, D.W. Field Park Initiative Project Facilitator

“As a member of a challenged land trust board, I found Karen Grey and Jen Plowden’s talk on how to build a successful board extremely insightful and helpful. The interactive role-play format highlighted board challenges and brought audience members into the presentation, further broadening the perspective and enhancing the value of the presentation.”

Paul Gallerani, Assistant STC House Manager

“It was so nice to be surrounded by hundreds of people that care about the environment. Such a new thing for me. It charged my nature battery!”

Thomas Patti

February 11, 2025

Wildlands Updates, Stewardship

Welcome, Callahan!

Thomas Patti

February 11, 2025

Wildlands Updates, Stewardship

Wildlands Trust is ecstatic to welcome Land Steward Callahan Coughlin to our team! Callahan is the second Land Steward to join us this winter, doubling the size of our permanent stewardship staff. Along with Rebecca Cushing, who joined us in January, Callahan will assist in the maintenance and management of Wildlands preserves. Read Callahan’s bio below, and be sure to say hello when you see him on the trails!

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As a Wildlands Trust Land Steward, Callahan Coughlin returns to the region and organization that first set his sights on a career of community and impact.

Growing up near Plymouth’s Morton Park, Callahan spent much of his childhood in nature, wandering the woods with his siblings and kayaking on Billington Sea. He first encountered Wildlands in 2017 as a member of Green Team, our summer service-learning program for conservation-minded high school students. Even then, Callahan took note of the tight-knit dynamic of Wildlands’ staff. His time on Green Team led him to his first job at Bay End Farm in Bourne, which cemented his desire to work outdoors on a small, driven team. After college, Callahan spent six months in Georgia, conducting prescribed burns to restore the habitat of gopher tortoises and other native species. But the opportunity to monitor, maintain, and restore Wildlands’ protected areas, eight years after Green Team, compelled him to come home.

“I wanted to find something where I could make a real difference and learn more about local plants and wildlife,” Callahan said. “It’s inspiring to do good work with good people.”

Callahan studied environmental science and agriculture at UMass Amherst. After graduating, he completed an internship with the Friends of Chatham Waterways. In his free time, Callahan enjoys kayaking, archery, cooking, and identifying flora and fauna. He also serves as a Marine Animal Rescue & Response Volunteer for Whale and Dolphin Conservation.

Thomas Patti

January 13, 2025

Wildlands Updates, Stewardship

Welcome, Rebecca!

Thomas Patti

January 13, 2025

Wildlands Updates, Stewardship

Wildlands kicked off 2025 with a new addition to our team! Join us in welcoming Rebecca Cushing (she/her), one of two full-time Land Stewards coming aboard this winter. (Stay tuned for the introduction of our second Land Steward, set to start in February!) Get to know Rebecca in the bio below, and be sure to say hello when you see her on the trails!

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What do art education and land stewardship have in common? More than you might think, as evidenced by Rebecca Cushing’s full-circle journey to Wildlands Trust.

Raised in Plymouth by parents from inner-city Boston, Rebecca grew up with a “casual” love for nature. It was a different passion she pursued in college, studying art, secondary education, and art history at Bridgewater State University. After graduating, Rebecca moved to Georgia, where she taught elementary school art for one-and-a-half years. But the stunning salt marshes and ancient live oaks of the Georgia coast had other plans for Rebecca, capturing her heart and sending her down an exciting (albeit hotter and buggier) new path. Rebecca returned to school, earning a second bachelor’s degree in biology with a concentration in coastal ecology and minor in environmental science from the College of Coastal Georgia. Equipped with new ecological knowledge and skills, Rebecca joined St. Simons Land Trust in 2022 as a land steward technician. Her background in art and education came into play early and often.

“As a creative person, you rely on your skills of observation,” Rebecca said. “You have to slow down, pay attention to details, be curious about what’s around you, and share that appreciation with others. It’s the same in conservation, when you’re trying to empower communities to take care of their natural lands.”

Rebecca joined Wildlands in early 2025 to apply what she has learned to the ecosystems that backdropped her youth. As a Land Steward, she spends most of her time outdoors, monitoring and maintaining Wildlands’ protected areas. Rebecca is excited to serve people as much as nature, promoting public access, volunteerism, and education so future generations can have trails, views, and wildlife to enjoy. She moved back to Plymouth to be close to her family, including her young nieces and nephew. In addition to exploring local preserves with these budding naturalists, Rebecca enjoys hiking, biking, kayaking, and running. She also continues her artistic practice of block printing and painting, always inspired by the natural world. View her amazing work here.

Thomas Patti

January 13, 2025

Wildlands Updates

2024 Wildlands Highlights: A Year to Remember

Thomas Patti

January 13, 2025

Wildlands Updates

Five people smile for a photo, standing on a small wooden bridge before a wooded pond. — *Staff holiday hike at Stewart/Person Preserve in Kingston. From left: Tess Goldmann, Amy Burt, Zoë Smiarowski, Russell Keirstead, and Paul Gallerani.*

By Thomas Patti, Communications Coordinator

As a small, ambitious organization with a big, never-ending job, we at Wildlands Trust often forget to pause and reflect on our progress and accomplishments. The online support of the Wildlands community offers a welcome reminder of the far-reaching impact of our work. Your engagement with our website and social media accounts proved that 2024 was a year to remember at Wildlands. Read on to revisit the stories that excited, inspired, and informed you this year.

On behalf of all of us at Wildlands, thank you for another great year of protecting, stewarding, and connecting the lands and waters that sustain our local and regional communities. Whether you donated, volunteered, or simply liked and shared our posts, we couldn’t do it without you.