Land Trust Board member Lucas Hart. Photo courtesy of Lucas Hart.
Lucas Hart is coming up on three years of service on the board of Jefferson Land Trust, but his interest in the Land Trust began many years before that — when he first moved to Jefferson County, in 2009.
“I’ve always been interested in organizations that work on land conservation,” he says, “but I thought what was great about Jefferson Land Trust was that they were protecting land in partnership with the agricultural community. Connecting conservation with local economies is a unique way of inviting the community to be part of the vision and mission of the organization.”
Lucas joined the board because he wanted to get more involved in land conservation, and because he knew the Land Trust was well respected in the community and involved in many exciting projects. Volunteering on the board, he says, has solidified his initial view of the Land Trust and broadened his perspective of how many interesting projects the Land Trust has taken on.
“It’s amazing to me how much the staff juggles and how much they achieve in any given year,” he explains. “This Land Trust is also incredibly entrepreneurial. They’re willing to take on new things and stretch their limits, which is very important in conservation, given the ongoing pressures our natural environment faces.”
When new ideas are brought to the table, he notes, they are received with open minds, careful consideration about how they fit into the Land Trust’s mission and resources, and a forward-moving spirit. “Jefferson Land Trust is unique in the conservation world in that they’re always looking for new opportunities to conserve land using a collaborative community-driven process.”
Cedar trees in the forest at Chai-yahk-wh Preserve.
One of the projects dearest to his heart is Chai-yahk-wh Preserve, on Marrowstone Island, which the Land Trust protected in 2018. He also likes to hike up Tamanowas Rock to see the breathtaking view from the top, and notes the site’s cultural significance to the S’Klallam people of the Jamestown, Port Gamble, and Lower Elwha Tribes, for whom Tamanowas Rock has been a sacred ceremonial gathering site for over 10,000 years. With the Land Trust’s help, the Jamestown S’Klallam tribe was able to purchase the land in 2012. “The Tamanowas Sanctuary is a nice example of how the Land Trust has been able to worked with the indigenous community to provide land protection and access,” Lucas says.
Finally, he says, his time on the board has been enriching because of the people he works with. “Brilliant staff, incredibly dedicated board members — this board is full of leaders, and that is very encouraging,” he says. “The whole experience has been great so far.”
If you are interested in volunteer board service, please contact Board President, Brian Rogers by mail at: c/o Jefferson Land Trust, 1033 Lawrence St, Port Townsend WA 98368 or via email at info@saveland.org. We seek to build a board that fully represents the diversity and interests of the community we serve and we welcome inquiry from community members with expertise and experience in areas that include conservation, natural sciences, governmental relations, finance, fundraising, community building, communications, farming, forestry, real estate, and law.
