Dr. Kathleen Dean Moore.
On the morning of Thursday, March 16, more than 200 community members gathered virtually for our 2023 Conservation Breakfast, “First, Fall In Love: What It Means to Love a Place,” presented by noted author, moral philosopher, and environmental advocate Dr. Kathleen Dean Moore.
We were honored to begin the event with warm words and a blessing shared by Dana Ward, member of the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribal Council. Then, weaving in poems, photographs, music, video, and personal stories from her own life, Dr. Moore led us on a moving and thought-provoking exploration of the complexity — the joy and grief, wonder and confusion — of loving the natural world during a time when it’s increasingly threatened by destruction. What does it mean to love a place? Dr. Moore asks. To love a place, she concludes, is to pledge your life to its thriving, fiercely, for all time — to translate that love into action.
This message of resilience, responsibility, and love aligns deeply with the Land Trust’s work to conserve and protect the places that matter in Jefferson County. That message resonated with many audience members, who used such words as “beautiful,” “wonderful,” “wise,” and “heartfelt” to describe the presentation, which was followed by a Q&A session led by Nan Evans, host of KTPZ’s Nature Now program. (Listen to Nan’s excellent Nature Now interview with Dr. Moore by clicking here.)
Executive Director Richard Tucker presenting Diego Murray with the Fairbank Award for Youth Environmental Action at the Land Trust office on March 16, 2023.
During the event, we were also excited to present the inaugural Fairbank Award for Youth Environmental Action, along with a $500 prize, to Diego Murray (16), who was accompanied by his proud mother Lorena. Diego, a lifelong Jefferson County resident, was honored for his inspiring leadership in and commitment to his community and the environment. Learn more about Diego here.
A big thanks to our sponsors for helping to bring this popular, no-cost event to our community, and thank you to all who joined us at Conservation Breakfast 2023!
If you missed this event, or would like to watch it again and/or share it with friends and family, please visit the Jefferson Land Trust YouTube channel, where you can watch the full presentation.
