THE WARREN CONSERVATOR SPRING 2021

From The President’s Desk

If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant: if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome. - Anne Bradstreet *

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

Well, it’s been a long winter all right (metaphorically speaking, anyway), and we’ve tasted our share of adversity. But Spring is coming, and it feels even more pleasant than usual this year!

As I write, we are looking ahead with cautious excitement to resuming some of our programming – check out the events calendar and details about some of our plans in this Newsletter. More than anything, we have missed the opportunity to connect in person with our friends and supporters. It was wonderful to see some of your faces on Zoom screens at our Annual Meeting last November, and DEEP wildlife biologist Peter Picone provided an interesting and informative virtual presentation on wildlife habitat and invasive species. But it just wasn’t the same – no opportunity to shake a friend’s hand, catch up with neighbors over coffee and treats, or head out for an impromptu group hike afterwards.

That said, the last year and that long winter have still left us with much to be grateful for. With a quieter calendar, we’ve been able to work on enhancing the recreational potential of our preserves – continuing to focus on “public access, public benefit.” Read about that effort on the Skidmore Preserve inside, and stay tuned for exciting news about some of our other preserves. New partnerships within the regional conservationcommunity were formed, which help us work more effectively to be strategic about and effective in our land conservation mission. And in the absence of in-person programming, we have enjoyed staying in touch and benefit from the generosity of longtime supporters and newcomers like yourselves - silver linings to be sure!

Wishing you all that the new season is one of good health and fresh beginnings for you and yours...and we hope to see you at a WLT event soon!

Sincerely, 

Rebecca Neary

* Anne Bradstreet (1612-1672) was “the most prominent of early North American English poets and first writer in the colonies to be published.” She also lived, wrote, and died in North Andover, MA, my hometown...so as you can imagine, we studied her early and often in school!