On Saturday, February 3rd, 2024, the Southeastern Mass Land Trust Convocation took place at Bourne’s Upper Cape Technical High School. Co-sponsored by the Buzzards Bay Coalition and The Compact of Cape Cod Conservation Trusts, the event welcomed 125 land conservationists from both sides of the Cape Cod Canal. 

The convocation, held against the backdrop of a rising tide of environmental challenges, brought together land trusts, municipal and state agency employees, civic leaders, and conservation-minded community members from across the region. The day’s programming, comprised of presentations, workshops, and discussions, is designed to better equip land trusts and the volunteers that work with them in carrying out their conservation missions. 

Mark Rasmussen welcomes attendees to the 2024 Southeastern Massachusetts Land Trust Convocation.

Attendees were welcomed by Mark Rasmussen, Buzzards Bay Coalition President, and Mark Robinson, Executive Director of The Compact of Cape Cod Conservation Trusts, then chose between a series of workshops on the Public Lands Protection Act and reaching new audiences through expanded messaging presented by representatives from the Lincoln Land Conservation Trust, The Compact of Cape Cod Conservation Trusts, Dartmouth Natural Resources Trust, and the Barnstable Land Trust.  

“The Convocation is a great place to learn and network with other land trust professionals,” said Kendra Parker, Development & Outreach Specialist at DNRT. “I really enjoyed presenting and being able to share my knowledge and own personal experiences with others. We’re all trying to accomplish the same mission; why not gather and share with one another?”

This year’s keynote address presented by Karen Grey, Executive Director and President of the Wildlands Trust, shared their experiences in working to better serve marginalized communities in the city of Brockton.  

The day’s second session of workshops, covering estate planning for land conservation and the role of land stewardship in the context of climate change, were presented by representatives from the Dennis Conservation Land Trust, the Eastham Conservation Foundation, MassAudubon, and The 300 Committee Land Trust from Falmouth.  

“The 2024 Convocation was a blast to coordinate,” remarked BBC Land Stewardship Manager Mary Doucette. “We had more people register than ever in the event’s history! 125 people from all backgrounds and stages in their careers came together for a morning full of learning and networking. There was a wide array of conservationists there, from AmeriCorps and TerraCorps members just getting started in their careers, to volunteers, to Executive Directors and Presidents of organizations who have been involved for decades. My favorite part this year was seeing everyone in the community, it felt like a reunion.”  

This year’s Convocation highlighted the importance of collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and community-driven conservation. The event demonstrated that the Southeastern Massachusetts land conservation community is playing an ever-important role in securing a sustainable and resilient future for our region.