Mahoosuc Land Trust (MLT) is pleased to announce announce the hiring of Barbra Barrett of Bethel as Development Manager. Barrett will lead membership development, outreach, and fundraising to support the organization’s work to conserve and share the Mahoosuc region's important natural lands with its natural and human communities in western Maine and eastern Coos County, NH.
Barrett led the Maine Mineral & Gem Museum’s ten-year project to design, build,
and manage a world-class museum in Bethel from groundbreaking to ribbon cutting. “Barbra Barrett brings deep experience in nonprofit leadership and community outreach at a time when we are expanding our reach to empower more people to see themselves as conservationists who are making a difference,” said MLT board chair, Sue Dunn.
According to MLT, the addition of Barrett to the staff will allow Barb Murphy, who has led the development program at MLT since 2017, to focus on building the Habitat for All (HFA) program, which focuses on the individual’s role in stemming declines in bird, insect, and other species–in their backyards, schoolyards, and porches. “We’re working to keep our region’s globally important forest ecosystems intact, but there are limits on how much conservation land we can acquire,” according to Kirk Siegel, MLT Executive Director. “HFA and the Habitat Garden inspire people of all ages to see how the sanctuaries they provide for wildlife in their yards can add up to an even greater impact on our region and the planet.”
Barrett planned and produced large public events for the Gem Museum, including a community street party with over 1,000 attendees, and served as a volunteer for MLT’s Monarch Festival, which this summer brought nearly 600 participants to Valentine Farm. Barrett also brings experience involving educators with non-profit resources. “Barbra will be a great addition to the team,” says MLT’s Barb Murphy. “She has a deeply held belief in the importance of conserving habitat at this crucial time in our planet’s history.”
Barrett served for four years as Program Coordinator for the Androscoggin River Watershed Council, was a Course Director and Field Instructor for Hurricane Island Outward Bound, and served on the Mahoosuc Sustainable Tourism Steering Committee. Her certifications include Advanced Open Water Scuba Diver, Leave No Trace Master, and Master Gardener. She attended University of Southern Maine and Manatee Community College.
Mahoosuc Land Trust is a nationally accredited land trust founded in 1989 with a mission “to conserve and share the Mahoosuc region’s important natural lands with our communities now and for the future.” MLT welcomes visitors to enjoy nature-based activities at Valentine Farm Conservation Center, 20 preserves, and 4 Androscoggin River canoe landings, and engages hundreds of volunteers per year to care for them. The land trust operates in both western Maine and northern NH and has conserved 25,000 acres of land in the region important to communities, including mountaintops, waterfalls, trails, boat landings, farms, and natural habitat.
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