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When I first joined the Upper Saco Valley Land Trust board in 2020, I had a lot to learn. I had a sense of urgency to educate myself and to connect with like-minded individuals. As I had worked in outdoor education for over 20 years, it seemed appropriate for me to find community in the place I knew best, surrounded by individuals dedicated to the protection, conservation and preservation of land and its resources. By volunteering in a variety of capacities, I found the conversations and activities to be deeply fulfilling and connecting. One of the most rewarding elements of my USVLT experience has been their support of my journey with First Light. USVLT is committed to First Light and building a relationship with the Wabanaki people and I am thrilled to participate in this program with my fellow Board member Lindsay Kafka. 

First Light is, in their own words, “A bridge between conservation organizations and Penobscot, Passamaquoddy, Maliseet and Micmac Communities who seek to expand Wabanaki stewardship of land. First Light aspires to reciprocity: its goal is to expand Wabanaki access and stewardship of land for prosperity and to create a stronger conservation movement that includes and reflects Indigenous expertise and perspective. All will benefit from this, and it all begins with the land.”

The First Light Journey began in 2017 with its first group of conservation community members. By 2021, when I began my journey, there was a powerful momentum and experience behind the education process and fostering conversations.  I quickly understood why they used the term ‘journey’ because I was asked to leave my metaphorical home-base of knowledge and explore what a new conversation in conservation might look like. Our cohort met on a regular basis, allowing time for the larger learning journey and time to delve in deep with our personal experiences, questions, concerns and ideas.  Many of the conversations were challenging, yet also rewarding. After examining the hard truths of land history in this region, I was asked to reimagine old (and current) conversations in a new way and to take this knowledge and vision back to the conservation groups that I was there representing. 

Being born and raised in the area that we now call Maine, I am honored to be doing the work to educate myself and become the best ally and collaborator I can be with the Wabanaki people of this area. It is also great to be a part of USVLT, who supports continuing education and is evolving with new perspectives for making the best decisions when it comes to “land use.” In June, I represented USVLT at First Light’s yearly gathering and was amazed to join 54 other land conservation organizations from our area! We heard from members of the Wabanaki Commission about the significance of the work that is happening right now around Land Return projects. We met in small groups to discuss topics that we were struggling with, or needed more information to address, or where we could offer guidance to other land organizations. All in all, it was a phenomenal day with a buzz of new horizons for the future. This is still a new and evolving conversation, one that is clearly gaining momentum and taking root, and I look forward to how USVLT and its community grow with it.

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