ACLT Staff and Volunteers
The ACLT has three employees, a full-time Executive Director responsible for land preservation, grant administration, long-range planning, and nonprofit administration; a full-time Land Manager responsible for stewardship of 3,000 acres managed by ACLT including management of the limited access Warrior's Rest Sanctuary; and a full-time Community Relations Coordinator responsible for planning ACLT events, representing ACLT at public events, publicity, and for volunteer coordination and fostering partnerships with the business, government and nonprofit community.
Much of the work of the ACLT is carried out by dedicated volunteers, including our volunteer office staff consisting of the ACLT Membership Coordinator, the ACLT Treasurer, and the Double Oak Farm Manager.
In addition to working in the office or on ACLT committees, ACLT depends on volunteers with an array of talents and interests to provide land stewardship and public education and outreach. Learn about the wide variety of available volunteer opportunities.
ACLT Staff
Karen H. Edgecombe, Executive Director
kedgecombe@acltweb.org
Before accepting the position of Executive Director in 2006, Karen Edgecombe served on the ACLT Board of Directors for eight years, including three years as Board President. She has also served in varying capacities with three other local land trusts in Maryland. Previously, Karen spent twelve years in a challenging legal career as an attorney with a public interest law firm in Washington, D.C., specializing in environmental law, land use, civil rights and employment discrimination. She says, "My lifelong interest in the environment and a passion for the biodiversity that exists in Calvert County have inspired me to believe that we can make a positive and lasting impact through the work that we do at ACLT."
Steven Gaines, Land Manager
landmanager@acltweb.org
The ACLT has a new full-time Land Manager as of October 2011. Steven earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Forest Management from the University of Vermont (2000) and a Master of Science degree in Forestry from Virginia Tech (2011). In the interim, Steven held forestry positions in Vermont, the Adirondacks and Idaho and did an internship with the Healing Harvest Forest Foundation in Virginia, which specializes in removal of timber by means of animal power (draft horses). He also owned his own forestry consulting business in Lexington, Virginia.
Steven has a strong interest in sustainable land management and in teaching natural resource management in a hands-on environment. He recognizes the importance of education in providing volunteers and the public with training so that they can educate others 'allowing some of the concepts of land stewardship to spread.' ThatÂ’s what ACLT calls 'connecting people with the land.'
Joy Woppert, Community Relations Coordinator
info@acltweb.org
Joy Woppert joined the ACLT staff in December 2008. Responsible for the planning of ACLT-sponsored events, volunteer coordination, and for communications with ACLT’s members and the public, Joy is the first point of contact for most donors, members and the public about the land trust. Joy graduated from Washington College with a degree in Art and Secondary Education. She completed 1 year of service with Patuxent Habitat for Humanity as an AmeriCorps VISTA volunteer which truly built the foundation for her current position with ACLT.
Volunteer Staff
Paul L. Berry, Treasurer
A member of the Board since 1993, and Treasurer since 1995, Paul Berry is an indispensable member of the ACLT volunteer staff and board. Paul pays attention to even the smallest detail of ACLT's expenditures. Retired as a library administrator from the Library of Congress, Paul serves as co-chair of the Administration and Fundraising Committee and also serves on the Budget and Finance Committee. Paul was the first Recipient of the President's Award at the 18th Annual Membership of the ACLT for his outstanding efforts in pursuit of conservation of the natural and cultural resources in Calvert County, Maryland.
Virginia 'Ginny' Murphy, Membership Coordinator
For over ten years, ACLT has relied on Ginny Murphy to coordinate the ACLT membership program. Ginny knows many of our members personally and is in an excellent position to keep our database up to date and accurate. She is now a seasoned veteran, working on the third iteration of ACLT's computerized database. Ginny says, "As for my work with ACLT, I believe deeply in its mission of preservation and I have had a special love for this area since my parents built our cabin at Scientists Cliffs in 1948. As Membership Coordinator, I feel I can at least help in some small way in getting people involved to help with our endeavors."
Jeff 'Mr. Green Jeans' Klapper, Farm Manager
The name Mr. Green Jeans, as the ACLT staff so lovingly calls Jeff, came about when Jeff undertook the huge project of starting our test garden, in 2009, from scratch in the hopes of bringing Double Oak Farm back into production.With long hours of research and some help from a handful of volunteers, the garden got mowed, tilled, disked, and planted! 2010 marked the first year of ACLT's CSA program allowing 10 shares and 3 work share particpants to enjoy the wide variety of vegetables harvested from the farm. As a retiree, Jeff certainly has a full-time job keeping up with farm here at ACLT!
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