May 15, 2018| By Katie Allen
As Director of the Conservation Leadership Network (CLN) at The Conservation Fund, Katie Allen works with her team to provide technical assistance services to conservation practitioners and communities to seize opportunities for on-the-ground conservation solutions. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the establishment of CLN. Join Katie as she celebrates CLN’s accomplishments and a future built on past success.
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April 20, 2018| By Erik Meyers
As Vice President, Climate and Water Sustainability for The Conservation Fund, Erik Meyers leads projects on climate adaptation and resiliency, provides leadership on urban and coastal water sustainability relationships, and assists with mitigation efforts. In honor of Earth Day, we asked Erik to share his insight on some of today’s most pressing conservation issues.
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April 13, 2018| By Shannon Lee and Ginny Moore
Atlanta, Georgia and Kansas City, Missouri both boast a rich, colorful history and culture, and like other large metropolitan areas, they also face many of the same challenges—underserved communities with insufficient greenspace and safe places to recreate, high unemployment and poverty, and little to no access to fresh, local food. The Conservation Fund’s Shannon Lee and Ginny Moore work on urban conservation initiatives in Atlanta and Kansas City, respectively, where small grants are providing big results for local organizations focused on environmental, economic and social challenges.
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April 9, 2018| By Evan Smith
As Senior Vice President of Conservation Ventures at The Conservation Fund, Evan Smith oversees programs that invest in green business and working forests to generate both economic and environmental return. Find out more about how this entrepreneurial enhancement to classic conservation is essential to what we do here at the Fund.
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March 22, 2018| By Whitney Flanagan and Dagny Leonard
With America’s brewery scene rising at a rate of 15 percent per year, it’s undoubtedly an industry worth paying attention to. From large manufacturers to small local brewers in rural areas, there is one key ingredient that can predict the success of operations—clean water! Conservation Fund staffers (and avid beer enjoyers), Whitney Flanagan and Dagny Leonard , explain the Fund’s unique role in ensuring critical land and water resources are protected while supporting entrepreneurs—like brewers—who grow environmentally responsible businesses and create jobs.
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March 5, 2018| By Tim Delaney and Whitney Flanagan
Tim Delaney leads an interesting life—both a principal at a heavy highway construction firm in New York, and a Wyoming ranch owner whose goal is to manage his property for both wildlife and recreation, while maintaining a viable livestock operation. He’s also keenly focused on the preservation of open spaces and healthy landscapes that connect migrating wildlife populations. How does all of this go hand-in-hand? Our Creative Director, Whitney Flanagan, sat down with Tim and learned how conservation partnerships have helped him achieve success in all of these areas.
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February 19, 2018| By Bob Thomson
Bob Thomson was appointed Porterdale’s City Manager in June 2010, where he has helped secure $2.5 million in grant funding for utility improvements, trailhead development, land acquisition, repurposing significant historic civic buildings, and housing stock rehabilitation. In his free time, Bob enjoys getting out on his mountain bike to put the new trails and parks to good use. Find out more about the knowledge and tools Bob and his team gained at The Conservation Fund’s Balancing Nature and Commerce workshop that they used to further their efforts in Porterdale.
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February 5, 2018| By Caitlin Guthrie
Caitlin has a unique perspective of The Conservation Fund’s Conservation Loans program . Prior to joining the Fund as Conservation Loans Associate Director, Caitlin first encountered the Fund’s Conservation Loans program as a borrowing partner. She has observed firsthand the positive effects that the program’s bridge financing and technical assistance bring, and shares with us how innovative organizations throughout the United States and Canada are proactively advancing conservation in their communities.
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January 24, 2018| By Gat Caperton
Gat Caperton began designing furniture in 1996 after purchasing a small furniture manufacturing company in his home state of West Virginia. Named for the small creek behind his childhood home that he had proclaimed “Gat Creek,” his company has won a number of design, environmental and workplace safety awards. Gat’s commitment to sustainability and economic growth is reflected in the aims of our Natural Capital Investment Fund (NCIF), whose Board of Directors is chaired by Gat. NCIF helps innovative entrepreneurs in Appalachia build locally owned enterprises that create lasting jobs and community wealth, while using natural resources responsibly.
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December 25, 2017| By Sally Manikian
Sally Manikian is our Vermont and New Hampshire Representative. A New Hampshire native, Sally lives in service to the mountains, forests and communities of the Northern Forest. When she’s not working, she can be found on trails with her racing sled dog team, Shady Pines Sled Dogs . Happiest when she’s in the mountains and forests, Sally shares how she has translated that enjoyment into a life and career focused on ensuring and utilizing public access on conserved lands.
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December 12, 2017| By Jena Thompson Meredith
Jena Thompson Meredith is Vice President of Business Partnerships at The Conservation Fund, where she is proud to work alongside so many partners and supporters who share the Fund’s commitment to protecting forests. During this season of giving, she checked in with some of our partners to find out more about the greatest gifts that forests have given them.
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November 29, 2017| By Kata Sharrer
Atlantic salmon growing on land in rural Wisconsin?!? Yes, really! Through her work with The Conservation Fund’s Freshwater Institute , Kata helps create the technology that provides a sustainable, local way to farm healthy fish that’s good for people, our economy and the environment. She recently visited the site of one of her projects and witnessed the real-life version of her computer models. Find out more about Kata’s work on this unique project.
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November 22, 2017| By The Conservation Fund
We are thankful for YOU, our partners in conservation for more than 30 years. With your help, our work has made a big difference for people, wildlife and nature across the nation. Conservation is more important now than ever, and with you as our partner, we're ready to take on the next 30 years!
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October 23, 2017| By Ginny Moore
In her role as Midwest Field Representative, Ginny provides support to the Fund’s conservation acquisition efforts in Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma. She is currently working on the development of a public green space in Kansas City, Missouri, where nature is helping bring together a community that is too often divided.
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October 16, 2017| By Claire Cooney
Claire works with The Conservation Fund’s experts across the Southeastern United States to secure private funding for projects ranging from urban revitalization efforts to the protection of natural spaces. She grew up in Tennessee , and shares with us some of the exciting projects happening in her home state.
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October 2, 2017| By Kenny Fahey
Kenny works across the Fund’s portfolio of food systems programs as a Food Ventures Associate. He looks for opportunities to grow and scale these ventures through an entrepreneurial, finance, and impact perspective. He recently brought a group of local food system stakeholders from Atlanta to visit Prairie Crossing, a conservation community in Grayslake, Illinois. Find out what they learned about scaled, local food production in a major metro area, and how the Fund is working to find ways to help food systems reach their full potential for farmers, consumers, and good conservation practices.
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September 25, 2017| By Will Allen
Will is Vice President of Conservation Planning and Integrated Services at The Conservation Fund, where he directs the Fund's Strategic Conservation Planning team and initiatives including metropolitan greenspace networks and reuse of urban vacant and underutilized lands. Find out why opportunities to rebuild and design new urban communities in a more strategic and resilient way will benefit cities like Houston, which is currently struggling with the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey.
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September 15, 2017| By Zhivko Illeieff
As the Fund's Online Content Manager and Creator, Zhivko Illeieff manages and produces online content that represents the breadth and depth of the Fund's work throughout our website and social media. He is passionate about collaborating with the Fund's staff to create online content and experiences that educate, inspire and engage our online followers. Find out more about the new web design changes in the text below.
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