ACE Hosts First Ever Statewide MI Land Conservancy Board Member Networking Event
When four board members from three land conservancies decided to get together as part of the ACE Peer-to-Peer program, they extended an invitation across the state, resulting in the first ever statewide networking event explicitly for board members of Michigan land conservancies.
May 17, 2010
By Heart of the Lakes
When land conservancy board members Ruthann French (Cadillac Area Land Conservancy), Mary Sclawy (Six Rivers Regional Land Conservancy), Patricia VanPelt (Keweenaw Land Trust) and Christine Williams (Keweenaw Land Trust) decided to get together as part of the Advancing Conservancy Excellence (ACE) Peer-to-Peer program, they extended an invitation across the state, resulting in the first ever statewide networking event explicitly for board members of Michigan land conservancies.
Twenty-four board members representing ten land conservancies gathered in Cadillac for the SpringBoard for Peer Networking event on May 20. Pamela Evans, consultant for NorthSky Nonprofit Network, presented on nonprofit trends and developing effective boards. Panel discussions featured board members John Erb (Leelanau Conservancy), Daniel Cline (Little Forks Conservancy), Jim Gregart (HeadWaters Land Conservancy), and John Zaloudek (Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy). Doug Koop, Executive Director of the Little Forks Conservancy, joined the panel as well, sharing a much-appreciated perspective on staff and board relationships.
Participants found the opportunity to discuss issues and share experiences of mutual interest—such as fundraising, communications, and board structure, recruitment and training—to be extremely valuable. Many called for more networking events in the future. Based on the success of the SpringBoard, ACE partners, the Land Trust Alliance and Heart of the Lakes Center for Land Conservation Policy, will look for more ways to bring peer groups together for shared learning and a chance to meet others who, like them, share their passion and commitment to land conservation in Michigan.
