Letter from the Executive Director

I am writing this column on a very spring-like February day, and while driving to the office this morning, I passed by the many members of our community who visit and utilize this beautiful countryside — cyclists bravely navigating the winding roads, equestrians hacking out on eased trails, and hikers enjoying the open vistas of our local preserves. By the time you receive this newsletter, “real” spring will be in full swing, and I suspect these reminders of the benefits of our shared open space will be even more prevalent.

This year marks the first of our 3-year Strategic Plan, launching a new cycle of ambitious goals for WCT. While many of the goals are to be expected — such as the continuation of our core activities in Birds, Education, Farm, Land Protection, Land Stewardship, and Water — we dive deeper into some key issues identified during the many months spent on the strategic plan. In the Organizational Management and Capacity Building section we address goals in Organizational Culture; Community Engagement; Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; Financial Sustainability; and Governance — goals that will ultimately make WCT a stronger organization better equipped to meet our mission well into the future. Lastly, as part of the new plan we adopted the tagline Saving, Studying, and Sharing Land, Water, and Habitat, which we feel truly encompasses all that we strive for at WCT. The full plan is available on our website and I hope you will take a look by scanning the QR code below or visiting wctrust.org/strategic-plan.

Hopefully you are receiving our monthly Meadowlark e-newsletters that highlight upcoming events as well as up-to-date news from our various programs. If not, I encourage you to subscribe, as well as follow WCT on social media for the latest information.

Have a wonderful spring, and I hope to see you at an upcoming WCT event soon!

Catherine Etherington, President & Executive Director

Rushton Nature Keepers Now Enrolling!

Rushton Nature Keepers (RNK) is our multidisciplinary environmental education club for children ages 8-11 years old. The RNK mission is to inspire a lifetime of caring about and protecting nature by first building a strong holistic foundation spanning four major conservation themes: birds and wildlife, regenerative farming, watersheds, and healthy habitat.

We believe these are the key focus areas that have the biggest impact on land conservation and earth stewardship. The more programs your child attends the more comprehensive their understanding of conservation will be. In turn, they’ll develop a lifelong connection to nature as they explore the natural world at our preserves through a variety of unique experiences.

TESTIMONIALS FROM RNK PARENTS:

“The program is exceptional, and really encourages the children to think about their world around them.”

“The program is a top priority for my children — they truly get so much out of it!”

Rnk 2023 Events

Tuesday, June 20 | 9:30 - 11:30 am

Discover Wild Rushton

Wednesday, June 21 | 9:30 - 11:30 am Into the Forest

Thursday, June 22 (Rain date: Friday, June 23) | 9:30 - 11:30 am

Leaf Pack Exploration

BONUS: Monday June 26 | 5:30 pm

Streams Learning Evening

Tuesday, June 27 | 9:30 - 11: 30 am

Stream Walk

Wednesday, June 28 | 9:30 - 11:30 am

“The Secret Life of the Flying Squirrel”

Book Signing and Art Workshop

Thursday, June 29 | 9:30 - 11:30 am

Farming with Nature and Honeybees

BONUS: Thursday, July 6 | 7:30 - 9 pm

Fireflies, Moths, and Your Yard in the Dark

Thursday, July 27 | 4 - 6 pm

Wildflowers and Watercolor Workshop

Bonus: Wednesday, August 16 (Rain Date: August 18) | 8 pm

Bug Night with Academy of Natural Sciences

Thursday, August 17 | 9:30 - 11:30 am

Summer Harvest

Saturday, September 16 | 8:30 - 10 am

Fall Songbird Banding

Thursday, October 19 | 4:30 - 6:30 pm

Monster Night and Autumn Hayrides

Friday, November 3 | 6:30 - 8:30 pm

Northern Saw-whet Owl Banding

Friday, November 17 | 4:30 - 6 pm

Rushton Junior Naturalist Celebration