From the Director’s Desk

by Rob Terry, Executive Director

On July 1st, we’ll be celebrating Merck Forest & Farmland Center’s 70th anniversary— 70 years of conservation, exploration, outdoor recreation, ecological study, camping, farming, forestry, sugaring, educational programs, birding, internships, creek play, summer camp, phenological observation, cabin stays, pancake breakfasts, stewardship, and more. In many ways, the world is a fundamentally different place than it was 70 years ago. The US population has doubled, while there are 1,000,000 fewer farms. Since 1950, explorers have summited the earth’s tallest mountain, descended to the ocean’s deepest point, and walked on the moon; today technologies like ArcGIS and Google Earth even bring these remote places right into people’s homes. Further advances in technology have brought unprecedented access to information and eased communication, leading to a shift towards digital culture.

In the face of these changes, many things have remained the same. Time spent outdoors still replenishes the soul. The sunset from the Sap House deck continues to humble and amaze. Catching frogs by the pond delivers the same unparalleled joy that it did seventy years ago. Sap runs in the spring, and fall colors paint the landscape after summer’s heat recedes. A night out, under the stars, with a campfire blazing brings people as close as it did a thousand years age.

As we look forward to the next 70 years, we see both challenges and opportunities. Rising temperatures mean unprecedented uncertainty for our forests. Increasing urbanization and ubiquitous digital media are creating a gap between people and the natural world—so much so that studies tell us that the average American spends 90% of their time indoors, while the typical American youth spends fewer than seven minutes a day outdoors in unstructured play. Meanwhile, we are in the midst of a global pandemic as voices are rising from all around our nation demanding justice and equal treatment under the law. These challenges are real, and in many ways will define Merck Forest & Farmland Center’s next 70 years.

In the face of these challenges, we will continue to serve as a champion for working and natural lands. We will launch new and innovative programs and educational resources, both on property and digitally, deliberately designed to pique curiosity. We will maintain and improve our trails and cabins, enhancing the recreational resources that facilitate experiences that inspire a love of the land. Through our landscape level conservation, renewable energy, and forest and soil carbon sequestration work, workforce development and food system equity work we will take responsibility for doing everything we can to make our corner of the world a better place while reaching across perceived boundaries, be they socioeconomic or cultural, to ensure that this work is for the benefit of all.

As always, thank you for joining us on this adventure and supporting our continued efforts to inspire curiosity, love, and responsibility for working and natural lands. Together, we will ensure that 70 years from today, when someone sits down to draft a similar retrospective, they will be overwhelmed by what we’ve been able to accomplish.

Board Of Trustees

George Hatch, President

Ann Jackson, Vice President

Kat Deeley, Secretary

Keld Alstrup, Treasurer

Dinah Buechner-Vischer

Jeromy Gardner

Jim Hand

Mark Lourie

Sam Schneski

Sue Van Hook

Brian Vargo

Staff

Rachel Batz

Recreation Management Assistant

Darla Belevich

Visitor Center

Stephanie Breed Visitor Center

Eli Crumley

Grounds/Maintenance

Cara Davenport

Program Coordinator

Kim Davis

Weekend/Visitor Center

Tim Duclos

Conservation Manager

Dylan Durkee

Farm Manager

Chris Ferris-Hubbard

Education Director

Kathryn Lawrence

Assistant Executive Director

Marybeth Leu

Communications Coordinator

PHOTO CREDITS:

Cara Davenport: pp. 13, 16. Montana Drummond: pp. 10, 11.

Tim Duclos: pp. 6, 7. June Woodland photos: Chris Ferris-Hubbard: pp. 4, 9, 22.

Chris Ferris-Hubbard: pp. 12. Liz Ruffa: pp. 11. Anna Terry: pp. 5, 21.

Rob Terry: pp. 14, 15, 20. MFFC Photo Archive: pp. 2, 14. Tom & Bri Lyons: pp. 14

Front Cover: George and Serena Merck, courtesy of Dinah Buechner-Vischer.

Back Cover: Mettowee Valley looking South, courtesy of Philip Ackerman-Leist

Liz Ruffa

Director Of Institutional Advancement

Rob Terry Executive Director