A Simple Gift

A Lasting Legacy

Legacy. Defined as “the long-lasting impact of a person’s life.” It is a word worthy of deep consideration. What do each of us choose to leave behind for future generations?

By joining the Ancient Forest Society, individuals make a meaningful commitment to a wilder future with more abundance, beauty, and diversity. It is a radical act of love and hope. And, it is a legacy of which to be proud.

There are many reasons why people are moved to join the Ancient Forest Society. Some feel a deep connection to place and want to ensure wilderness will always exist in the landscapes they love. Others want to know that trillium will bloom and thrive, and that coyotes, minks, and bobcats can raise and feed their young in forests free to grow old. Others want to ensure there will be more places where future generations of people can witness the beauty and abundance of wild Nature—forever. You too can leave a lasting legacy by giving the gift of time to Nature by including Northeast Wilderness Trust in your will or estate plans. Explore your wild legacy by contacting Cathleen Maine, Development Director at 802.224.1000 x105 or cathleen@newildernesstrust.org.

“I am from an old Vermont hill farm where big pines guarded my sleep and gnarled apple trees sheltered the deer at night. The high meadow yielded wild strawberries and wintergreen, the surrounding forest held hemlock-shaded brooks, glacial boulders covered in moss and lichens, patches of delicate wildflowers. An only child, I swirled through the seasons, chasing wonder, reveling in each day’s discoveries. In spring, the first and sweetest-smelling arbutus or starry hepaticas peeking from their hairy nests. Tadpoles and dragonflies at the pond, a bobcat perched in the top of a pine, the cougar who visited for two weeks one summer and screamed every night from our woods.

Like me, my parents and grandparents had a deep abiding need for wildness, beginning in their childhoods. Having had to master hard times as adults, they bequeathed me an invaluable legacy of drawing strength and courage from the natural world. If you grow up on wild land, you know you are part of it. When you are in an undisturbed forest or wetland or on a mountain, you look, listen, taste the wind, merging with a rich and welcoming universe. No less than a bird or a tree, you belong. It’s where you can walk alone and leave yourself behind. We must not let the wild places be lost.”

—Betsy Newcomer, Ancient Forest Society member

Board of Directors

Northeast Wilderness Trust is grateful to its volunteer board for their dedication of time, capacity, and expertise. In 2022, the Wilderness Trust welcomed two new board members, and with great sorrow, also acknowledged the passing of founding board member, Merloyd Ludington.

Welcoming

Randy Kritkausky Randy is the president and co-founder of ECOLOGIA, an international environmental non-profit whose projects have included NGO development, water monitoring, and environmental remediation. Randy is an enrolled member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, author of Without Reservation, and advocate for indigenous affairs. He and his family live in Vermont.

Eric Sorenson

Eric worked as an ecologist for over 30 years, including 25 years with the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department. He was a principal author of Vermont Conservation Design, a vision for maintaining an ecologically functional landscape, and is coauthor of a guide to natural communities in the state. Eric and his wife live in Vermont, where they enjoy spending time in the woods or visiting wild places.

Honoring Merloyd

Ludington

Merloyd passed into the eternal wilderness on June 27, 2022. She was a cofounder of Northeast Wilderness Trust, where her many talents and keen intellect were critical assets to the organization. She served on the board for 17 years before being elevated to a role as trustee emeritus in 2019. A highly respected editor and publisher, Merloyd’s philanthropic and volunteer service were similarly outstanding. Her commitment to making the world a more ecologically vibrant and socially just place was reflected in her generous support to protect wild Nature, women’s rights and reproductive health, and to address the climate emergency. She is deeply missed among our wilderness family.