by Dr. Lenore Tedesco, Executive Director
It’s spring in the wetlands and the marshes are vibrant and full of life. So too is the Institute, with the undergraduate interns settled in for a remarkable learning experience and personal discovery. Visitors come in every day to learn about this wonderful environment, and grandparents, parents and children connect to each other and nature here. Our scientists are discovering new things about these marshes and testing new methods for ensuring that these marshes are resilient and remain healthy. Over the years, the threats to wetlands have changed, but the need to better understand them and their response to these new threats has never been greater.
As I consider another spring, I know this is a special one because it is the 50th spring at The Wetlands Institute. A lot has happened in those 50 years. Many faces have come and gone, great leaders and great supporters have all left their mark and helped shape the legacy of The Wetlands Institute, and all make up the fabric of this great organization.
As we celebrate 50 years of contributions, it’s appropriate to look forward to the next 50 years, and now is the perfect time for this generation to step forward to ensure that these marshes and this Institute are here for generations to come. I am pleased to announce that The Wetlands Institute is launching a $3.5 million 50th Anniversary Endowment Campaign. Endowed funds grow over time and are protected in perpetuity, with the income being used to support operations and programs, allowing the Institute to meet new demands and seize new opportunities. They are an investment in the future of our marshes and coasts and our coastal communities.
Now is the time to renew the commitment of 50 years ago – a commitment to preserve a majestic ecosystem that holds different meanings for each of us, but is vitally important to all of us. We must act now to understand how these ecosystems are changing, to restore them, and to engage the public in protecting and preserving them. It is our time to take the next bold move to ensure the future of The Wetlands Institute and its programs. Join the special friends that have made a commitment to the 50th Anniversary Endowment. It is up to us to create a lasting legacy so that 50 years from now people will look back and be grateful for the vision we have demonstrated.