It’s fall and I am perplexed at how fast the year is flying by. I guess it happens every year but it’s no less surprising. It remains a very busy time of year but our tasks have shifted from serving our families and friends in summer programs, to sharing discoveries with school groups, to data analysis, reporting, grant writing, and – yes – strategic planning. As we look ahead to the close of 2017, and the dawning of 2018, it is a very special time at the Institute. In 2019, The Wetlands Institute will celebrate 50 years of wetland protection and stewardship. It is a remarkable milestone and in preparation for the upcoming celebrations, we are working to rediscover our history and embrace The Wetland Institute’s place in helping to define our community.
By now, we are all familiar with the vision of Herbert Mills and his seminal act of purchasing 6000 acres of tidal marsh. I reflect often on that event, and his effort to build this building. Herbert, and his fairly small team of partners, established a conservation foothold in South Jersey. They gathered some of the greatest minds in conservation and wildlife biology and they set upon a course to bring research, conservation and education under one roof. They succeeded. This building and its lofty goals set a high standard. He chose this place because it is a special place. This place matters and their actions nearly 50 years ago changed this community forever.
Last week marked the 6th anniversary of my leadership. It’s no secret that I came aboard at a time in the Institute’s history when it needed a change. I chose to find the balance between honoring our past while defining a future that is relevant. It has been a great burden and also a great honor. We set upon a course of reenvisioning the Institute to focus once again on the great conservation challenges of our time, while embracing our role as educator and steward.
I look out over a majestic marsh and wonder what if Herbert Mills hadn’t permanently protected these marshes? What would this area look like? What would it be today? How would our community be different?
Over the course of the next year, I hope you will embrace our plans for the next 50 years and step up to help ensure that we can implement them. Herbert did an amazing thing nearly 50 years ago. Now it’s our time to do something amazing; to give a gift of vision and action for those that will come 50 years from now and say “I’m so glad that they had the vision to do what they did”. Certainly something to be a part of!
Contact me (ltedesco@wetlandsinstitute.org or 609-368-1211) to explore how your investment can shape the future.