Jackie Tuxill: Supporting excellence in conservation

“I feel that what really matters is conservation on the local level,” said Jackie Tuxill, whose 25-year career in New England conservation has segued from state and national policy work to community-based conservation. “People have to take care of what’s around them. Social change happens as a result of citizen activism and I consider nonprofit organizations a part of that. I think citizens lead and the government follows. I really believe that strongly.”

Jackie has been a supporter of The Center since it began and was one of its founding board members. Her long involvement with The Center and in conservation generally has given her a great vantage point to assess how things have changed in the Northern Forest.

“There is much more of an emerging sense of empowerment on the part of communities--the idea that they can help create a different future for themselves than what they might have envisioned 10 years ago,” she said.

“We have so much more collaboration,” she said. “The Sustainable Economy Initiative, the Wealth Index, HandMade in the Northern Forest: all of these are examples of collaboration across the four states that is unique in the country. That’s one of the things about The Center that’s very compelling to me: being on the cutting edge of collaborative conservation techniques that have great promise for the future.

“If we’re going to make progress in the future and deal with issues like climate change, we have to work together collaboratively. We have to think across sectors and across regions. The kind of work the Center is doing is the only way we’re going to be able to address these big issues. I contribute to the Center because I’m supporting what I feel is excellence in conservation.”

"I contribute to The Center because I'm supporting what I feel is excellence in conservation."