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What are some highlights from your past year with the Alliance, and how have they helped move the mission forward?

One of the things I’m most proud of is the effort we’ve made to connect with every supporter. We’ve been reaching out to build personal relationships with our community members, which has helped create a sense of belonging and shared commitment to our conservation work.

We’ve also started sending out hardcopy membership appeals, which have been a great way to connect with people who prefer traditional communication methods. This has helped us grow our membership and increase support for our projects.

I’ve been working hard to share our story more widely, highlighting the important work that Brent, Matt, and I do behind the scenes. By being more vocal about our initiatives, we’ve helped our supporters better understand and appreciate the impact of our efforts.

Raising awareness about the Alliance in the High Peaks Communities has been another focus area. We’ve been participating in local events, like the Rangeley Guides Potluck, where we share updates on our projects and meet new people.

How has working with diverse community members changed your relationship with the region?

Working with such a diverse range of people and user groups has deepened my connection to the region. Whenever I meet with a supporter, I’m reminded how important it is to conserve access to this place for everybody. It’s not just about the hiking; it’s not just about the landscape, but it’s also about making sure that all our trails are here forever and sustainable to keep our economy and our communities moving forward.

📸 Amanda at Perham Stream Birding Trailhead

What approaches do you use to connect with our diverse community members in the High Peaks? 

One of my approaches is changing how we speak about our community. Traditionally, there have been Mainers and the “people from away” or “flatlanders”. I don’t think that way, I think that we have year-round residents, seasonal residents, and visitors- all of those people make up the community of the High Peaks. 

Over 42% of the homes in Franklin County are second homes. As a region, we need to start focusing on our common love of this land and the future of access instead of the differences of where we came from.

How do you navigate the different perspectives and needs of various stakeholder groups?

It starts with listening. Whether it’s traditional land users or local businesses, I want to understand their priorities and find common ground. Collaborating is key—by focusing on shared goals like access and sustainability, we can balance everyone’s needs while building trust and relationships.

How do you build meaningful relationships with community members who have varying connections to the land?

I think it’s all about meeting people where they are and being honest and authentic along the way. Whether someone is a resident, a seasonal resident, or a first-time visitor, I try to understand their connection to the land and what matters most to them. Building trust takes time, being consistent, and being genuinely interested in creating those relationships. 

📸 Matt, Brent, Amanda, and Lloyd on top of Saddleback Jr.

How do you communicate the value of conservation to different audiences?

I found that personal stories seem to resonate the most with our audience. We’re reaching out to more people through things like this Voices of the High Peaks series to understand and share stories about how conservation impacts our community members. We’ve also noticed that when we tell our story through media in short videos and photos, our audience responds.

What unexpected lessons have you learned about connecting people with nature?

One surprising lesson is how small moments can have a big impact. I could prepare an entire presentation and make an impact, but I think I’ve made the largest impact in moments along the trail when something interesting pops up and there’s a teachable moment. 

That’s where the true impact is. It’s in unpacking that interest and interpreting nature to the group. Sometimes, it’s as simple as helping someone identify a bird call or sharing a story about the history of the birding trail. 

📸 Perham Stream Birding Trail with the GoldLEAF Institute

Are there any Alliance events that stand out in your mind as special? 

For about 5 years, I have been educating our community on the importance of dark skies. In all of those years, because of the cloudiness of our region, which is cloudy 60 to 80% of the time, I have only successfully run on-the-ground programs two times. Coincidentally, I wasn’t at either program. It became such an issue dealing with the clouds that when we didn’t run in person, we’d host a Zoom with a walkthrough of the sky over the region that night on a Stellarium.   

Cut to last fall, the High Peaks Alliance scheduled a night sky viewing session with John Meader at our Perham Stream Birding Trail. You know, I thought it would be canceled. The clouds were thick as I drove down from Rangeley, but they cleared for the most part by sunset. We were able to run the program. Our attendees saw the Milky Way and the rings on Saturn and tried to find the comet. It was an incredible night. 

How has community feedback shaped a conservation initiative?

A recent example is the Shiloh Pond Community Forest in Kingfield. Shiloh Pond was put up for sale. A social media post from a community member caught Brent’s eye about the sale and how sad it would be to lose it because it had been open access for decades. Because of that social media post, it sparked some conversations and some fundraising, and now the Town of Kingfield owns Shiloh Pond. There’s walk-in access to two ponds, and recently, a trail was added that’s just under a mile out to a waterfall. 

Is there a hidden gem in the High Peaks you most enjoy sharing?

I have been living, working, and playing in the Rangeley Lakes Region for the last 10 years, and it’s a little sad that I haven’t played over in the Bigelow Range. On my first day on the job, Brent brought me right over to Myers Lodge East on Flagstaff, and that place has been one of my favorite places to escape to. 

Anyone who knows me knows that Perham Stream Birding Trail is my favorite place to share with people. I don’t know of many places where you can walk over 2 miles on mowed trails that offer such incredible views and require so little effort! I’ve been promoting this trail as a great place to go for a walk, birding, en plein air painting, or night sky viewing for years – way before I started with the Alliance. You can meander with young children or take your older parents. 

I can’t give all my favorite gems away, but if we catch up for coffee, I’m sure to share a few!