Introducing Opacum’s new Executive Director: Laney Wilder
April 26, 2021
From Mark Conners, Board President, Opacum Land Trust
On behalf of the Board of Directors at Opacum Land Trust, I am very pleased to announce the hiring of Laney Wilder as our new Executive Director.
Laney comes to us from the Concord Land Conservation Trust where she served as Executive Director. She is also an experienced botanist with a strong background in plant conservation and ecology. Laney and her husband Dan recently relocated to Brimfield and they are eager to get to know the wonderful people and places in our community.
Amy Connery, who served as Interim Executive Director, will now serve as Opacum’s Chief Operating Officer. Laney and Amy will form a strong management team, putting Opacum in an excellent position to face the challenges and opportunities of 2021 and beyond.
We will arrange for everyone to meet Laney as soon as possible. In the meantime, please join me in officially welcoming Laney Wilder to the Opacum team!
From the Executive Director, Laney Wilder
Dear Friends and Partners,
What an amazing opportunity it is to embark on this new chapter for Opacum Land Trust as the Executive Director. I am honored and excited to continue the momentum of protecting land as Opacum has done for the past 20 years.
In getting to know Opacum, I was delighted to learn of the amazing regional partnerships forged by the wonderful people involved in running and supporting the Land Trust. It is a crucial time for us to work together to protect our landscapes, as the pandemic has reinforced the value of trails for solace, and the need for clean air and water for our health, and for the health of the landscape.
I am excited to work on a regional level in South Central Massachusetts, an area with so much potential to protect large intact natural landscapes. Opacum Land Trust will be an important driver in ensuring that the future of this region contains important natural and cultural resources essential to our lives and the environment.
As a new Brimfield resident, I have enjoyed exploring nearby trails and natural areas. My new home reminds me of the rural area in New York where I grew up, with beautiful forests, rolling farm fields, and abundant orchards. I love botany and value New England’s diverse habitats, fresh local foods, and community.
I look forward to getting to know all of you, learning more about this special region, and working together to protect it for generations to come!
-Laney Wilder
LWilder@OpacumLT.org
(508) 347-9144