The Power of Persistence
Happy Boxing Day... a couple of items of note in the very slow world of land trusts.
The first is this article from the Baltimore Sun detailing a two man effort to save an island in Chesapeake Bay against high odds. Mainly indifference, ridicule and lack of money. Their persistence has finally paid off, proving that if you just keep trying, have the right connections and enough money, you can make a difference.
The second note is of the decision of Gary Davis to leave as director of the Conservancy of Southwest Florida. Davis is leaving after just two years. He says he is leaving to begin a semi-retired life in North Carolina, where he hopes to work as a consultant with the University of Tennessee. The Conservancy plans a national search for his replacement.
Is it me, or does there seem to be a high level of turnover among conservancy and land trust executives? In TV, we're used to job churn. There are whole websites dedicated to tracking the comings and goings. I've dragged my poor wife through five TV markets in five years, but that's par for the course in TV. Somehow, I thought land trusts would be a bit more sedate. Am I wrong? I'd love to hear from those who know.
Finally, say a prayer for all those souls impacted by the earthquakes and tsunamis in South Asia. At last count, the toll was estimated at 10 to 13 thousand dead. On a recent trip I listened to a great book on tape about the last such disaster in that area, and the echos are eerily similar. The book is "Krakatoa, the day the world exploded" by Simon Winchester. Except for the exploding volcano, (admittedly, a big exception) the disasters are almost identical. I'm not a big books on tape fan, but I needed something for a long drive, and the topic intrigued me. Winchester is also the narrator, and a darn fine one at that.
The first is this article from the Baltimore Sun detailing a two man effort to save an island in Chesapeake Bay against high odds. Mainly indifference, ridicule and lack of money. Their persistence has finally paid off, proving that if you just keep trying, have the right connections and enough money, you can make a difference.
The second note is of the decision of Gary Davis to leave as director of the Conservancy of Southwest Florida. Davis is leaving after just two years. He says he is leaving to begin a semi-retired life in North Carolina, where he hopes to work as a consultant with the University of Tennessee. The Conservancy plans a national search for his replacement.
Is it me, or does there seem to be a high level of turnover among conservancy and land trust executives? In TV, we're used to job churn. There are whole websites dedicated to tracking the comings and goings. I've dragged my poor wife through five TV markets in five years, but that's par for the course in TV. Somehow, I thought land trusts would be a bit more sedate. Am I wrong? I'd love to hear from those who know.
Finally, say a prayer for all those souls impacted by the earthquakes and tsunamis in South Asia. At last count, the toll was estimated at 10 to 13 thousand dead. On a recent trip I listened to a great book on tape about the last such disaster in that area, and the echos are eerily similar. The book is "Krakatoa, the day the world exploded" by Simon Winchester. Except for the exploding volcano, (admittedly, a big exception) the disasters are almost identical. I'm not a big books on tape fan, but I needed something for a long drive, and the topic intrigued me. Winchester is also the narrator, and a darn fine one at that.
posted by Pat Burns | 6:28 PM
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