Nomination Statement for Western At-Large Region Candidate
Kristi Mergenthaler

I am delighted to be nominated to serve on the Terrafirma Members Committee for the Pacific Region. I am dedicated to the conservation of beautiful lands in my little corner of Southwest Oregon and throughout the United States and our blue planet. I would like to serve the greater land trust community as a Terrafirma community member. I hope that the experiences and insights that I’ve gained working for Southern Oregon Land Conservancy (SOLC), an accredited land trust with around 13,000 acres of conservation easements and preserves, along with my ability to work on both the big picture and finer details, my analytical skills and enthusiasm, would benefit national conservation efforts.

Since 2011, I’ve been a stewardship staff member at SOLC, monitoring conservation easements, conducting botanical surveys, planning for prescribed burns, and responding to violations and third-party trespass issues. Over the years, I also initiated our community hike, docent, and site steward programs, led youth education activities, coordinated nature pub talks, and supported my regional conservation community. As part of my role as the stewardship director, I am honored to supervise two gifted stewardship staff and a youth educator.  I also have over three decades volunteering with other nature-based nonprofits as a board member, tree planter, and hike leader. As a land trust team member, I have watched my organization learn and grow in many ways, from being more proactive with landowners to crafting conservation easement language that includes changing climate and access for tribal members. Violations have also increased as land ownership changes; some of our conservation easements are on their third or fourth land owners. Terrafirma is a rock for land trusts, backing up our actions in supporting biodiversity, animals, and access to the natural world. I would be grateful to support the mission and promise of enduring conservation.