Nomination Statement for Pacific Coast Region Candidate
Lena Pollastro

I am extremely honored to be nominated for the Terrafirma Members Committee, representing the Pacific Coast region. During my tenure at the Land Trust of Napa County, I have served as the primary staff member intricately involved in all legal challenges, most small and unfortunately, some quite large. Defense of permanency in conservation is challenging, tiresome and critically important. I have benefited from the education, guidance, and support of Terrafirma while wading through these issues.

If chosen to serve on the Members Committee, I see opportunities to share the guidance, education and resources I’ve gained from Terrafirma when it comes to ensuring the perpetual nature of conservation. I also believe there are openings to increase dialogue with Terrafirma members in the Pacific Coast region to better understand current threats, organizational needs, potential roadblocks, and ways to improve support when it comes to conservation defense. I bring years of boots-on-the-ground experience, with significant skills in learning, listening, analysis and collaboration towards continued protections and permanency in land conservation. It would be extremely important for me to use these built tools and project forward by strengthening Terrafirma policies, finding ways to engage with Terrafirma members (and non-members!), and helping guide the direction of an amazing resource for land trusts across the country. While we all work in the little bubbles defined by our organizations, our conservation impact extends far beyond those boundaries – strong defense of that conservation impact extends even further.