Today’s employer advice is from Carryn Golden, Executive Projects Manager at Heritage Conservancy.
Q: Tell us about your organization.
Founded in 1958, Heritage Conservancy’s mission is to preserve natural land and open space and keep history alive, for the benefit of nature and our communities. With the collaboration of regional partners, the Conservancy has helped preserve nearly 16,000 acres of open space, farmland, wildlife habitat, and important watershed areas in Bucks County and the surrounding region. Heritage Conservancy has helped place more than 40 properties and historic districts onto the National Register of Historic Places, and has placed more than 600 historic properties on the Conservancy’s own Register of Historic Places, to protect structures that characterize southeastern Pennsylvania and its history.
To advance these mission priorities, and to connect people with the natural and historic resources in their communities, Heritage Conservancy actively works to build constituencies, advocate for land and watershed protection, and bring people to the resources we are trying to protect, on an equitable basis.
Heritage Conservancy’s national accreditation by the Land Trust Accreditation Commission affirms the organization’s commitment to excellence, trust, and permanence. The Conservancy is among the one third of land trusts nationwide to have earned accreditation by the Land Trust Accreditation Commission.
Q: What advice would you give to people in midlife who want to transition to a green job?
- Attend events and seminars on sustainability, climate change, ecology, botany, etc. to better understand the issues and become more familiar with common terminology.
- Volunteer with a land trust or other nonprofit to get a sense for the culture.
- Self-assess midlife goals—nonprofits pay less but oftentimes provide more work/life balance.
Q: What are the skills that you believe will be required most in the short-medium term in your industry?
- An understanding of the threats against the environment.
- The ability to clearly communicate what can be done locally to mitigate environmental threats.