Lathbury Honored at State Land Protection Conference
Photo Courtesy of Maryland Environmental Trust James O'Connell, Vice President of MET, presents the Aileen Hughes Award to Anne Jones and Meredith Lathbury, right. Queenstown, Maryland – June 26, 2008 – Meredith Lathbury, Director of Land Conservation for the Eastern Shore Land Conservancy, recently received the Aileen Hughes Award for Outstanding Leadership in Land Conservation. The award, one of two presented this year, is given by the Maryland Environmental Trust, was created in honor of the late Aileen Hughes, a leader in the conservation movement and honors those that demonstrate exemplary leadership in the land trust community. The award was presented to Lathbury at the Maryland Land Trust Alliance Conference, held earlier this month at the Howard County Conservancy’s Mt. Pleasant Farm in Woodstock Lathbury was honored with Ann Holmes Jones, President of the Howard Country Conservancy and a member and secretary of the MET board of trustees. Jones’s commitment and dedication to land conservation has had a major impact on conservation efforts in both Howard and Baltimore counties. Her knowledge of the area, familiarity with landowners, and expertise in easement wording make her an incredible asset for State-wide conservation efforts. She is a member of the Long Green Valley Conservancy and the Land Preservation Trust. “Together Meredith and Ann’s organization and enthusiasm for successful land conservation were critical to the success of this year’s Conference and providing the opportunity for the land trust community to share experiences,” said John Hutson, Acting Director of MET. An alumna of the Center for Whole Communities’ “Whole Thinking” Program, Lathbury’s innovative work is reshaping ESLC’s strategic plan in order to integrate conservation, health, justice, spirit and relationships. This past winter she helped plan a “whole communities” retreat for Eastern Shore conservation leaders that focused on partnership building and community-based approaches to land preservation. Her work is represented in recent