Land Trust's 2008 Conservationist of the Year Award

to Robert Stephens

Presentation by Cindy Rubin, Vice President of the Land Trust Board of Trustees

It is my honor to present the Land Trust's 2008 Conservationist of the Year Award to Robert Stephens. This award is granted by the Board of Trustees of the Land Trust in recognition of extraordinary contributions to conservation in our County and beyond.

The Board unanimously chose Robert as the 2008 Conservationist of the Year because of his contributions over many years to protect the lands he loves, not just in Santa Cruz County but across the country. We are especially grateful for his varied and invaluable contributions to the Land Trust over the past three years.

During the past three years the Land Trust has dramatically accelerated the pace of land protection. By the end of this year we will have protected 1000 acres of prime farmland – and more is on the way. We've added land to our Byrne Forest. This summer we protected the largest remaining Sandhills property – a habitat found nowhere else in the world. Along the way we will receive more than $12 million in foundation and state grants. And we are looking ahead to creating a local conservation district to protect the water and land of our county.

None of this would have been possible without the advice, support, and guidance of Robert Stephens.

As Chair of the Sandhills Campaign Committee he successfully led the largest fundraising campaign in the Land Trust's 30 year history. Years before that accomplishment Robert helped us secure funding for the Land Trust's strategic plan – which launched the current wave of land protection. He has been an enthusiastic adviser as we have moved towards creating a new county conservation district. He has opened doors with his good name and given us advice and confidence as we have moved ahead.

And all this help for the Land Trust is just part of Robert's long and distinguished track record as a conservationist. He has served on the board of the Friends of Long Marine Lab, he co-haired the capital campaign to build the Seymour Marine Discovery Center, he was President of the Santa Cruz Natural History Museum and Chairman of Audubon California.

I am delighted to announce that beginning in January he will add to this illustrious list his membership on the Board of Trustees of the Land Trust of Santa Cruz County.

Robert also practices what he preaches – as the owner of the Elkhorn Native Plant Nursery and a commercial apple grower in the hills above Soquel.

For all of these reasons, the Board of Trustees of the Land Trust has unanimously named Robert Stephens as our 2008 Conservationist of the Year. •

 

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