Please join us in welcoming our new Stewardship Manager, Charles Carlson and thanking Arthur “Cricket” Upshur for his 8 years of service. Charlie is currently training with Cricket. As Stewardship Manager, he is our boots on the ground visiting every conservation easement annually and working with our conservation easement landowners to steward their properties. We sat down with both for a brief Q&A. Read below to get to know Charlie a little and hear what shenanigans Cricket will remember from his tenure with VES Land Trust.
Charles Carlson
Briefly, tell us about your background.
Charlie: I am an environmental scientist with a strong foundation in marine science, and my work has always been fueled by a deep curiosity about how natural systems function. Along with my scientific background, I have experience in middle and high school STEM education, which has strengthened my ability to communicate ideas in ways that inspire curiosity and connection.
“I get to advocate for our region's precious wildlife and natural resources, and that's incredibly meaningful to me.”
What drew you to this position?
Charlie: I love helping people, and I've always been a big data person. This role brings those pieces together in a way that feels like a natural extension of my science background. It gives me the perfect balance of time in the field and time in the office, combining meaningful community work with the analytical side I enjoy.
What does our mission mean to you?
Charlie: I get to advocate for our region's precious wildlife and natural resources, and that's incredibly meaningful to me. Our mission reflects just how ecologically important this place is, and I'm grateful for protecting and uplifting the landscapes and species that make the Shore so unique.
What is your favorite hobby?
Charlie: I love playing music. I love getting together with others and creating energy through music. I also garden, fish, and enjoy nature walks.
Arthur “cricket” Upshur
What’s your favorite memory from working here?
Cricket: It is hard to choose just one favorite memory. Perhaps it was falling in the mud on the seaside on a prospective easement property and ending up completely covered in greasy marsh mud before my luncheon date at someone's house. Or perhaps it was one of the many visits where the landowner thought it was a great idea to get me a cup of coffee and talk about the world for a bit on the Land Trust's dime.
“How many people get to "work" going for walks in beautiful places and talking with some of the more interesting landowners around?”
What did you enjoy most about working with the Land Trust?
Cricket: Truthfully, I enjoyed almost all of it. How many people get to "work" going for walks in beautiful places and talking with some of the more interesting landowners around? I got to compare notes on building barns and workshops, installing living shorelines, improving wildlife habitat, excellent hunting and fishing stories, growing chestnut and paw paw trees, pollinator mixes, you name it. And since my farm has many of the same goals as our Land Trust landowners, they were useful conversations for me too. I would always try to make sure that the board and Hali did not know how much fun I was having all the time. But that did not always work!
What are you most looking forward to in your next chapter?
Cricket: Everyone is asking me what is next on my agenda. It is hard for me to think of this as a retirement since poor Hali never got a huge amount of work out of me and most of my time was already spent elsewhere. But I do hope to get more free time to play with grandchildren and maybe add a little travel time to visit old friends that we have been putting off for years. And I am sure, like most bad pennies, I will keep showing up at Land Trust stuff whenever there is food and some good conversation on offer.