Lena Fletcher, UMass Amherst

I’ve been working with Kestrel since 2015, when I first started collaborating with community partners for the environment. I teach environmental classes at UMass, and teams of my students have been volunteering with Kestrel, both fall and spring semesters, for the past 5 years, involving 50-70 students and hundreds of hours of volunteering. This time may have benefited the students more than Kestrel, but it was a win-win! From creating and maintaining trails on properties to handing out water at the 5K for Farmland, Kestrel provided opportunities for my students to volunteer, learn, and grow. I’m so grateful for this partnership and look forward to it continuing into the future! I love Kestrel Land Trust!!!

Photo: This was my first volunteer workday at a Kestrel property with my UMass students.