Bio:
Leslie has worked in ecological horticulture throughout her entire career. She spent the last 35 years managing 75 acres of public trails, woods and gardens in a wildlife sanctuary in central MA. A speaker, an educator, a plant propagator, a grower of ferns, a mentor and a lover of open spaces. Leslie volunteered in her community on the open space committee, the tree committee after the tornado of 2011, and spent 22 years on the conservation commission where she helped to protect over 1700 acres of land. Leslie is currently president of the local land trust and a volunteer at a botanic garden where she is learning about managing an orchard. Leslie joined ELA recently and has found an organization of like-minded people that she can work with while helping to save all the parts. While providing habitat for the tiniest mite to charismatic mega-fauna, plants hold the key to our survival and she wants everyone to know that native plants are the coolest thing there is.
Why ELA?
“My career and life has all been focused on horticulture, ecology and conservation. The Ecological Landscape Alliance supports my belief that we need to continue to state, teach, share and spread the word about the importance of ecological practices, plants and conservation to all people. In a time of political turmoil and increasing climate impacts nothing is more important, especially for those who come behind us and need to continue the work and the fight. ELA helps to keep me current and allows me to share my experiences.”