Strengthened through community
The Native Land Conservancy (NLC) has been increasingly fortunate to grow in donations, land holdings but also in human resources that have widened our circle and enabled us to make sound decisions about our future. We welcome those who share our commitment to the environment in areas of expertise including land management, climate change, renewable energy, and financial management.
In that way the NLC is grateful to have a friend and advisor in Sam Carlson, a Vermont based renewable energy developer. As NLC donations increased in the last years so did the need to understand the broad and complicated world of finance. A former World Bank economist with 20 years of experience in finance in third world environments, Sam found NLC when seeking to share his time and knowledge with an organization rescuing and repairing land. NLC stood out for its indigenous intellect.
“The secret sauce to the NLC is that it is truly a Native run organization,” said Sam who sees himself as an informal advisor to the NLC Finance Committee. He said his goal is to be helpful without being imposing as he would not want to overstep the boundaries of being a non-Native. “I don’t want to impose my ideas. That is not my place.”
But what Sam does is provide critical advice for investments that will help the NLC thrive in the years ahead. While last year was a terrible year in the stock and bond market, Sam guided the NLC into a safe and prosperous landing just as the markets improved.
“Sam is thorough and sincere in his advising to the NLC Finance Committee. Beyond his role as an advisor, Sam is a dedicated and caring friend. He is continually looking for new ways to support our work,” said Executive Director Diana Ruiz.
Sam and his wife Linda McGinnis have also become generous donors to NLC because they believe so strongly in the mission. He has seen the emerging science that proves that land that is stewarded by Native organizations does better than land in other conservation efforts. Simply put Sam said, “the stewardship of land leads to better planetary outcomes when led by Native groups. As a Native led organization NLC has a right to the land they have been on for thousands of years. And just look at what we have done to it in the last 400 years.”
There is a cultural connection to the land that is perceived through the Native identity, and this is something Sam is hoping can be taught to the broader population before it’s too late.
“Our planet will only survive if we all develop that kind of connection,” he said. “America has a huge cultural shift that it needs to make. We have to make a great turning and NLC is ahead of that curve.”
Sam and Linda plan to contribute in other ways including networking with other key conservation groups and funders while continuing in an advisory capacity to help with potential grants and other investments. But Sam also wants to get his hands dirty.
“I will do whatever I’m asked to do,” he said, looking forward to getting out on NLC land to participate in clean-ups, restoration, and removal of invasive species.
