Isaiah brought knowledge of the natural world to the team
In honor of one of our earliest easement donors, Marion Rodgerson, the Greater Lovell Land Trust offers a $1,000 scholarship each year to a graduating senior at Fryeburg Academy. We are pleased to announce that this year’s recipient of the Marion Rodgerson Scholarship, as selected by a team of teachers and staff, is Isaiah Voter of South Chatham, New Hampshire. Isaiah is currently a freshman at Unity College in Maine, where he is studying forestry ecology.
Marion Rodgerson owned a farmstead in Lovell that included a farmhouse, two fields, over thirty acres of forest, and 1,600 feet of Kezar Lake frontage. Prior to her death, she donated a conservation easement on the property, one of the first for the GLLT, that protects the water quality and scenic beauty of the lake.
Much to our surprise, the winner of the scholarship was the same Fryeburg Academy senior we had hired as an intern for the summer. Isaiah came with a skill set that included tree identification, bird ID, map reading and orienteering, CPR certification and wilderness first aid, plus experience with trail building and maintenance. As a product of Molly Ockett Middle School’s Maine Environmental Science Academy (MESA) and Fryeburg Academy’s Outdoor Learning And Research Center, Isaiah had already developed a strong appreciation and understanding of the natural world.
The goal of the internship program is to introduce local young people to every aspect of the Greater Lovell Land Trust’s work in hopes that they may become leaders in conservation. They are completely immersed in the work of the land trust. Isaiah worked closely with past high school educator, past GLLT board member, and past GLLT Education Program founder, Kevin Harding, to learn more about trail maintenance and build his knowledge of the properties. Each week, he joined the docents for Tuesday Tramps, attended guided walks, and helped with the nature hikes we offered Lovell Recreation Summer Campers. He also helped with field work on the GLLT properties.
It was our pleasure to work with Isaiah. He was great at pointing out things to the younger set and taught us all a few new tricks, including how to poke a balsam fir with a stick and then toss the stick into water and watch a rainbow form from the resin.
If you know of a local young, conservation-minded person, please encourage him/her to apply for the GLLT Internship in the future! An application will be available on the website in early spring.
Isaiah on a field trip to the Squam Lakes Natural Science Center with the Lovell Rec. kids.