Guest post: Trust the Next Generation

The Land Trust Alliance has posted a great blog written by Elizabeth Brown about reaching out to younger generations, especially millennials, to really get them thinking about how they can support their local land trust. And if you have ideas about how Bur Oak Land Trust can specifically reach out to our community, please share in the comment section!

When I began as the education and outreach director for Lowcountry Open Land Trust, one of my first tasks was to involve the broader community in our conservation visioning process. My friends and contacts came out in droves to help. It was a great success. Next, I set out to articulate the values expressed by my generation — 30-somethings — in a video called the “Soul of the Lowcountry.” It resonated with people my age and older. Check.

Then, I encountered the millennials.

A coworker of mine, Robert Strange, insisted we reach out to his cohorts in their younger 20s. I had no idea I was entering unchartered territory. I was suddenly dealing with a new set of rules and a foreign language. I tried sharing the video. They liked it, but weren’t wowed. They wanted more action. A faster pace. And an opportunity that went beyond just being engaged.

I leaned on Robert to teach me. We developed a plan for an easy-access event at a local bar paired with an Instagram photo contest. Most of our board members had never heard of the bar and weren’t on Instagram. Some told me this was way out of their comfort zone. Nonetheless, we promoted the event on social media and found great success! Robert spoke while he called to his friend to change slides. It was loose and fun. The event’s imperfections were what made it perfect.

And just like that, the land trust was young, relatable and engaging the next generation.

Ultimately, the key for me was trusting the next generation to engage their own. My big fear — that being casual could harm our brand or professionalism — was no concern. Letting go, I found, was the key to success.

Sometimes what seems so complex and unreachable is so simple. People care about the land and want to express it in their own ways. Who are we to prescribe that? Rather, it’s our job to facilitate the expression and harness the passion for more land protection. We’re still figuring it out, but the first step was recognizing that each individual brings something different to the table, and it’s going to take all of us working together to protect the places we love.

Original article published here: Trust the next generation