SNOW HILL – The executive director of the Lower Shore Land Trust will retire at the end of the year.
After nearly two decades of leading conservation efforts in Worcester, Wicomico and Somerset counties, Kate Patton announced last week she will be stepping down as executive director of the Lower Shore Land Trust at the end of the year. As she makes her transition into retirement, Patton said she feels confident she is leaving the organization in capable hands.
“I think the organization is as strong as it’s ever been, and that’s the legacy I want to leave,” she said. “And being able to walk away knowing there’s a really strong team and a dedicated board makes me feel good.”
Patton joined the Lower Shore Land Trust as its executive director in 2006, following a 16-year career as operator of the Globe Theater in Berlin. With a background in environmental advocacy and management, she said she found a second, fulfilling career at the organization.
“When I sold my business, which I had run for 16 years, I was looking to do something a little different,” she recalled. “What I thought would be a step back to slow down and relax turned into the ride of my life.”
At the start of her tenure, Patton said the Lower Shore Land Trust had no staff and a small budget. She said the next 18 years were spent growing the organization and building partnerships.
“We now have six fulltime staff, we mentor interns, and we work with around 25 volunteers at any given time of the year,” she said. “So our capacity has grown exponentially.”
With those additional resources, Patton said Lower Shore Land Trust has led efforts to preserve thousands of acres of land in the tri-county area. Since 2006, the organization has conserved 66 properties with conservation easements, acquired one property in fee, and assisted the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) with the acquisition of the former Bay Club golf course in Berlin.
That, she said, equates to 12,658 total acres of land preserved during her tenure.
“There’s never enough time to do all the things you want to do,” she said. “Prioritizing what projects we can do has been really the biggest challenge, and at times being able to fund the projects we want to fund. With that said, I’m really proud of the partnerships we’ve built between the organization and the landowners … They’ve trusted us enough to work with us to conserve their properties, and I’m honored we have that relationship.”
In the case of the Bay Club acquisition, Patton said Maryland DNR and the Lower Shore Land Trust were able to preserve 672 acres of land and add public recreation opportunities on the site. She said she is also proud of the organization’s work to secure a conservation easement for more than 1,000 acres of land over multiple parcels in Somerset County.
“That took almost a decade,” she said. “That’s a commitment.”
And while she is proud of the work she has done for Lower Shore Land Trust, Patton said she is eager to pursue some passion projects in her retirement. She said she wants to develop a large pollinator meadow and provide her expertise to several boards and committees on which she serves.
“It’s hard to step away when things are this good, but I hope I can have an impact with the organization in other ways and within the community,” she said.
With her retirement planned for the end of the year, Patton said Lower Shore Land Trust’s board of directors will be searching for the organization’s next executive director. She noted, however, that she will continue to be involved in upcoming events, including the Flannel Formal event in November.
“I couldn’t have asked for a more rewarding, challenging and fulfilling career,” she said. “And I’ve learned so much about myself and the region and how to work with others to achieve some pretty exciting goals.”
