I like to think that conservation runs in my blood. Ever since I became interested in conservation as a summer camper at the Farm Institute, a property that was in danger of becoming a real estate development, I have learned how a robust conservation system is vital to creating a sustainable planet. From completing a high school project cataloging my quest to hike every property on Martha’s Vineyard to my summer job at Sheriff’s Meadow Foundation, I do my best to live and breathe conservation. It is through this lens that I view the proposed New Horizon project by the Trustees. And it is through this lens that I endorse and support this project.

Experiencing conserved lands is often quasi-reserved for the most privileged. This is why I am so excited about the power of art and the effect it can have on swaying popular opinion regarding environmental issues. It’s no secret that the expensive summer season on the Island itself isn’t accessible for large sections of our society. But the concept that the Trustees are adopting, of using artwork and alternative means for raising awareness to global problems such as climate change, has the potential to reach and shape the decision-making of more people than ever before.

But of course, any work in spotlighting conservation can’t be done in such a way that hurts the very properties and mission a conservation group is tasked with safeguarding. That is why the Trustees have approached this project with thoughtful care. Traffic at Long Point won’t exceed anything it doesn’t already see as one of the most popular refuges on Martha’s Vineyard, and the Farm Institute likewise will already be hosting their annual Meals in the Meadow event, an event that is routinely approved by Edgartown town officials.

The Trustees’ mission of protecting land for public use and enjoyment is exemplified beautifully by this project. Inspiring the public through their enjoyment of conserved properties is exactly why the Trustees exists as an entity. As climate change looms larger and more destructive by the day, conserving our most carbon-laden and untouched lands is more important than ever. Using art to bring awareness to climate change and the need for conservation represents an opportunity for organizations such as the Trustees to bring their work into focus for many more than would otherwise be possible.

Keith Chatinover

Edgartown