The View from the Canopy
Greetings, CFPA members and friends!
By Laurie Giannotti
I have supported CFPA’s mission throughout my entire career. Now that I am retired and have more time to spend on things I enjoy and believe in, it is an honor to assist CFPA in the role of president of the Board of Directors. In 2001, I became an official CFPA member, donor, and volunteer. I also had the great opportunity to collaborate with CFPA in my role as Connecticut Trails and Greenways Coordinator from 2007 to 2022. My husband, Rob Butterworth, chair of CFPA’s Trails Committee, and I are founding members of the Winslow Society and have consistently contributed to the annual appeal and answered calls to action. At our house and on the trails with our springer spaniel Walli—on his leash, of course—it’s all CFPA, all the time!
The Board of Directors is a group of dedicated volunteers who are responsible for the financial, policy, and administrative health of CFPA. I continue to be impressed and inspired by the dedication of our current and former board members, and our honorary directors are a profound resource with a wealth of expertise. We directors stay informed about state and national policy in line with our mission and take action when necessary. We are engaged in fundraising efforts, lead events in our respective hometowns, and continue to recruit and welcome new directors, most recently Jeff Bolton from Granby and Michael Ferrucci, our forester, from North Branford. Currently we are spending most of our energy working in collaboration with the staff to secure a new Executive Director. We have formed a search committee and are on track to welcome a new organizational leader later this year.
As readers of Connecticut Woodlands know, over these past two years CFPA has been navigating a time of growth and transition. Through all of this, CFPA’s staff have remained resilient, delivering successful programs and driving our strategic plan goals forward. I would like to share some program highlights from a recent board meeting.
- CFPA has inspired the nation with our Connecticut Trails Day. This year, we hosted 220 events statewide, the largest offering since the COVID pandemic.
- Over 50 students graduated from our Master Woodland Managers program this spring; with the recent addition of a new education assistant, we look forward to welcoming an even bigger cohort this summer.
- Also, while you’re out hiking this summer, be on the lookout for the 2025 Connecticut Woodlands Conservation Corps crew. They’ll be working throughout the state on both private and public state park and forest lands, building new trails and addressing storm damage while learning construction skills and developing their leadership abilities.
- Our communications team has increased our social media connections by over 10 percent across all social media platforms.
- Our development team has increased our revenue streams and maintains 64 percent of CFPA’s donors, compared to the national average of 48 percent.
As CFPA celebrates its 130th year, I am confident that our successes will continue. My vision for CFPA over the next five years includes ongoing meaningful dialogue between the Board of Directors, CFPA staff, and you—our incredible volunteers and partners; strengthening and expanding our partnerships; and celebrating our successes.