A New President

Harry V. Webster’s enthusiastic embracing of the Harford Land Trust’s mission is reflected in the new brochure “Land Water Beauty Life,” his contribution to the cause. He came to the Trust after years as member and then president of the Forest Greens-Perryman Community Association, Inc. This was a group organized to confront issues raised by the Clorox plant, the Rite Aid facility, re-configuration of state highways, and proposed public-private joint-use of APG’s Phillips Airfield, and for protection of the Perryman well-field, a major source of public water.

In 1992 the Harford Land Trust undertook its first major project, the acquisition of 145 acres of undeveloped lake, tidal inlet and woodlands near Bush River and established a 100-acre Preserve for permanent ownership and management by the Harford County Department of Parks and Recreation. This was achieved with the active cooperation of the Forest Greens-Perryman Community Association, Inc. and with leadership by Harry Webster on the Trust’s Forest Greens Lake Preserve Steering Committee.

His active role in HLT has continued from there. His is a contagious activism that has drawn new members into the Trust and promises good things to come.

Harry Webster is a principal in the insurance company, Lassen, Marine & Webster, Inc. with offices in Churchville. His home is at Forest Greens.

A New Director

Our new director, Margaret (Peg) L. Niland, already a familiar and dynamic presence among active Trust members, came to Harford after 15 years as director of the American Chestnut Land Trust, Inc. in Calvert County. She sought the change, she explains, “because my heart is in Harford County.” This is partly the result of many summers and weekends at a family cabin at Broad Creek and years of exploring the lower Susquehanna River.

The Trust leadership is impressed by achievements of the Calvert County Trust under Peg Niland’s leadership in the acquisition, preservation and management of 3,000 contiguous acres, some in partnership with The Nature Conservancy and Maryland Department of Natural Resources, and with the size of the membership and foundation grants that support it.

For her part, Ms. Niland says, “There are great opportunities ahead for the Harford Land Trust and I’m very excited to be a part of that experience and part of the new leadership team.”