The Trust for Public Land Announces Philanthropist Lucas St. Clair to Serve as New Chair of National Board of Directors

The Trust for Public Land announced today that Lucas St. Clair has been elected as the organization’s national Board of Directors’ new Board Chair. St. Clair was elected to the board on October 27, 2021, and replaces Thomas Reeve as chair, who held that position since 2017. 

“While conservation may mean different things to different people, one thing should be universal; everyone needs equal access to public lands,” said Lucas St. Clair. “I’m honored to have this opportunity to join The Trust for Public Land and to be in this moment as we work across the country to bring the benefits and joys of the outdoors to all.” 

St. Clair is currently president of the Elliotsville Foundation, Inc., his family’s foundation that he took over in 2011. The Foundation owns 125,000 acres of timberland in Northern and central Maine that they have been purchasing since 1998. They have been managing the land and adding infrastructure for recreation over the last several years. To celebrate the 100 anniversary of the National Park Service, President Barack Obama accepted the gift of 89,000 acres of land from Elliotsville Foundation and created the newest unit of the National Park Service, Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument on Aug 24th, 2016. St. Clair and the Foundation continue to play a role in the development of the region and enhancing the community’s ability to capitalize on the newly realized asset. 

St. Clair was born and raised into a subsistence living family in the North Woods of Maine, with no running water or electricity for most of his childhood. He left that lifestyle to attend a boarding school in the Western Mountains of Maine and went on to study abroad, pursuing a Culinary Arts degree at Le Cordon Bleu in London. Lucas worked in the beginning of his career in the restaurant and wine industry in New York City, Maine, and Seattle. 

Beyond the restaurant industry and land conservation, St. Clair has a strong interest in outdoor pursuits. He has hiked the Appalachian Trail, paddled the Northern Forest Canoe Trail, taken a NOLS semester in Patagonia and has climbed peaks in Alaska, Washington, Peru, Chile and Argentina. He has also worked as a fly-fishing guide and helped Eddie Bauer with designing fishing apparel. St. Clair lives in Hampden, Maine with his wife and two children. 

“Lucas has been a strong and dedicated outdoor advocate for many years, working to protect thousands of acres of Katahdin Woods and Waters and advocating for the investment in park space across the country,” said Diane Regas, president and CEO of The Trust for Public Land. “We are thrilled to have his expertise, passion, and leadership on the Board of Directors and I look forward to seeing what we can accomplish together. I also want to extend immense gratitude to Tom Reeve, who served our Board tirelessly and has been a great asset through his work especially in the Northwest and Hawaii.” 

Parks are an essential part of improving public health, protecting vulnerable communities from the impacts of the climate crisis, and building strong community cohesion. And yet, 100 million people, including 28 million kids, do not have access to a quality park within a 10-minute walk from home. The parks we do have are not equitable, as parks serving primarily Black, Latino, Indigenous and Native American, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and other communities of color are half the size and serve five times more people per acre than parks in primarily white neighborhoods. 

About The Trust for Public Land 

The Trust for Public Land creates parks and protects land for people, ensuring healthy, livable communities for generations to come. Millions of people live near a Trust for Public Land park, garden, or natural area, and millions more visit these sites every year. To support The Trust for Public Land and share why nature matters to you, visit www.tpl.org. 

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