The Trust for Public Land Appoints Bill Toomey Northern New England Director

The Trust for Public Land today announced that Bill Toomey has joined the organization as Northern New England Director. Bill will be based in Portland and oversee the nonprofit’s parks and conservation activities in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont.

Working in the three-state Northern New England region since 1982, The Trust for Public Land helps agencies and communities conserve forest and coastal lands, establish community-owned forests, create and enlarge federal, state, and local parks, and protect landmark trails, such as the Appalachian Trail.

Toomey comes to The Trust for Public Land following a lengthy career in New England with The Nature Conservancy, including extensive experience in forest and watershed protection, leadership, management, and fundraising. Most recently he served as the Director of Forest Health Protection for North America, including oversight of the Conservancy’s “Healthy Trees-Healthy Cities” Initiative in 15 major U.S. cities as well as the Conservancy’s Plant a Billion Tree campaign in the US, China and Brazil.

In other work for the Conservancy, Toomey initiated landscape scale conservation projects in Northeastern CT and the

Westfield River Watershed in western MA and was a major gift fundraiser for the MA Chapter of TNC. Between 2008 and 2011, he was Executive Director of the Connecticut-based Highstead Foundation, which focuses on the conservation of natural landscapes across New England and supported over 40 regional conservation partnerships. A certified arborist, Bill holds a B.S. in Biology from Fairfield University and an M.S. in Soil Science from North Carolina State University.

“As a native New Englander who has worked in partnership with The Trust for Public Land over the years, I’m excited to become part of this dedicated organization and help build on its many accomplishments across our beautiful region,” Toomey said.

“The Trust for Public Land is fortunate to have found Bill Toomey to head up its work in Northern New England,” said Senior Vice President and Director of the Atlantic Seaboard Division Jeff Danter. “Bill’s love of New England and deep experience in forestry and urban conservation make him the ideal leader to grow our program across this important region.”

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.