What does it mean to be a Site Steward?
When I asked four of KLT’s volunteer Site Stewards about their experience serving as Site Stewards, I heard stories of connection. Connection to the land, to its history, and to the people who have cared for it before them.
Cal Koski, who helps steward Point of View, spoke of his family history and a lifetime of exploration, often with his father, on the Abbaye.
“Before there was even a road, we would walk and hunt and fish out there,” Cal told me over the phone, before heading back outdoors to chop wood.
And Cal isn’t the only neighbor stepping up to steward the land he loves.
As a next-door neighbor to Lily Creek, Mark Roberts’ connection to the land is quite literal.
“I can look down at the creek clearing where we do the Winter Solstice,” he explained.
Mark and KLT’s Stewardship Manager, Jill, laid out the trail at Lily Creek that so many people enjoy now.
Some Site Stewards connect with the land through its rich history. Jim Kalen reminisced about his childhood swimming hole at Point Mills. Now a nature area, Point Mills is a unique site that juxtaposes the human impacts of mining with nature’s ability to heal over time. To Jim, showing that history is key, including the dichotomy of mining—an important part of the region’s industrial past that nevertheless left scars upon the land.
“All the beauty here, the history… I hate the thought of that slipping away,” Jim told me.
Jim and Anne Kalen steward Din Egen Woods, just down the road from Point Mills, and often bring friends and family to visit. One of Jim’s biggest thrills is seeing them develop an appreciation for the beauty and history of the places he holds so dear.
Many Site Stewards also shared stories of connection to the people who cared for the land before KLT.
Take Bob Wheeler, who stewards Silver Island. Whenever Bob found an unusual rock, he knew who to reach out to: Bill Rose, an incredible educator and storyteller—and Bob’s go-to guy for geology. He always wanted to hear Bill’s story on interesting specimens. Bob had known Bill and his wife Nanno for years, visiting Silver Island before they donated it to KLT. When Bill passed away in July of 2025, Bob stepped up to care for this special place.
“I’m privileged to do it,” he said, “I’m retired now, so I have time to feed the birds, and take a day trip out to the island to clean up the trails and check on the cabin.”
The importance of our volunteer Site Stewards cannot be overstated.
Cal checks in on Point of View a couple times per month. In the summer, Bob kayaks to Silver Island, clears the trails, and checks in on the buildings. If you’ve stayed at the little cabin at Din Egen Woods, Jim and Anne likely stopped by to freshen it up before you arrived. And if you see a downed branch that has been cut and pulled off the trail at Lily Creek, it was most likely Mark who moved it.
Good stewardship, like dusting, can be easy to overlook, but it is a key pillar of KLT’s work—and as we celebrate protecting 30 Nature Areas, KLT Site Stewards like those featured here are more important than ever.
Is there a KLT Nature Area that is near and dear to your heart? Perhaps you are a neighbor, a friend of a land donor, or a frequent visitor? KLT is seeking Site Stewards across our service area.
Please reach out to us if you're interested in becoming a Site Steward! If you’re ready to step up your commitment to a special place, site stewardship may be for you!
— Tiff DeGroot, Ph.D.,
KLT Community Engagement Manager