It’s easy to get lost in the deep hollers of the Ozarks. There are many tools an explorer can use to guide themselves home. Memory, the stars, the vegetation, even the sun; but nothing is more reliable than a well-calibrated compass.
When navigating life’s choices, our compass is calibrated by our life’s experiences. Mine have been filled with the exploration of natural places. As a child, naturalist, teacher, water quality scientist, natural resource manager, mentor, and leader, my compass has been continually recalibrated by my experiences outdoors in the Ozarks. Water, working lands and natural areas guided me and paved a clear road to my new role as Executive Director of Ozark Land Trust.
As you read this edition of the Ozark Holler, you’ll read about our OLT staff, board, and friends’ favorite places, and in a variety of ways, each place tells the story of coming home. People are drawn to the natural places of the Ozarks by their internal compass, a deep connection to something more than the science of calibrating a compass. It is in a human’s composition to find a deep connection with nature. These stories from landowners, staff, and board members inspire and calibrate OLT’s compass to steer us home.
In 2026, OLT’s Board will embark on strategic planning. The last strategic plan was completed in 2021. Our mission will act as the Board’s compass to guide their development of strategies to achieve the goals of OLT. We have already begun the process of collecting feedback from staff, Board members, and advisors, and we look forward to incorporating their ideas into the strategic plan.
We welcome additional feedback. Please contact [email protected] if you would like to contribute ideas.
A heartfelt thanks goes out to each of you reading this issue. Your participation, commitment, interest, and support of OLT steer and fuel our steady progress. Guided by the compass of our mission, by calibration from the Board, and fueled by our supporters, OLT is dedicated to protecting and stewarding your favorite places, bringing Conservation Close to Home.