“There is no typical day.”
Geoff Nelson, who has worked at Drumlin Farm since 2008, knows just about everything there is to know about the facilities, buildings, and grounds of the wildlife sanctuary and Mass Audubon headquarters, which is located just across the street.
“Our work is very weather dependent,” he said. “On any given day, we may be plowing the driveways or cutting away trees felled by a windstorm.”
In addition to keeping the wildlife sanctuary in top shape for our visitors, Geoff and his team are responsible for coordinating with contractors, overseeing volunteer projects, maintaining the beautiful landscape, or even building a Native American-inspired shelter for Drumlin Farm Community Preschool students.
As a kid, Geoff was an outdoor enthusiast, always exploring or building forts with his childhood friends. Before Geoff became the property manager at the farm, he studied graphic arts and photography at Lyndon State College, and like many of the people who work here, his career path evolved over the years to suit his passions for the environment.
“It came from a concern for the environment and the need to do all I can to integrate this with environmental education, especially for our children,” said Geoff.
His passions led him to work at the Hemlock Overlook Center for Outdoor education, as well as The Discovery Museum, where he was the exhibits director. While there, he put his college studies to work by building interactive exhibits for museum visitors of all ages. And to Geoff, the correlation between science and activities at Drumlin Farm is built in to the landscape and buildings.
“In the past, there was a big disconnect between earth science studied in school and the world of nature,” he said. “Now, the public is beginning to see the interrelatedness of farms to their everyday lives.”
The work Geoff does as property manager is part of a larger system that touches everything and everyone working on the farm.
Geoff’s love for the outdoors hasn’t changed one bit since childhood. Today, he spends weekends and vacations biking and hiking, and even once worked as a ridge runner for the Appalachian Mountain Club.
It’s pretty clear that Geoff’s role at Drumlin Farm suits him perfectly!