Essex County Greenbelt Association is pleased to announce that Chris LaPointe has been named as its next President, effective September 1, 2024. LaPointe is currently Vice President of Conservation Operations at Greenbelt and has extensive experience overseeing large, complex land conservation initiatives throughout the region. He succeeds Kate Bowditch, Greenbelt’s President for the past six years, who is retiring.
“Chris is an accomplished and highly respected leader in the field of land conservation who has worked tirelessly at Greenbelt to protect natural habitats, working farms, and scenic landscapes across the region over the past decade,” says Betsy Shields, Greenbelt Board Chair. “His passion and enthusiasm for conservation, deep understanding of the region’s natural resources, and dedication to teamwork ensure that Greenbelt is in excellent hands as we plan for the future.”
“I’ve had the great opportunity to work alongside, and learn from, a very talented and committed staff and Board of Directors at Greenbelt and am truly humbled and honored to be chosen as its next President,” says LaPointe. “Thanks to strong leadership over the years, the organization is well-positioned to continue fulfilling its mission to protect vital land and natural resources across the region, enhancing the quality of life for everyone living in Essex County.
Since joining Greenbelt in 2015 as Director of Conservation, LaPointe has helped protect more than 6,200 acres of land, representing 86 percent of all land conserved in Essex County during this period. His focus on farmland conservation, and ensuring that Essex County agriculture always remains viable, has also helped Greenbelt develop one of the region’s most innovative farm conservation programs.
“Our data-driven approach to conservation planning identifies the most crucial land to be protected based on a number of factors, including climate resiliency,” says LaPointe. “We are working to protect land that mitigates some of the worst impacts of climate change in our communities, such as flooding and excessive heat, while ensuring reliable sources of clean drinking water, local food, and accessible green spaces.”
Married with two sons, LaPointe has been a resident of Hamilton for more than two decades. An avid outdoorsman who loves to cycle and ski, he holds degrees in environmental policy and natural resource planning from Colby College and the University of Vermont. Prior to Greenbelt, LaPointe worked at The Trust for Public Land for more than a decade overseeing conservation projects across Massachusetts.