Conservation Conversations Session 1: Understanding Land Trusts
Conservation Conversations Session 1: Understanding Land Trusts
Thursday, July 30 | 12:00–1:00 PM | Zoom Webinar
Free to attend. Registration required.
Join us for the Long Island Conservation Alliance’s inaugural Lunch & Learn webinar, bringing together leading voices in land conservation for a conversation on land trusts and conservation easements: how they work, why they matter, and how they’re used to conserve the places we love.
Land Trusts and conservation easements are some of the most powerful, and least understood, tools available for land conservation.
This is the first installment of Conservation Conversations, LIC’s ongoing series exploring the ideas, tools, and people shaping land conservation on Long Island.
Moderator
Bridget Levin
Founding Principal and CMO, Nametag International
A seasoned conservation leader with board experience at the Minnesota Land Trust, The Nature Conservancy, Wild Rivers Conservancy, the University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, and Climate Generation, Bridget combines deep institutional knowledge with a career in strategic marketing. She is committed to the durable, collective stewardship of both the land and the mission, channeling her expertise to advance LIC’s brand and long-term impact. Her cross-sector perspective strengthens LIC’s capacity to grow thoughtfully and communicate its work with clarity and purpose.
Speakers
Michael S. Flynn, Esq.
Real Estate Attorney, Bergstein Flynn Knowlton & Pollina PLLC
Founding partner of Bergstein Flynn Knowlton & Pollina PLLC, Mike chairs the firm’s real estate department and brings extensive experience in commercial leasing, investment sales, and government affairs for clients in the energy and environmental sectors. He began his career at Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler LLP and also serves as broker of record for Flynn Realty Group. Mike holds a J.D., cum laude, from Fordham University School of Law and a B.A., summa cum laude, from Fordham University, and was appointed to the Board of Directors of EAC Network in January 2026.
Marian E. Lindberg, Esq.
Marian Lindberg began her career as a reporter for The Buffalo Courier-Express. Lawyers proved to be some of her most informed sources, leading Lindberg to become a lawyer herself. She went on to represent writers, reporters and other communicators and participate in high profile first amendment and civil rights cases. In 2005 she pivoted and began negotiating land preservation deals for an environmental organization. She traveled to Brazil in 2012 to research a family story of murder in the Amazon. The resulting book, “The End of the Rainy Season: Discovering My Family’s Hidden Past in Brazil” won an Elle readers’ prize. In her latest book, “Scandal on Plum Island: A Commander Becomes the Accused,” Lindberg applies her legal and research skills to tell the little-known story of an unmarried Army major portrayed as an out-of-control “homo-sexualist” in a sensational 1914 court-martial on a small island off the eastern end of Long Island. Marian is a graduate of Columbia Law School, Vassar College, and Concord Academy. She also holds a master’s degree in economics from the State University of NY at Buffalo.
What You’ll Learn
- What a land trust is and why its important on Long Island
- Conservation easements explained: what they are, how they work, and why they’re a viable option for many homeowners, not just large estates
- What you need to know before starting the process
- How this connects to LIC’s on-the-ground restoration work from planting native species to removing invasives
Who Should Attend
This conversation is accessible to newcomers, valuable to landowners and municipal partners, and essential for anyone who wants to understand how conservation actually gets done.