Wilton Land Trust Staff
Stewardship Programs Manager: Christian Malone
Wilton, CT — April, 2024 — The Wilton Land Trust is delighted to announce the appointment of Christian Malone as its newest Stewardship Programs Manager. With a passion for conservation and a wealth of experience in environmental stewardship, Malone brings invaluable expertise to the organization as it continues its mission of preserving and protecting Wilton's natural landscapes, enriching the community, and educating people about nature.
Biologist, conservationist, and fellow Nutmegger, Christian Malone, joined the trust in April of 2024 to oversee its trail networks, maintain its native planting, and manage its high school internship program. “I’m so pleased to have the opportunity to be able to share the same goal of connecting communities to nature,” he said, something the Trust continues to strive for.
“I want to bring awareness to our woodlands, meadows, wetlands, and rolling hills, as they are what inspired my career in conservation,” said Christian. Utilizing applied science, community outreach, and educational programs, Christian plans to expand the impacts of the Wilton Land Trust and empower environmental awareness and conservation.
Christian attended school in Raleigh, North Carolina at William Peace University where he graduated with a degree in Biology. Through his time at William Peace University, he traveled to Costa Rica where he learned from local herpetologists, mammalogists, and ornithologists, participated in wildlife ecology projects, and planted white almond trees for the endangered Green Macaw. During his time there he found purpose in tutoring his peers on a variety of subjects including environmental biology and vertebrate/invertebrate zoology, working as a resident assistant and teaching anatomy and physiology labs. “Teaching and guiding my peers is something I’m very passionate about,” he stated. “I’m excited to work with our environmental pursuits and support their journey in ecology,” he said. After graduation, Christian worked for the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) as an assistant to Wildlife biologist Peter Picone, gaining invaluable knowledge in the niche sector of land management. “During my time there, I assisted in the maintenance and creation of early successional habitats, ecotones, fields, and islands throughout hundreds of acres. I also taught many volunteers and land trusts proper techniques in local conservation, habitat creation, biodiversity importance, and recommended policy regarding their specific goals,” he added.
“I look forward to meeting the WLT community, feel free to reach out to our team, join our mission, and help make a difference,” said Malone.
Executive Director: David McCarthy
A native Nutmegger, David brings enthusiasm, energy, experience, and a passion for building community and connecting people with nature. Listening is key," he said. "I'm new to the community, eager to listen to folks, and to get to know Wilton so we can develop the types of educational, recreational, and community enrichment programs that it would like to see more of," he said. "We want to create memorable experiences," he added. Together, we will advance environmental stewardship, expand educational programs, and develop new and exciting initiatives that will enhance the greater Wilton community," he said.
David earned his Master's of Environmental Management from the Yale School of the Environment. His graduate work concentrated on forestry, natural resource management, climate change adaptation, and policy, as well as the practice of values-based communication and resilience. He sits on the Board of Directors for the South West Regional Conservation District and comes to us from the Town of Branford, CT, where he worked for the Department of Inland Wetlands and Natural Resources. There, he empowered community conservation, protected wetlands through land use regulation, served as the Town's Tree Warden, established the Town's commitment to Endangered Species Day, and advanced the Town's application for the Sustainable CT certificate program.
David brings experience from Yale University's Urban Resources Initiative (a nonprofit that's engaged in environmental education, community forestry, and capacity building). There, he fostered community-based stewardship with diverse neighborhood groups and coached high school interns as part of a street tree planting program that provides kids with marketable job skills and leadership training. As the lead writer and graphic designer for Yale Climate Connections (a multimedia web-based environmental journal and radio show), he defined the organization's brand, tone, and visual identity through the development and management of diverse narratives for social media.
David has written policy for the International Union for Conservation of Nature in Washington, DC, built governmental relations for the Secretariat of the Regional Environmental Program in Apia, Samoa, collaborated on climate change adaptation projects for PCI Media Impact in NYC, NY, supported sustainability initiatives for small island developing states as part of a coastal resilience fellowship with the Global Island Partnership, farmed organic vegetables on once-vacant lots throughout New Haven, CT, to provide food for the city’s most vulnerable families, and taught English in Beijing, China.
He’s brought home best practices in community-based forestry from the Black Forest, where he studied silviculture through an immersion program in partnership with the Technical University of Munich, Germany. He enjoys world travel, astronomy, photography, and spending time outdoors with his wife Kelly, and two-year-old daughter, Clara.
"I have an open-door policy, and I want to hear from you," he said. David is looking forward to creating an even more environmentally conscious Wilton, getting more people excited about nature, and fulfilling WLCT's mission of conserving and protecting land for future generations to enjoy.