Ellen Gass is conservation director at the accredited Texas Land Conservancy in Austin and a new commissioner on the Land Trust Accreditation Commission, an independent program of the Land Trust Alliance. She is also an Advocacy Ambassador for the Alliance. Below she talks about how she came to be a voice for land conservation.
Q: At what point did you decide to get involved in advocating for land conservation?
Wendy Jackson [former executive vice president of the Alliance] came to speak at our Texas Land Conservation Conference the first year I started working for Texas Land Conservancy. Hearing what she accomplished through advocacy made me want to get more involved!
Q: Were you ever nervous about doing it?
Yes! During my first Land Trust Alliance Advocacy Days in 2019, in my first meeting with an actual representative, I tripped all over my words. When Rep. Randy Weber (R-TX) asked me to clarify, I started with “I’ve never talked to a representative before, and I’m a little nervous.” His demeanor instantly turned into what I can only describe as an encouraging grandad, and we had a great conversation.
Q: How did the Land Trust Alliance help you with advocacy?
The Alliance has helped in so many ways. I really appreciate their prompts, so I know when things are happening and when to contact my representatives. They provide so much information about the issues that I feel I can speak with confidence about our position. In addition, when writing an op-ed piece this past year, the Alliance provided guidance and editing help. Considering I hadn’t ever done that before, it was nice to have someone to go to for assistance. [The op-ed was published in the Austin Chronicle.]
Q: What do you see as the benefits of the Advocacy Ambassador Program?
For most of us, advocacy is something new. I wouldn’t have known where to start without the Advocacy Ambassador Program. But for every new thing I try—whether it’s a conversation with a staffer, attending Advocacy Days or writing an op-ed piece — Alliance staff have been there to walk me through the process.
Q: Can you share a favorite “advocacy moment”?
Speaking with Rep. Lizzie Fletcher (D-TX) at my first Advocacy Days was one of my highlights. She was part of the women’s wave in 2018 and is not that much older than me. I have to admit I fangirled a little bit! It’s so inspiring to see people working to make our country better in whatever ways they can—whether as representatives, staffers or advocates.
Q: If you were to give advice for someone just starting in advocacy, what would it be?
Just do it! It’s intimidating at first to reach out, but that’s what our government leaders are there for. I think looking from the outside at politics, it seems so contentious and ugly, but the people you interact with as an advocate are there to listen to you. They are nice and friendly, even if they disagree or won’t support what you are asking them to. The other thing I’d say is remember that you’re the expert in the room at what you’re talking about—advocacy is about education, something we all do every day in land conservation.
Q: Tell us a little about yourself, for example, how you got involved in land conservation, or what your earliest experience with conservation was.
I first found my passion for land conservation when I was working for the Appalachian Trail Conservancy. Starting out on trail crews, I quickly found my place in their boundary program, where I worked primarily to protect NPS lands. It was in that program I first learned about conservation easements. Coming from timber on my mom's side and cattle on my dad's side, I've always been around private landowners who valued and took care of their land. I loved the private landowner aspect of conservation easements and consider myself very lucky to have made my career in land trusts and land conservation.
