Alumni Spotlight - Eliza Lawdley
Occupation:
Student at NC State for landscape architecture. Also working a grant-funded position with Triangle Land Conservancy.
Age:
30
Years at GRP:
5
1. What is one of your favorite memories of GRP? One of my favorite traditions at the Green River Preserve is the Upper Council Fire. I can’t say that any one of them stands out more than another because they are all so special in their own ways. I cherish everything, from the stories that are told to the music that is played, the songs that are song and the tradition of the Spirit Stones. The time that I have spent in that grove of trees with our community has left a lasting impression on my life in so many ways. I have even been to the Upper Council Fire area in the off-season just to reconnect with camp and the traditions we all share there. It is especially beautiful in the snow!
I also reflect often on the evening tradition of counselors, Mentors and campers gathering before bedtime to share their “Rose, Bud, Thorns” from the day. These gatherings happen in cabins, on Campout and on Expeditions. This is often a time when stories are read, including some of my favorite books and poems to this day. One poem by Mary Oliver always makes me think about these special evenings at camp:
I thought the earth remembered me, she took me back so tenderly, arranging her dark skirts, her pockets full of lichens and seeds. I slept as never before, a stone on the riverbed, nothing between me and the white fire of the stars but my thoughts, and they floated light as moths among the branches of the perfect trees. All night I heard the small kingdoms breathing around me, the insects, and the birds who do their work in the darkness. All night I rose and fell, as if in water, grappling with a luminous doom. By morning I had vanished at least a dozen times into something better. -Mary Oliver
2. How did GRP affect or lead you to where you are today? GRP has affected my life in a variety of ways. My time as a camp counselor helped me build skills in leadership, communication and compassion. As an Expedition leader, I became well-versed in how to navigate a team through challenging terrain and experiences, how to facilitate trust building exercises and how to practice a high level of risk assessment. After completing these summers between 2009-2012, I went on to complete an Outdoor Educator course with the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) and to become a Certified Wilderness First Responder. My time at GRP led me into both of those career decisions which has continued to shape my professional work. After returning from NOLS, I co-founded a non-profit that focused on urban agriculture and environmental education. These early years of my career were directly influenced by my time spent in the garden at GRP’s base camp, learning environmental ethics under our amazing Senior Mentors and feeling inspired to protect more wild and working lands. I returned to camp as a Mentor in the summer of 2017 with my wife, Jacqueline, who served as a camp nurse. It was important to both of us that we share time at the Preserve before getting married that fall in 2017. We have both gone on to practice these professional skills that we learned at camp in our daily lives!
3. What skills do you need to be able to do your job? I currently serve as the Farm Manager for a 405-acre farm in Wake County, North Carolina, as a staff member for the Triangle Land Conservancy. In my role, I help connect the general public to our nature preserve and Farm, work with local farmers, lead hikes, facilitate workshops and plan events. I practiced all of these skills at GRP and they continue to inform my work. I hope to return to GRP as a Mentor in future summer sessions so as to always keep these skills sharp and grounded in our camp community!
4. What do you spend the most time doing when you are working? Most of my role at the Triangle Land Conservancy (TLC) involves connecting the general public with one of our properties, the Bailey and Sarah Williamson Preserve. The property was recently acquired by TLC and I am working with a small team to install farm infrastructure, design outdoor classroom spaces, network with other agricultural groups, and host events for the public. On April 25, 2020, we will be opening the property up as the largest public greenspace in Wake County! Once the property opens, I will be leading group hikes, facilitating environmental education activities with local high schools and recruiting farmers to the land that may be interested in expanding their operations. Currently, we partner with a wonderful organization called Apiopolis that practices natural beekeeping and installs pollinator habitats. We are also working with Newbold Farms who will be rotationally grazing sections of the property. We hope to grow a diverse group of farmers who are interested in helping us steward this special piece of property. I continue to stay connected with the awesome GRP staff that run the K.A.L.E. program at camp and continue to be inspired by all that they have accomplished!
5. What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given? I can’t think of one single piece of advice that sticks out, but I do often reflect on the words of Mary Oliver: “To pay attention, this is our endless and proper work”. I find that when we do pay attention, “seeking the joy” comes naturally!
BONUS: When and where did you most recently connect with nature? I most recently connected with nature on my family’s farm in Durham, NC. My wife and I bought the property in 2014 and it remains a special place for our friends and family to go and walk, camp, and swim. Whenever I need to escape from the city and sit amongst the trees, this is where I go to become reconnected and centered.
