Last Saturday (May 5) at the Maine Land Conservation Conference, Stewardship Coordinator Tin Smith was presented with the Land Heritage Award to honor well over two decades of service to conservation in Maine.

In the late '70s and early '80s, Tin worked to protect Laudholm Farm and create Maine’s only National Estuarine Research Reserve. He was one of the original activists and took a leadership role in governance during the early years.

Tin was also integral to the creation of the Great Works Regional Land Trust, one of Maine’s most successful land trusts.

His numerous other accomplishments — too lengthy to list here — are extraordinary! Anyone who has been involved in conservation in Maine knows of Tin’s work and commitment, and realizes that he is most deserving of this recognition and honor.

Tin was humble and modest in his brief acceptance speech before 400 people in Brunswick on Saturday.

The Land Heritage Award is given each year to an organization — and in rare instances to an individual — that has made outstanding and long-lasting contributions to the protection and conservation of land and natural resources of Maine.