Meet the Team: Land Stewardship Specialist Trevor Freeman

Curious about the people behind our work to protect the Upstate's natural resources? We invite you to get to know Upstate Forever's Land Stewardship Specialist Trevor Freeman through a few rapid-fire questions.

Why is Upstate Forever's work important to you? 

Upstate Forever’s holistic approach to protecting a special place and increasing the quality of life among Upstate residents — through conserving land, encouraging smart growth, helping citizens advocate for needs through government, and much more — is meaningful to me because it aligns with many of my own personal values.

What does a typical work day for a Land Stewardship Specialist look like? 

Usually, two days each week I’m out in the field (or the woods) talking with landowners and viewing their conserved properties on foot or a UTV. You’ll often find me battling spider webs and rhododendron, taking photos of creeks, trails, turtles, and unique species, and trying to find boundary pins. Then there are days when I may be in front of a computer for hours looking at maps, deeds, and trying to ID all those species to compile reports. My position is a nice mix of being out in nature, collaborating with colleagues, and technical tasks.  

What has been the most unexpected part of your role? 

It has been unexpected learning on foot how much the topography and ecology varies in some of the counties we serve where I have not spent much time previously. Visiting rocky monadnocks in areas I thought were flat or seeing different trees, flowers, or snakes than I grew up with keeps me excited to get outside.  

What hobbies do you enjoy? 

I particularly enjoy chucking fake bugs at fish I’m going to throw back from February-November. Otherwise, I love to hike, play stringed instruments, see live bands, read, conduct historical research, and visit national parks with friends.  

Where’s your ‘happy place?’ 

My happy place is any clear mountain stream where I can chase native Appalachian brook trout, or a used bookstore where I can browse with a coffee in hand.  

When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up? 

When I was a kid, I wanted to be a country singer, a Navy pilot, a lawyer, or an author among other things.  Maybe the verdict is still out on a few of those.