Karin Tilberg Receives the 2026 Espy Land Heritage Award
Karin Tilberg Receives the 2026 Espy Land Heritage Award at the Maine Land Conservation Conference
Longtime conservation leader honored for her decades of impact, collaboration, and Community-driven Stewardship
Topsham, Maine — April 29, 2026 — Maine Coast Heritage Trust (MCHT) is pleased to announce that Karin Tilberg, recently retired president and CEO of the Forest Society of Maine, has been selected as the recipient of the 2026 Espy Land Heritage Award. The award – given annually at the Maine Land Conservation Conference – honors individuals and organizations whose innovative, forward-thinking leadership has strengthened land conservation across Maine.
Tilberg will be formally recognized during the plenary session of the 2026 Maine Land Conservation Conference, held April 28 and 29 at the Augusta Civic Center. As part of the honor, she will receive $5,000 to direct to a nonprofit organization of her choosing.
For more than three decades, Tilberg has been a steady, strategic force in Maine conservation — helping to shape landmark projects, cultivating lasting partnerships, and championing community-driven approaches to land stewardship. Her leadership has been instrumental in expanding the scale and impact of forest conservation statewide.
Early in her career, Tilberg played a pivotal role in the formation and early success of the Downeast Lakes Land Trust. Her guidance helped frame the organization’s vision and goals, ultimately contributing to the Downeast Lakes Forestry Partnership, which conserved more than 340,000 acres in 2008. In 2017, Downeast Lakes Land Trust honored her with its Downeast Lakes Conservation Award.
Tilberg joined the Forest Society of Maine in 2011 and went on to serve as deputy director before becoming president and CEO. She led the organization through a period of significant growth and impact – strengthening relationships with landowners and communities, advancing largescale working forest conservation, and championing the ecological and economic values of Maine’s forestlands. Among her many accomplishments, Tilberg is credited with helping to conserve more than 1.3 million acres of land in Maine. She retired from the Forest Society of Maine in November 2024.
“Karin’s career exemplifies the kind of bold, collaborative leadership that keeps Maine’s conservation movement strong,” said Angela Twitchell, senior director of MCHT’s Community and Government Relations Department. “She brings people together, sees possibility where others see barriers, and consistently champions solutions that honor both the land and the communities who depend on it.”
The Espy Land Heritage Award was established in 1987 to celebrate the visionary leadership of Jay Espy, longtime president of MCHT. Recipients are selected for their creativity, partnership-building, and long-term contributions toward protecting Maine’s natural heritage.
Tilberg holds a B.S. in wildlife biology from the University of Vermont and a J.D. from the University of Maine School of Law – a combination that has grounded her conservation leadership in both ecological understanding and policy expertise.
For more information about the Espy Land Heritage Award, including past recipients and nomination details, visit www.mcht.org/2026-espy-land-heritage-award/
About the Maine Land Trust Network
The Maine Land Trust Network (MLTN) is a program of Maine Coast Heritage Trust. Established in 1995, the MLTN strengthens the land conservation community by serving as a central hub of information. It brings conservationists together to facilitate information exchange and collaboration, and provides a broad array of programs, services and resources that build the capacity and sustainability of land conservation organizations throughout Maine. The MLTN is led by a steering committee representing up to 25 land trusts and is supported by workgroups that engage in and support the steering committee’s efforts. Learn more at mltn.org.
About Maine Coast Heritage Trust
Maine Coast Heritage Trust (MCHT) advances the conservation of lands and waters in Maine to ensure ecological wellbeing and foster thriving communities. Since 1970, we have worked to guide the conservation movement and support a network of more than 80 land trusts. Together with partners, we’ve protected over 200,000 acres and 341 coastal islands, supporting the needs of people, plants, animals, and ecosystems across the coast. We’re dedicated to ensuring that our natural areas can mitigate the effects of climate change and support all people and life for generations to come. Learn more about our work and get involved at mcht.org.