Minnesota Heroes

Photo courtesy Peter Welles

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Peter Welles

Ask people who know Peter Welles to describe him, and they all use words like “energetic,” “enthusiastic” and “committed to excellence.” As an active volunteer leader for The Nature Conservancy for more than 10 years, he has brought all of these qualities and more to helping the organization protect lands and waters from Minnesota and Colorado to Guatemala and other special places around the world.

“Peter has been a strong leader and supporter of the Conservancy at all levels,” said Mike Andrews, Nature Conservancy Vice President and Senior Conservation Fellow. “Through his actions, he demonstrates to others how the Conservancy can and must succeed locally, nationally and internationally.”

In Minnesota and throughout the Great Plains, Peter has been a key player on the chapter’s Board of Trustees and in its fundraising efforts, serving a term as Board chair. He also has been a generous financial supporter, making lead gifts to campaigns that helped inspire others and ensure success.

Peter has taken a lead role in helping the Conservancy strengthen trustee communication and engagement with the organization. He has traveled throughout the United States to give presentations to more than 26 chapter boards, helping them strengthen their governance and engaging them in the Conservancy’s national and international work.

“We have 1,500 ambassadors for conservation serving on chapter boards,” Peter comments. “It’s critical that we engage them as fully as possible not only in the Conservancy’s work in their own states, but beyond their borders.”

Recently, Peter provided seed funding to strengthen connections between the Conservancy’s domestic programs and its staff and partners in other countries. The Board Development and Trustee Exchange Program will provide board-building and governance training for the Conservancy’s partner organizations and expose the Conservancy’s U.S.-based trustees to our international programs. Pilot board trainings in Bolivia and Australia are planned for this year.

“For the Conservancy to succeed in its mission, we must work in other countries where so much of the biodiversity resides,” Peter said. “And if we want to help build healthy, sustainable conservation organizations around the world, we must invest in volunteer leaders with the passion and commitment to protect the places they know and love.”