PISCATAQUIS OBSERVER • May 4, 2026
Maine Coast Heritage Trust 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 was formally recognized during the plenary session of the 2026 Maine Land Conservation Conference April 28-29 at the Augusta Civic Center. As part of the honor, she will receive $5,000 to direct to a nonprofit organization of her choice. For four 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. Tilberg’s leadership has been instrumental in expanding the scale and impact of forest conservation statewide, and colleagues have credited her with conserving hundreds of thousands of acres of land in Maine.