Wildlands Trust is ecstatic to welcome Land Steward Callahan Coughlin to our team! Callahan is the second Land Steward to join us this winter, doubling the size of our permanent stewardship staff. Along with Rebecca Cushing, who joined us in January, Callahan will assist in the maintenance and management of Wildlands preserves. Read Callahan’s bio below, and be sure to say hello when you see him on the trails!

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As a Wildlands Trust Land Steward, Callahan Coughlin returns to the region and organization that first set his sights on a career of community and impact.

Growing up near Plymouth’s Morton Park, Callahan spent much of his childhood in nature, wandering the woods with his siblings and kayaking on Billington Sea. He first encountered Wildlands in 2017 as a member of Green Team, our summer service-learning program for conservation-minded high school students. Even then, Callahan took note of the tight-knit dynamic of Wildlands’ staff. His time on Green Team led him to his first job at Bay End Farm in Bourne, which cemented his desire to work outdoors on a small, driven team. After college, Callahan spent six months in Georgia, conducting prescribed burns to restore the habitat of gopher tortoises and other native species. But the opportunity to monitor, maintain, and restore Wildlands’ protected areas, eight years after Green Team, compelled him to come home.

“I wanted to find something where I could make a real difference and learn more about local plants and wildlife,” Callahan said. “It’s inspiring to do good work with good people.”

Callahan studied environmental science and agriculture at UMass Amherst. After graduating, he completed an internship with the Friends of Chatham Waterways. In his free time, Callahan enjoys kayaking, archery, cooking, and identifying flora and fauna. He also serves as a Marine Animal Rescue & Response Volunteer for Whale and Dolphin Conservation.