February 12, 2025
Jon Leibowitz, President and CEO of the Northeast Wilderness Trust, will give a presentation
titled “Rewilding in an Unlikely Landscape: The Recovery of the Northern Forest of
the Northeastern United States” on February 19 as part of MCLA’s Green Living Seminar
Series.
Leibowitz’s presentation will focus on protecting wilderness across the Northeast
and how it’s increasingly being recognized as a vital strategy to reverse the extinction
crisis and mitigate climate change. He will also address common myths about wilderness
and explain why rewilding the Northeast by dramatically expanding wildlands across
the region is essential.
Leibowitz has served in his current role at the trust since 2017 and began his career
as a transaction specialist at Montezuma Land Conservancy in Colorado in 2012, where
he later became executive director. He is also a co-owner of WildEdge Brewing Collective
in Cortez, Colo.
He earned a Juris Doctor and a master’s in Environmental Law and Policy from Vermont
Law School and holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Colorado Boulder.
Leibowitz is an active volunteer, contributing to various state, regional, and national
committees. His roles include serving on the Steering Committee of Wildlands, Woodlands,
Farmlands & Communities, the Leadership Council of The Rewilding Institute, and the
National Land Trust Alliance Leadership Council.
In his free time, Leibowitz enjoys gardening and exploring the forests of the Northeast,
particularly those near his home in Middlesex, Vt., at the southern edge of the Worcester
Range. He lives there with his wife, two sons, a border collie, chickens, and an abundance
of wildlife. Among his favorite wild neighbors are Hermit Thrushes, fishers, and red
efts.
Presentations occur every Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. in the Feigenbaum Center for Science
and Innovation (FCSI) Room 121. Each presentation is free and open to the public.
Podcasts will be posted online following each presentation.
All lectures will be recorded and can be replayed on the MCLA ENVI Youtube Channel and broadcast on Northern Berkshire Community Television Channel (NBCTC) 1302 at
the following times:
Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m.
Fridays at 4 p.m.
Saturdays at 3:30 p.m.
Sundays at 11:30 p.m.
Mondays at 5:30 p.m.
Community members can find up-to-date information about the schedule at mcla.edu/greenliving.
About MCLA
At MCLA, we’re here for all — and focused on each — of our students. Classes are taught
by educators who care deeply about teaching, and about seeing their students thrive
on every level of their lives. In every way possible, the experience at MCLA is designed
to elevate our students as individuals, leaders, and communicators, fully empowered
to make their impressions on the world. In addition to our 130-year commitment to
public education, we have fortified our dedication to equitable academic excellence.
MCLA has appeared on U.S. News & World Report’s list of Top Ten Public Colleges for
10 consecutive years, earning the No. 6 spot on the list of Top Public Liberal Arts
Schools in the nation for 2025, after earning the No. 7 spot the prior three years.
The College’s focus on affordable education and economic prosperity is reflected in
additional 2025 U.S. News rankings: No. 5 for Top Performer on Social Mobility for
liberal arts colleges in the state and No. 2 for Top Performer on Social Mobility
for public liberal arts colleges in the country. These rankings measure how well schools
graduate students who receive Federal Pell Grants. Learn more at www.mcla.edu.
