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Forever-Wild Circle Feature: Corey Zimmerman

The Forever-Wild Circle of monthly donors provide foundational support to Northeast Wilderness Trust. Members of the Circle come from all across the Northeast—and the country—and are passionate about wildlands, nature, and old forests. NEWT thanks this community of wildlands supporters with annual bandannas celebrating wild places.

We’re delighted to introduce you to Forever-Wild Circle member Corey Zimmerman. Corey lives in Massachusetts and joined the Forever-Wild Circle last year after reading The Overstory by Richard Powers, a novel about a quest to save old-growth forests. “It tapped into a deep love and appreciation for old forests that was already there but had been lying dormant,” said Corey. “I started looking around for how I could help, and was really excited to find Northeast Wilderness Trust because I want to support work that’s happening right here where I live, where my kids are. I became a member to learn more and to put my money where my mouth is.”

Corey with desert sunset

With a career in early childhood development research, Corey sees a connection between the values in her field and in land conservation. She notes that early investments in childhood health make big differences in resilience for the long term, and sees parallels in creating healthy futures for forests.

During the pandemic, her family spent more time outdoors than ever before. “Our refuge was to hike in a nearby forest in the spring, play in the snow on the beach in the winter, or throw rocks into a lake for hours at a time in the summer. That was our mental health treatment in response to a crazy world.” She recognizes that not everyone has that kind of access to nature, and that protecting wildlands and access to them—especially for children who might not otherwise get to spend time in nature—is an investment we can make now that will reliably grow into a beautiful and healthier future for all.

Woman in yellow kayak on a lake

Why wild? Corey resonates deeply with the simple fact that there’s so much we don’t know yet about how forests work: “These rewilding places have such a particular magic to them—wilderness allows us to watch and learn from what nature does on its own.”

Donors like Corey are making a difference each and every month for wild places and the diverse beings who call them home. As Corey expressed, “the trees can’t do it by themselves!” That’s where the Northeast Wilderness Trust community—and the Forever-Wild Circle of monthly donors—comes in.

Thank you for helping rewild the Northeast, Corey!

If you are not yet a member, we invite you to join the Forever-Wild Circle today! Click here to join and we’ll send you a limited-edition bandanna celebrating our 20th Anniversary (pictured above) in thanks.