Member Spotlight – Linden Rayton
April 2019 – Linden Rayton joined Five Rivers soon after moving to New Hampshire two years ago. “We were at the farmer’s market in Contoocook, and I saw a table with Five Rivers’ name on it and went over to say hello.” An environmental educator, Linden was excited to learn more about Five Rivers’ work, and she struck up a conversation with Five Rivers trustees Carolyn Miller and Kathy Barnes. Since then, Linden has jumped in to share her expertise with Five Rivers, serving as a natural-history guide during November’s Bohanan Farm exploration in Hopkinton.
Linden joined Five Rivers because she’s a big fan of land trusts and the role they play in sustainability. But she hadn’t even known what a land trust was until she went to work for another small land trust, Cape Elizabeth Land Trust, outside Portland, ME. She served as the group’s education coordinator, and she saw first-hand how small land trusts can make a big difference, preserving resources for communities to use and enjoy.
Linden and her family left Maine for New Hampshire when her husband Reed Loy took a job as rector of St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Hopkinton. These days, Linden works as a substitute naturalist at NH Audubon and as a candle dipper at Marklin Candles. With their two small children, she and Reed enjoy walking on nearby Five Rivers-conserved properties. “We love Carter Hill, Swope Park, and Winant Park for family walks,” Linden says. “We also walk the Sweatt property in Hopkinton. It is really beautiful, walking along all those streams.”
