Q and A With Ted Koffman

May 06, 2009

Topics: Conservation | People Profiles

As he takes up his new role as Maine Audubon's executive director, Ted Koffman says the environmental issues Maine faces are more pressing than ever. In this interview, he reflects on the personal and professional experiences that lead him to Maine Audubon, and looks to how the state's largest wildlife conservation group will continue to impact Maine's future.

‘I Can’t Imagine a Better Way to Get Involved with Maine’s Future’

Maine Audubon: Where did you grow up?

Ted Koffman: In the countryside of Morristown, New Jersey. It was quite beautiful but I did see some of my favorite places to sled and build tree-houses as a boy get subdivided into expensive suburban homes. I’m glad to see awareness growing now that it’s important for kids to have open space to explore.

MA: Did your parents encourage you to spend time outside?

TK: On his bed stand my father had a copy of Thoreau’s North Woods and the latest issue of Fortune magazine. He worked for a corporation in New York, but he loved being outdoors. Like him, I’m comfortable putting on a suit, but I’m ready to shed those things and go out to cut wood.

MA: You traveled to Maine with your parents when you were young. What was that like?

TK: Maine really got under my skin. We spent a lot of time at Popham Beach and Pemaquid Point, but when I was a boy of 9 or 10, my father started bringing me to Moosehead Lake. We climbed Kineo Mountain and watched log booms coming down the lake. As a boy, it was quite a feeling to spend a couple of weeks with your father listening to the wind in the pines and loons calling on the lake at night.

MA: You became a college admissions director after getting a master’s degree in social gerontology. How does one make that kind of leap?

TK: I’m still amazed that at age 25 I took such an interest in how societies deal with older people. We have a lot to learn from people in the last stage of life. I wanted to work at a college because the early years of college were so important to me. I appreciated the special type of environment you find in learning communities.

MA: College of the Atlantic (COA) seems like an especially unique learning community.  

TK: It’s a very special place. Inspired by Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring, the founders of the college settled on the theme of ‘human ecology,’ a holistic look at understanding the relationship between the natural world and human societies. It attracted some inspiring students, and made me hopeful about the next generation. Some past students are now my colleagues, each making their own contribution to a better planet.

MA: What were some of your proudest accomplishments at COA?

TK: In the late ’80s, environmental and conservation groups were taking initiative on proposed dam projects and getting support. With that came a polarizing relationship with some business interests. Wanting to find a middle ground, the COA board directed me to start Eco-Eco, an initiative that brought both sides together to look for common ground between the needs of the economy and ecology. 

MA: Did you ever find that middle ground?

TK: It wasn’t easy but we found shared values about the state of Maine—that it was important to protect water and air, and to encourage smart growth, both to protect the environment and keep down taxes. We came up with state policy recommendations for smart growth, helped form the Indoor Air Council, and worked out strategies to protect wildlife habitat while achieving development objectives.

MA: Was doing this work what motivated you to run for the Maine Legislature?

TK: Yes, when I started observing the Legislature I was startled by the attitudes of some members. We needed more people to go to bat for conservation, to work to balance a healthy environment and economy.

MA: What was it like to co-chair the Legislature’s Natural Resources Committee?

TK: Our process came from creating a learning community within the committee. If you’re dealing with vernal pools and some members are skeptical about regulation, you have to bring them to a position where they appreciate and value that resource. We’d have seminars to learn more about these things. With understanding, legislators could accept conservation proposals.

MA: It must not have always been an easy process.

TK: It’s natural for human beings to seek economic security. But certain environmental threats are also economic threats. If we’re protecting habitat and water quality along Maine’s coast, for example, we’re protecting a clammer’s livelihood, too.

MA: What kind of influence did your time in the Legislature have on you?

TK: These experiences were humbling and encouraging that common ground could be found. Good colleagues from all over the state would challenge me to justify conservation initiatives. It was an education that gave me a deeper appreciation of where people are coming from.

MA: Why did you decide to come to Maine Audubon?

TK: For many years I worked with Maine Audubon through Eco-Eco and the Legislature. It’s such a great organization. So it seemed natural to get closer to the organization. I can’t imagine a better way to get involved with Maine’s future.

MA: What future do conservationists face?

TK: The 21^st Century poses some distinct new problems. With climate change, we’ll be dealing with critical and catastrophic impacts to wildlife habitat. It’s all connected to growth management, energy consumption, emissions, and an inefficient system of transportation. But by taking steps to address climate change we will also protect clean air and water, habitat for wildlife, and even reduce and prevent the spread of invasive species.

MA: Why are you looking forward to coming to Maine Audubon?

TK: I expect it to be a wonderful adventure. Conservation issues in Maine are complex, and terribly important. When I went to the Legislature, there was so much to learn and opportunities to make a difference. I have every reason to believe that helping move Maine Audubon forward for people and wildlife will be just as stimulating.