ATHOL – Dave Small, best known as president of the Athol Bird & Nature Club, has been chosen as the new director of conservation for the Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust.

Small is approaching the age of 74, and less than a year ago underwent open heart surgery. Asked why, when faced with a situation where many would slow down, he decided to take on this role, he said part of his motivation lies with the fact his grandchildren are now busy sixth-graders and he is spending less time with them.

“They were born right before I retired, so they’re 12 now, and they’re busy,” said Small, who will remain with the ABNC. “I’ve been involved with this organization for decades and appreciate the work that gets done here.

“There was an opening for someone to work on acquiring more land, and I liked the logistics of it and the challenge – working with people. I’ve been meeting some great people who want to do the best for their property and it’s my responsibility to figure out how best to accommodate their wishes, the wildlife and the community in general. It’s just a very positive thing for me to be doing. The opportunity came up, so I just threw my hat in the ring.”

According to Small, he has been following Mt. Grace since it launched its first project in 1983 – the purchase of the 365-acre Lawton Tree Farm, which had been targeted by a Leominster developer for subdivision into around 200 house lots. It has since become part of Lawton State Forest. He added that he has served on Mt. Grace’s Land Committee for close to 18 years.

“So, I’m very familiar with the group,” said Small.

As conservation director, Small will lead the team that oversees land acquisitions and conservation restrictions. Mt. Grace is involved in land preservation across the state, from Ashby in the east to Leyden in the west.

“We cover a big area of the northern tier of Massachusetts,” said Small. “Basically, we serve areas north of Route 2 along that northern strip. I’ve been involved with these conservation efforts for decades.

“I haven’t served in this role. The learning curve is pretty steep, learning about all the legal issues and, of course, all the funding issues and how to parley all of these different ideas into attracting money from diverse sources, working with the state agencies and working with private foundations to fund various projects in the area. It’s really quite fun.”

He said Mt. Grace is currently in talks with several landowners – also called deedholders – about projects that are in the works right now.

“It’s really very interesting to try to sort things and figure out the intricacies,” he added. “The families that are holding the land now – what is their future, what do they want out all this, what do they want for their offspring, their grandchildren? We look at the complete picture and try to match the families with the right funding sources and the right agencies that might do the best thing for them.”

Small said he is currently working on two projects, in Athol and Orange, with the help of two full-time staffers and one part-timer.

“As president of the Athol Bird and Nature Club and director of the Millers River Environmental Center,” said a release from Mt. Grace, “Dave shares his expertise through workshops, lectures and field trips across New England. His volunteer work includes contributions to organizations like the MA Natural Heritage Advisory Committee, The Millers River Watershed Council, and the National Moth Week Science Advisory Board.”

Small retired in 2013 after 35 years with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, where he served as assistant regional director at the DCR Quabbin Reservoir. He currently serves as chair of Athol’s Board of Planning and Community Development. He is also a member of the Open Space and Recreation Commission and the Conservation Commission.

Greg Vine can be reached at gvineadn@gmail.com.