About the Project

In 2021, SELT embarked on a journey to better understand the full history of the lands we conserve and steward. Committed to reexamining the history of SELT lands through the lens of racial history, we launched a research project that began with an open call for volunteers with an interest in historical research. These volunteers were passionate about uncovering the history of SELT lands and aimed not only to understand the land’s history more deeply but also to bring greater social awareness to SELT’s conservation work.

Working under the umbrella of the Atlantic Black Box Project, a public history initiative that empowers New England communities to research and confront our region’s complicity in the slave trade, SELT formed a Community Research Group (also known as The Conservation Chronicle). This group focused on researching the histories of enslaved and Indigenous people and their connections to the lands we conserve towards the goal of uncovering the comprehensive story of these lands that blends the past, the present, and the future into an honest and historically accurate narrative.

The volunteers did extensive research, poring over historical deeds and probate records to unearth connections between Black and Indigenous individuals and the land. Their dedication and passion have been central to this project, and we recognize that without their hard work, we wouldn’t have come this far.

As the research progressed, it became clear that we needed the expertise of an experienced researcher to help us take the leads identified by our volunteers and follow them further and in January of 2025 we hired Reuben Downey. Reuben is not only diving deeper into the historical connections our volunteers uncovered but also helping SELT understand how to present and interpret this complex information. With Reuben's support, we are beginning to bring the full story of these lands to light, honoring both the people who once lived on them and the land itself. We are deeply grateful for our volunteers and the invaluable contributions they’ve made, and we look forward to sharing our findings and continuing this important work together.

SELT's conserved lands are located on N’dakinna, which is the traditional ancestral homeland of the Abenaki, Pennacook and Wabanaki Peoples past and present. We acknowledge and honor with gratitude the land and waterways and the alnobak (people) who have stewarded N’dakinna throughout the generations.