Native Plant Trust, the nation’s first plant conservation organization dedicated exclusively to native plants, is pleased to announce the election of David Martland as chair of its board of trustees. David brings with him an expertise in nonprofit leadership, having served as the board chair for Historic New England from 2016–2022, and a background in historic preservation, philanthropy, and fundraising. David’s election as board chair marks an era of growth and expansion as the organization recently celebrated its 125th year with accomplishments including adding the 10-millionth seed to its rare seed bank, raising record-breaking funds for the organization, and launching Restoration Accelerator™, which provides seed-processing services and climate-controlled storage space for native plant growers who need to clean and store large quantities of seed.
“We are starting the year on a high note,” says Tim Johnson, Native Plant Trust CEO, “With last year’s visitation at Garden in the Woods and member engagement at an all time high, we are eager to keep the momentum going. I have no doubt that David will help us build on this success. It has been a pleasure working with him over the past two years on the board and getting to know him as a person, leader, and gardener. He has a deserved reputation among his fellow board members as a motivator of action, a passionate advocate for native plants, and an effective connector. With David’s leadership, an exceptional board, and talented staff, Native Plant Trust is well positioned for growth at a time when our mission is as critical as ever.”
David has served on Native Plant Trust’s Board of Trustees since 2023, including as co-chair for the organization’s 125th Anniversary Gala in 2025, along with trustees Sharon Malt and Zibby Pyle. His leadership participation helped the organization collectively raise $530,000 toward its mission of conserving and promoting native plants in the region.
“David is exceptionally insightful,” says the previous board chair, Bill Huyett. “In his time as a trustee and as gala co-chair, David has demonstrated how to effectively communicate why native plants matter, our stature as an organization, and how to connect people with their areas of interest. The world needs more of what we do, and David is the right person to help us deliver that.”
Prior to joining the Native Plant Trust Board of Trustees, David spent many years engaging with the organization as a plant shopper and visitor to Garden in the Woods, Native Plant Trust’s botanic garden in Framingham, MA, with his family. David has also been closely involved with a number of other nonprofit and historical preservation organizations over the years. He served as chair of the board of Historic New England for six years (2016-2022) for which he is now a trustee emeritus. He is also a trustee emeritus of the Glessner House Museum in Chicago (H.H. Richardson’s best known house) and a trustee of the Connick Foundation, which is dedicated to preserving and promoting interest in American stained glass.
“I was very lucky to serve on the Native Plant Trust board under the leadership of Bill Huyett,” says David. “Bill was a truly transformative leader and I am thrilled that he will be staying on as an active member of the board. I am also eagerly looking forward to working with the other board members, the council, and the exceptional Native Plant Trust staff. I am excited to collaborate with this team of people who share the same passions, to achieve Native Plant Trust’s critical mission.”
Prior to his retirement in 2025, David was a partner in the law firm of Nixon Peabody, LLP, where he headed the firm’s corporate transactional practice from 2009 to early 2019. David was recognized by a variety of third party organizations as one of the leading transactional attorneys in the United States.
Please visit www.NativePlantTrust.org for more information on its work to conserve native plants.
ABOUT NATIVE PLANT TRUST For over a century, Native Plant Trust has been leading the movement to conserve native plants in the wild and use them in designed spaces. We do this to increase the beauty and resilience of New England and the planet. From our base in Massachusetts, staff and trained volunteers work throughout New England each year to monitor and protect rare and endangered plants, collect and preserve seeds to ensure biological diversity, detect and control invasive species, conduct research, and offer a range of educational programs. We welcome visitors from all over the world to Garden in the Woods, our renowned native plant botanic garden in Framingham, MA. We also operate a nursery at Nasami Farm in western Massachusetts and manage six sanctuaries in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont that are open to the public. Please visit www.NativePlantTrust.org.