If nature is our teacher, then the Hughes family are star students. Jeff and his wife Karen loved the East End’s natural playground as children. They raised their own kids swimming, crabbing, fishing, and canoeing around the saltmarshes of their spectacular bayfront property. They all enjoy spotting osprey, crabs, turtles, raccoons, piping plover—and even the humble muskrat!
The Hughes turned their passion into practice, helping The Nature Conservancy to protect the 2,039-acre Mashomack Preserve on Shelter Island. In 2000 Jeff joined the Long Island Chapter’s board of trustees, and he’s served as chairman for the past eight years.
Passing along their enthusiasm to the next generation, Jeff and Karen made their children, Andrew and Alexandra, lifetime members of The Nature Conservancy. Jeff advises, “Start educating your children at a young age about how important the environment is. If you create that same sense of caring in them, then a lot more people will be engaged in helping to protect the natural world.”
Find out what's happening in East Hamptonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
It seems to be working: Andrew is a security analyst covering the global solar and clean tech industries; Alexandra chairs the Junior Committee of the Beaches and Bays Gala.
Want to get your own family on board? Contact The Nature Conservancy on Long Island at 631-329-7689.
