Will Abberger

Will is Director of The Trust for Public Land’s national Conservation Finance Program, helping state and local governments and citizen groups throughout the United States gauge public support for conservation and craft ballot and legislative measures that generate new sources of funding for parks and land conservation. In 2013-2014, Will led the campaign to qualify for the ballot via the initiative petition process and win voter approval for the Florida Water Land Conservation Amendment, the largest state conservation land ballot measure in history. He has been directly involved in more than 100 successful local and state land conservation ballot measures and numerous legislative campaigns. In his 31 years with the Trust for Public Land, Will’s responsibilities have also included serving as associate director for Conservation Finance in the eastern United States, directing Florida Programs for the Florida Office, directing the Conservation Services program for TPL’s nine-state Southeast Region, and directing TPL’s Southeast Land Trust program.

Before coming to The Trust for Public Land, he served as Associate with World Wildlife Fund’s Successful Communities Program in Washington, D.C.; Field Representative for the Successful Communities Program in Florida, in partnership with 1000 Friends of Florida; and Senior Cabinet Aide for environmental affairs in the Florida Treasurer’s office. He is also a former employee of the natural resources unit of the Florida Governor’s Office of Planning and Budgeting.

Will received a Master’s degree in Urban and Environmental Planning from the University of Virginia, School of Architecture, where he worked for the University’s Institute for Environmental Negotiation, and a B.A. in English from Davidson College.