Emily Leach | UP conservation | Wintergreen Guiding Presents #12

Emily Leach is the Executive Director of the Upper Peninsula Land Conservancy. The Upper Peninsula Land Conservancy promotes healthy ecosystems and communities by providing permanent legal protection and ecological management of conservation lands and by engaging the public in the protection and enjoyment of these lands. Emily attended Northern Michigan University, where she earned degrees in Environmental Studies and Sustainability and Native American Studies. Before becoming Executive Director of the Upper Peninsula Land Conservancy in 2025, she worked with the Superior Watershed Partnership and served as Marquette County’s Senior Planner, focusing on community planning, climate adaptation, and regional collaboration.

In this conversation we talk about land conservation, the importance of protecting land in the UP, and the work involved in keeping these landscapes intact for future generations.

Upper Peninsula Land Conservancy: https://www.uplandconservancy.org/