Interview by Cakey Worthington MEM’16, MF’16
Anne (Liberti) Payeur MF’16 and Hunterr Payeur MF’16 met as students in Duke University’s Master of Forestry program at the Nicholas School of the Environment. More than a decade later, both have built careers rooted in forestry, conservation, and land stewardship—while also building a life and family together in rural New Hampshire. In this Alumni Q&A, they reflect on how their paths evolved after Duke, what’s changing in the forestry and conservation fields, and what advice they’d offer today’s students.
Tell us a little about what you’ve been doing since graduating from Duke.
Hunterr: Right out of school, I took a forestry technician position with American Forest Management in Danville, Virginia. Working in the South as a young forester taught me a lot—especially how to communicate and build trust when you’re working with loggers and landowners in rural settings. After about a year and a half, Anne and I wanted to return to the Northeast, so I joined New England Forestry Consultants, where I still work today.
I started as a forest technician, became a licensed forester in New Hampshire, and then took an unexpected turn into land surveying. I worked closely with a forester who was also a licensed land surveyor, studied at night, and earned my surveying license. Today, about 80 percent of my work focuses on land surveying—primarily for large rural conservation projects and forest landowners. I now run my own regional center within the company, hired an employee about a year and a half ago, and currently serve as treasurer and on the board of directors.
Anne: My path has been less direct—and never exclusively forestry—which is kind of the funny part. After graduating and moving to Virginia, I worked with Virginia State Parks as a natural resource assistant, doing a little bit of everything: trail work, AmeriCorps crews, equipment operation, and even helping with timber sales.
When we moved to New Hampshire, I joined the Lakes Region Conservation Trust as an administrative coordinator. I started in an administrative role but gradually moved into stewardship work, communications, GIS mapping, and interpretive signage—creating trail maps and kiosks that helped people connect with conserved lands. That experience led me into conservation easement work and eventually to a stewardship manager role at Ausbon Sargent Land Preservation Trust, where I spent five years building and growing their stewardship program.
Be open to starting in unexpected roles. Getting your foot in the door and staying curious can lead to opportunities you never anticipated.
Anne Payeur MF’16
How did the Nicholas School prepare you for your work?
Anne: The Nicholas School really prepared us to be good communicators. Forestry and conservation can surprise people because you go in thinking you’ll be outside in the woods—but you’re actually entering a people profession. I’ve spent a lot of time explaining that conservation easements don’t necessarily mean “no harvesting,” and that forest management can improve long‑term forest health, resilience, and wildlife habitat.
Classes focused on environmental education and interpretation—especially with Nikki Cagle—came back in a real way through signage, trail materials, and community outreach.
Hunterr: Duke also gave us a strong big‑picture perspective. Consulting is about more than technical forestry—it’s relationships, project management, invoicing, tracking performance, and understanding how a business works. Having that foundation helped me step into leadership and management roles later on.
What changes are you seeing in the forestry and conservation fields?
Hunterr: Market volatility has increased significantly, especially since COVID. Another big shift is land ownership—fewer multigenerational family landowners and more new landowners moving in from elsewhere. That changes how people engage with forest management and how long they stay connected to one forester.
Duke … gave us a strong big‑picture perspective. Consulting is about more than technical forestry—it’s relationships, project management, invoicing, tracking performance, and understanding how a business works.
Hunterr Payeur MF’16
Forest health challenges are also growing: beech leaf disease, emerald ash borer, hemlock woolly adelgid, and more. Managing forests now requires even more adaptability.
Anne: In the land trust world, many conservation easements were created decades ago, and now a new generation of landowners is inheriting them. That brings new stewardship challenges and a need for stronger education and engagement.
COVID also dramatically increased trail use. Small community trails saw much heavier traffic, which brought erosion, maintenance challenges, and sometimes unexpected stewardship moments—like wildlife interactions that required quick problem‑solving.
What advice would you give to current students and early‑career professionals?
Hunterr: Get experience across different sectors—consulting, government, nonprofit—because each one operates very differently. And don’t pigeonhole yourself. Learning beyond your job description is how I discovered land surveying, which became one of the best professional decisions I’ve made.
Anne: Land trusts are small but mighty, and they’re a great place to learn many sides of conservation work. Be open to starting in unexpected roles. Getting your foot in the door and staying curious can lead to opportunities you never anticipated.
