Brian Bourdages
Farmland Protection Specialist
Born and raised in Southwest Michigan where he first cultivated his love of our state’s woods and water, Brian received a bachelor’s degree in Philosophy from Western Michigan University. After eight years in Colorado working with at-risk youth, Brian returned to Michigan and worked for several years as a Land Protection Specialist with the Leelanau Conservancy. Now focusing on farmland protection, Brian says “I’m constantly amazed at the intimate knowledge and connection that our area farmers have with their property, much of which has remained in the same family for generations. It’s an honor to work with those farmers and farm families that want to utilize various farmland protection methods to ensure our globally unique farmland remains valuable for farming in the future.” He currently serves as a board member of the City of Traverse City and Township of Garfield Joint Recreation Authority. He is an avid fly fisherman and enjoys rock climbing, mountain biking, playing guitar and – most of all – spending time with his wonderful sons, Joe and Elliot.
