HCT’s Tom Evans named Outstanding Volunteer by Philanthropy Partners of the Cape & Islands

Tom Evans, President of the Harwich Conservation Trust (HCT) Board of Trustees, is the recipient of the 2025 Outstanding Volunteer of the Year Award, presented by Philanthropy Partners of the Cape & Islands (PPCI). He will be honored during the 28th Annual Cape Cod Philanthropy Day conference on November 19th at the Emerald Resort in Hyannis.

According to a Philanthropy Partners news release, “As President of the Harwich Conservation Trust Board of Trustees, Tom Evans has helped lead transformative conservation and historic preservation projects. A key figure behind the award-winning Cold Brook Eco-Restoration Project, he continues to champion efforts in affordable housing, land protection, and public education through decades of dedicated volunteer service.”

The annual awards event brings together hundreds of nonprofit professionals, board members, volunteers, and donors from across the Cape and Islands. Each year, PPCI honors outstanding individuals and organizations in four categories: Philanthropist, Business/Organization, Volunteer, and Youth.

“This year’s honorees reflect the evolving spirit of philanthropy on Cape Cod—innovative, community-focused, and deeply committed,” said Cyndy Cotton, Board President of PPCI. “As we mark the 28th Philanthropy Day, we celebrate their lasting impact and the inspiration they provide to the next generation of changemakers.”

At the center of HCT’s success

Evans, who has served as HCT’s Board of Trustees President since 2015, was instrumental in the success of HCT’s recently-completed Cold Brook Eco-Restoration Project, where retired cranberry bogs were transformed into a wildlife oasis. The effort included the rewilding of wetland and stream habitats and an enhanced visitor experience that includes a half-mile wheelchair accessible All Persons Trail.

Thanks in no small part to Evans’ efforts, the Cold Brook project won two major statewide awards this spring, including the Conservation Excellence Award from the Massachusetts Land Trust Coalition and the 2025 Grand Conceptor Award, presented to project partners by the American Council of Engineering Companies of Massachusetts.

Evans has lived in Harwich for decades, and is well-known to Cape Codders for his longtime role as head of school at Cape Cod Academy in Osterville, which grew to prominence under his leadership. He has also served on the Cape Cod 5 Board of Trustees and the Board of Directors for the Cape Cod Foundation, giving back to the community he loves.

Evans has also collaborated with the Harwich Fire Association on the historic preservation of the town’s first firehouse next to the Cold Brook Preserve that includes the creation of affordable housing. He volunteered hundreds of hours during the years of project meetings that led to the transformation and preservation of this beautiful building in the heart of Harwich Port.

A champion of conservation

“Tom has the highest integrity and leads by example with a natural ability to connect with people. I can see how his inclusive manner and diplomatic approach to problem solving landed him leadership roles at Cape Cod Academy and the Board of the Cape Cod Five,” said Michael Lach, HCT Executive Director.

“In his decade as President of the Harwich Conservation Trust Board of Trustees, I’m grateful that he not only champions protection of our fragile Cape Cod environment, but also advocates for partnerships to advance affordable housing and historic preservation,” said Lach. “The Cape is a better place because of Tom.”

Evans has led nearly 100 tours of the Robert F. Smith Cold Brook Preserve since the completion of the eco-restoration project, introducing hundreds of members of the public to the range of community benefits that resulted from the rewilding effort.

He is also a constant guiding force at HCT’s soon to be completed Hinckleys Pond Herring River Headwaters Eco-Restoration Project, which includes the rewilding of two retired cranberry bogs that bookend Hinckleys Pond at the headwaters of the Herring River estuary.

Whether chairing a meeting or out in the field, Tom brings an inquisitive mind, good cheer and a wealth of experience to everything he does. His generosity as a volunteer has added immeasurably to HCT’s success.

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