Tom Gilliam was born in the Midwest - Fort Wayne, Indiana. When he was eight years old his family moved to the Los Angeles area.

During the late 60's he watched the L.A. Basin grow and fill with the westward migration of humanity. "The Korean truck farms were paved over and open spaces of small marshlands were filled in to support the influx of humankind into the great basin of Los Angeles," Tom comments.

He made his escape to college and in 1971 graduated from Utah State University with a drouble major in Forest Management and Outdoor Recreation. He was a park ranger in Yosemite for five seasons during and after graduating from college. Life then led him into the field of horticulture and he became an estate gardener for seven years in Pebble Beach.

Since moving to Lake County, he has been a nature photographer, store manager, landscaper, retail hardware clerk and other sundry occupations.

"My involvement with the Lake County Land Trust is the culmination of a lifetime of studying the effects of overpopulation and growth on the rural landscape. We need to identify our 'quality of life' issues and learn when to take a stand to shape and direct growth that is coming to our undeveloped natural landscape," Tom states.

"I really feel we need to love and value our environment and do what we can to protect the natural resources that make this area so special. The Lake County Land Trust has been formed to give voice and action to those who value our natural landscape and want to preserve special properties and help protect the inherent values of the original, wild Lake County region," Tom concludes.

Tom Gilliam is a Lake County resident and became a Land Trust board member in 2002.