Promoting the benefits of nature-based solutions through community initiatives.
About CGE
Our vision
We all exist on common ground: the earth. It is that simple.
Our vision is a CGE community that unites people from different backgrounds who have the common goal of a better earth for everyone. We strive to advance best practices for nature-based approaches through applied field research and public outreach.
A native meadow exemplifies a core tenet of Common Ground Earth: diversity. We understand diversity is essential for a healthier community as well as a healthier earth. Just as plant diversity in a native meadow results in better health of the earth, CGE encourages diverse people, industries, perspectives, and expertise to be involved in our mission.
Common Ground Earth is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization driven to promote community initiatives and research for our planet's health and future. We focus on researching and implementing native meadows and other nature-based solutions in stormwater management, sustainable landscaping, and agricultural applications. We invite you to reach out to us with your own ideas for sustainability and together we can promote solutions for a healthier planet.
Our Founder
Mark Magness
From his first part time work in the mid-1980's in lawn care and
landscaping as well as the occasional stints as a farm hand through
High School, Mark Magness has spent his entire career working in
and with nature. During his undergraduate years, Mark spent
summers working in golf course management and later was an
intern/laboratory technician in a U.S. Army Environmental Toxicology
laboratory studying environmental impacts of explosives. His interests
in soil science and the environment were further sparked by his time
completing his Bachelor of Science at Delaware Valley University, where
Mark shifted his focus to Soil Science and research. He continued with graduate
research studies in soil science, wetlands, and remediation of acid mine drainage in constructed wetlands at University of Maryland College Park, earning a Masters of Science (M.S.). Mark's professional career has spanned nearly 30 years and has encompassed implementing ecological restoration throughout the Mid-Atlantic area and leading large scale environmental and ecological investigations and restoration projects at military facilities throughout the United States.
The Connector
Sam Voss
As an Environmental Scientist for over 22 years, Sam has
extensive experience in stream assessment, terrestrial and aquatic
habitat evaluations and monitoring, wildlife studies, ecological
restoration, and land conservation. Growing up on a farm in Harford
County, Maryland, Sam took an interest in the outdoors and wildlife at
an early age. He followed those interests through high school and into
college, volunteering during summers to monitor raptor nesting
and habitat usage in Idaho, Texas, and Wyoming while pursuing a
Bachelor degree in Environmental Studies at Washington College.
For over a decade, Sam helped lead large scale environmental remediation activities throughout the east coast in support of Army Corps of Engineers, NOAA, and EPA projects. More recently, Sam has concentrated on wildlife studies and environmental restoration and conservation work. Much of his summer is spent in Wyoming conducting environmental assessments in support of energy exploration and development, and avian migration studies on the coast of Texas in the fall. Locally, Sam works with landowners interested in environmental restoration, wildlife habitat creation, agricultural improvements, and land preservation.
Our Native Plant Translator
Cara Mattlin
Cara is a horticulturalist and ISA Arborist who is experienced in
cultivating and leading operations teams to build healthy ecosystems. She
has more than 8 years' experience managing native nurseries and
overseeing the propagation, growth, and sales of millions of native plants.
She collaborates with designers and agencies to create planting plans to
build habitats that will not merely pass inspection or meet permitting
standards, but that will thrive. Cara is passionate about building teams who
are enthusiastic about environmental work and engages in educational
opportunities whenever she can.
Whether it's teaching communities the importance of using native plants
as keystones in their environment or landscape, or writing maintenance plans
that are easily transferable to a landscaping crew, Cara enjoys being in the field sharing knowledge. As part of the CGE team, Cara will foster relationships by managing projects; writing grants; and connecting with landowners, agencies, and organizations to collaborate for our common goals. Her expertise in plants and operations will come in handy to make sure all projects are executed seamlessly and to the highest standard. She performs grant, project, and construction management, with strengths in proposal
development, grant authorship, cost estimating, risk assessment, scheduling, budget
planning, resource coordination, stakeholder collaboration, regulatory engagement, and technical review.
The Visual Communicator
Sean Coomes
Sean got involved in the visual communications of CGE not long
after its inception. He loves the challenge of communicating
scientific data from growing meadows by turning it into visually
appealing, easy to understand graphics. Working closely with the
field teams of CGE has enhanced his connection to people who want
to learn more about sustaining their environments.
Sean's passion for the arts led him to the Art Institute of
Philadelphia where he earned a degree in Visual Communications.
He has worked with many companies through the years with a focus on
collaborative solutions to create the branding/marketing needed to give
them the identity they are looking for. Sean says the largest reward in
this line of work is being able to visually communicate branding and marketing strategies that accurately convey an organization's message.
