A Statement from the Chairperson (Dr. Judith Gobin), Members of the Board of Management of the Asa Wright Nature Centre (AWNC) and Mr. Ian Lambie (past President/CEO of the AWNC).
Mr. Phil Schaeffer left this earth on the 16th April 2025. The Asa Wright Nature Centre (AWNC) is indebted to Phil who played a major role in our history, as did his wife Margaret.
When the Springhill Estate was purchased from Mrs. Asa Wright in 1967, the Asa Wright Nature Centre Trust (site of the ecolodge) was established. As the ecolodge grew, the AWNC Boad decided to appoint a booking agent in the USA to facilitate timely bookings from prospective guests. In 1984, Connecticut Travel, and specifically Mrs. Margaret Schaeffer, was selected as the replacement for the original booking agent. At that time her husband Phil was the Manager of the National Audubon Center in Connecticut.
Some years later, Phil and Margaret established Caligo Ventures which became the sole US booking agent for the AWNC. An affable couple, Phil and Margaret brought with them many years of relevant experience; as AWNC President Emeritus Mr. Ian Lambie says, “a better team could not have been selected”!
The services of Caligo Ventures far exceeded those provided by the previous agent. These included advertisements and promotion of the Nature Centre and ecolodge, seminars and lectures to birding and natural history organisations in the USA etc. Phil also identified and organised training opportunities, mainly through internships at Nature Centres in the USA, for the AWNC Guides/Interpreters in the off-season. Phil was also instrumental in identifying and successfully recruiting suitable professionals and nature centre management practitioners to fill vacancies (reserved for non-resident members) on the AWNC Board.
Under this agreement, which was mutually beneficial to both the AWNC and Caligo, the AWNC thrived. The increase in guest arrivals and the concomitant increase in revenue permitted the AWNC to embark on a previously unprecedented increase in the number of its guest rooms from 8 to 25! At the same time, it enabled the AWNC to purchase other hillside lands in the Northern Range, increasing the conservation area under the AWNC’s protection, fulfilling one of the key objectives of the Trust!
After Phil and Margaret retired from Caligo Ventures some years ago, Phil accepted his nomination to the Board of Management of the AWNC and made a sterling contribution to the Trust in that capacity. He served in later years as the Vice Chairperson of the Board until 2021, following the closure of the AWNC’s ecolodge business during the Covid-19 pandemic; when he demitted office. Phil was also the prime mover in the establishment of a charitable foundation, The Friends of Asa Wright United States (FOAWUS), in Florida. This organisation, which survives his death, will stand as his enduring contribution to the AWNC.
The AWNC recognises the major contribution, dedication and hard work by Phil and Margaret and Caligo Ventures. For this we are extremely grateful.
Thank you, Phil!
TRIBUTES BY INDIVIDUAL BOARD MEMBERS:
I remember Phil, very fondly, as being extremely supportive of me as Chair, AWNC. He was honest and had a genuine love for all that is AWNC. I will miss sharing very cold Caribs on the verandah with Phil as we discussed AWNC matters.
∼ Judi Gobin
Phil’s contribution to the Trust was as great as his love for the Asa Wright Nature Centre. He helped navigate the Trust through difficult financial periods including the recent Covid-19 pandemic. His fundraising efforts to support the work of the Trust were unparalleled.
∼ Marina Narinesingh
What to say about Phil? I was present when he and Margaret were enlisted as the AWNC travel agents. They were incredibly organised and passionate about the Centre. He helped in sponsoring all types of trips for guests and allowed us to grow and grow. He did this with charm and humour. Something we sometimes forget is to remember to laugh even at our worst moments. He was kind and transitioned onto the Board of Management in a seamless fashion. I will miss our chats, his well thought out views of conservation, politics and honour. His best line to me was, “Don’t sweat the small stuff”. A very useful comment to a fellow who works with the smallest of creatures and can be very obsessive. Thank you, Phil and Margaret for your love and caring. The world has lost a champion for right and good.
∼ Ray Mendez
Phil was not just a fellow conservationist and activist, but also a dear friend and colleague. He was a true champion of our natural world and the Asa Wright Nature Centre. He understood the beauty and fragility of nature, and this passion fueled his tireless efforts to protect Asa Wright Nature Centre, the wildlife found throughout the Arima Valley, and wild places elsewhere in the world. He devoted his life to advocating for conservation, working with the National Audubon Society, and raising awareness by promoting ecotourism. Many of my fond memories of Asa Wright Nature Centre are the picturesque evenings on the veranda of the Springhill Estate, having wonderful conversations with Phil, and hearing about his work and hopes for the future. His absence leaves a void in our lives, but his memory will always be cherished.
∼ David A. Oehler
I had been working as an independent building contractor when I was asked if I was available to supervise a project at the Asa Wright Nature Centre. While the project for which I had retained never got started, I was asked to stay on, managing AWNC’s buildings and infrastructure. With pleasure I stayed and worked there for ten years, becoming friends with AWNC Board Members who came to Springhill each AGM – and who I finally was honoured by being asked to join! After both Phil and I had retired and Covid closed our beloved Spring Hill, Phil and I stayed in touch via Facebook. Earlier this year, when he would have been ill without telling us, he sent me a photo he had taken of me, sitting with my back against a tree Carib Beer in hand, on one of our outings! So Thank You, Phil, I know that your Spirit still floats through our forests!
∼ Peter O’Connor
Phil’s warmth, kindness and generosity with time was so profoundly felt that I often forget that we never met in person over the 5 years I knew him, all of our interactions were virtually through Zoom calls, emails and iMessages. I never had any doubt that Phil cared deeply, and I appreciated that he was solution driven but what I truly loved most about him was that he could find levity in the most serious and even boring discussions! When I think of Phil, it’s of him cracking a subtle joke and making me chuckle all the way across the Caribbean Sea.
∼ Analissa Rasheed