Mother’s Day is right around the corner, and we thought it fitting to talk to a mom who is also a caretaker of some of Massachusetts’s (and Mother Nature’s) most special places.

Barbara J. Erickson is the president of the 121-year-old nonprofit Trustees of Reservations, which preserves and cares for properties of “exceptional scenic, historic, and ecological value” in Massachusetts. Erickson also has two young kids. She recently shared some thoughts with us about her philosophy.

“When children learn to experience and appreciate nature, history, and the great outdoors, it nurtures a lifelong love for the places that sustain us—and getting kids outdoors today means they will be inspired to speak up for the future of our special places,” said Erickson.

She speaks from experience. Her love for the outdoors and appreciation for conservation were fostered as a child while growing up in Wyoming, where she went on frequent hiking and camping trips with her family. Today, in her role at The Trustees, she can pass that love along to other families, as well as her own.

“As a mom with two young children, and as president and CEO of the state’s largest conservation organization, I get outdoors with my kids every chance I can to explore and enjoy the many wonderful open spaces and cultural treasures that The Trustees care for,” said Erickson.

“Our society, especially our young people, are suffering from nature-deficit disorder, so we must find fun ways to unplug from technology and plug into the outdoors, our collective heritage, and our communities,” she added. “We have so many wonderful opportunities for parents (or grandparents) and kids to explore the Commonwealth together.”

Below are some ideas from Erickson to help get you inspired:

• visiting animals at a local farm like Weir River Farm in Hingham
• volunteering as a family to plant seeds at Moose Hill Farm in Sharon
• learning about our state’s role in history at the Old Manse in Concord
• walking the trails at World’s End on a beautiful day to take in views of Boston

I’ll add one more her list: a great gift for your mom (or yourself) is a membership to the Trustees, which includes free or discounted admission to every Trustees reservation, special programs and events, plus a year’s subscription to the quarterly member magazine and the invaluable 200-page guidebook to the more than 100 reservations across the state.