A native and current resident of New Auburn, LaBonté attended St. Dominic High School and graduated from the University of Maine in 2002 with a bachelor of science degree in chemical engineering. After several years working as a consultant engineer in the Boston area, he returned to the University of Maine for graduate research in public policy and administration and accepted a job with the Maine Turnpike Authority in transportation planning and policy.

In 2008, following several years’ service as president of the board of directors of Androscoggin Land Trust, LaBonté was appointed executive director of the organization. In this role, he has focused on forging municipal and land trust partnerships to support downtown redevelopment and protect the natural character of the watershed in towns such as Lisbon and Livermore Falls.

He has also fostered collaboration between Turner, Leeds, Greene and Lewiston-Auburn toward the establishment of the soon-to-open Androscoggin Riverlands State Park.

The Androscoggin Land Trust was founded in 1989. Its initial conservation effort was the protection of what is now the Androscoggin Riverlands. The group conserves and manages more than 3,600 acres of land and over nine miles of Androscoggin River frontage along a corridor from Canton through Lisbon, including such sites as Stevens Island and Rivershore in Canton, Hooper Pond in Greene, Sherwood Forest and Huston Farm in New Auburn, and the Packard-Littlefield Farm in Lisbon.

In addition, the organization offers several programs that allow the public to experience the natural world in the Androscoggin River watershed, including LA Trails, the Chief Worumbo Androscoggin River Race and the Great Falls Paddling Society.

The opportunities available along the Androscoggin River are surprising to many, said LaBonté, given its lingering reputation as Maine’s most polluted river.

Currently an Androscoggin County commissioner, LaBonté was named by MaineBiz to its 2009 Next List of people shaping the future of Maine’s economy. He will take questions from the audience following his talk.

Admission to the forum is free. Attendees are invited to bring brown-bag lunches or to take advantage of the forum’s partnership with Guthrie’s cafe and request one of the eatery’s sandwiches or salads to be delivered to the library in advance of the talk. Orders may be placed by calling Guthrie’s at 376-3344. The menu is available at www.myspace.com/guthriesplace. Bottled water will be available at the library.

The Lewiston Public Library is at 200 Lisbon St., at the corner of Pine Street. More information on Thursday’s lecture or other upcoming events in the Great Falls Forum series is available by contacting the Lewiston Public Library at 513-3135 or www.LPLonline.org.