Matt Schultz will be joining Pocono Heritage Land Trust as its new stewardship manager. Schultz grew up in southwestern Pennsylvania. After graduating college, he worked as a wildlife biologist throughout the Midwest, a land steward in Michigan, and a restoration ecologist in Oregon. Returning to the Keystone State, he is excited to explore, document, and protect the read more
Conservation People
Lancaster Farmland Trust Appoints New COO, Director of Land Protection
Lancaster Farmland Trust is pleased to announce the promotion of Jeff Swinehart to chief operating officer, effective January 1, 2019. The promotion is part of a strategic transition in responsibilities and leadership of the organization over the next few years. In his 18-year tenure at Lancaster Farmland Trust, Swinehart has held several positions, most recently serving as read more
PEC Welcomes New Watersheds Program Manager
The Pennsylvania Environmental Council (PEC) is proud to welcome Tali MacArthur as the newest member of our watersheds team. A veteran program manager with deep experience in environmental and conservation fields, MacArthur will assume a leadership role in PEC’s sister entity, the Pennsylvania Organization for Watersheds and Rivers (POWR), advancing its mission of education and read more
Karen Lutz Announces Retirement
It’s the end of an impressive era. Karen Lutz, longtime Mid-Atlantic regional director for the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, is retiring after a storied career full of success and hard work. Lutz received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Partnership for the National Trail System in October. Lutz brought numerous improvements to the trail and the management read more
Swinehart Elected to Terrafirma Members Committee
Jeff Swinehart, deputy director of Lancaster Farmland Trust, has been elected to serve on the Terrafirma Risk Retention Group Members' Committee. Swinehart will serve as the representative for land trusts in the Mid-Atlantic region, which includes Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia. The Land Trust Alliance created Terrafirma as a read more
Natural Lands Names New President
Natural Lands has announced that effective January 1, 2019, Oliver Bass will become its next president. Bass, currently vice president of communications and engagement, succeeds Molly Morrison, who will retire at the end of the year after a 14-year tenure in the role. “We undertook a rigorous, six-month, national search and selection process managed by the Boston-based firm read more
Keystone 10 Million Trees Partnership Names New Manager
The Keystone 10 Million Trees Partnership has named Brenda Sieglitz as its first manager effective November 26. The Partnership is a statewide coalition dedicated to restoring the health of Pennsylvania's waterways by planting trees. Several Pennsylvania land trusts, such as ClearWater Conservancy, Manada Conservancy, and North Branch Land Trusts, are partners. Other partners read more
PFBC Names Tim Schaeffer Executive Director
During a special meeting on October 18, the Fish and Boat Commission Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to appoint Tim Schaeffer to the role of executive director. Schaeffer will assume his duties beginning November 13. “I’m extremely honored and grateful to the board of commissioners for the opportunity to lead such a great agency,” said Schaeffer. “I’m excited to get read more
Natural Lands Announces New Board Member
On October 9, Natural Lands announced the addition of Drew VandenBrul to its board of trustees. VandenBrul is managing director with Grant Thornton LLP, an independent audit, tax, and advisory firm. He specializes in providing state and local tax consulting, compliance, and transaction planning across a variety of industries. He also serves as an adjunct professor in the read more
LCC Announces New Director of Marketing and Development
The Lancaster County Conservancy (LCC) announced that Fritz Schroeder will step into the role of director of marketing and development. Schroeder brings many strengths to the table, some of which are a deep connection to the Lancaster community, a passion for all things nature, and a strong commitment to clean water. Previously, Schroeder was LCC's director of urban greening, read more
Delaware Highlands Conservancy Welcomes New Staff Member
Delaware Highlands Conservancy (DHC) has hired Trey Talley as its new land protection associate. Talley joins DHC from North Carolina after recently completing an AmeriCorps position at the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy as its land protection and education associate. He will be assisting DHC with all of its land protection projects, including serving as the primary read more
French and Pickering Names Bill Gladden Executive Director
Bill Gladden will join French & Pickering Creeks Conservation Trust as Executive Director on August 1. With more than 30 years of experience in land use, preservation, and management in the public and private sector, Gladden brings a wealth of experience to this role. He has been director of the Department of Open Space Preservation for Chester County since 2004, leading read more
DCNR Names New District Forester
On June 26, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn announced the appointment of Jason Hall as district forester of the Buchanan State Forest District, based in Fulton County. “Interwoven in Jason’s 18 years of service with the bureau is a rich blend of managerial talents that saw him shine, regardless of the post,” Dunn said. “His command read more
In Memoriam: Ilse Morning
Ilse Morning passed away peacefully at Lehigh Center, Trexlertown, on May 29, 2018. She had just celebrated her 91st birthday. Ilse was a director emeritus of Berks Nature (formerly the Berks Conservancy), a director of the Pine Creek Valley Watershed Association and a trustee of the William B. Butz Memorial Fund. She enjoyed visiting foreign countries and learning about read more
Shultzabarger Appointed as State Forester
A veteran of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resource’s Bureau of Forestry has been appointed state forester and will serve as director of the bureau. Ellen M. Shultzabarger, who has worked for 14 years in various positions in the Bureau of Forestry, began as bureau director on June 12. “The director plays a critical role in the daily operations of the read more