Where were you born and raised?
I was born and raised in southern Pennsylvania among the farms, woodlots and growing suburbs of Lancaster County.
What is your educational background?
I studied forestry and forest biology at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry in Syracuse, NY. I quickly fell in love with forestry because it’s a profession that draws from many disciplines. A robust knowledge of economics, ecology and sociology plays an important role in crafting the compromises that protect forests and water quality in the New York City Watershed.
Briefly describe your home life.
I live in Oneonta, NY with my wife and three young kids. Since I live close to the Catskill Park its not hard to find places to hunt and fish during my spare time.|
How long have you worked for WAC and what office do you work from?
I started working for the WAC Forestry Program in 2003 as a Watershed Forester. For three years I got to work with loggers, family forest owners and foresters to encourage forest stewardship in the NYC Watershed. In 2006 I took over as the Forestry Program Manager working out of our Hamden office. Since then I’ve been fortunate to work with a team of seven exceptional professionals on projects like MyWoodlot.
What is your job at WAC? Briefly describe your typical day.
My job is primarily administrative. I ensure WAC’s funders, the NYC Department of Environmental Protection and the US Forest Service, receive the maximum benefit from their investment in WAC. I also make sure my staff has the resources and support they need to do their best. On occasion I still get to teach people about forest stewardship, but not frequently enough!
What are your favorite MWL Interests?|
I don’t have one “favorite.” Instead, I like to browse for activities I can do with my family on weekends. Our current favorites our “schmooshing” or pressing leaves and flowers and listening to bird calls on rainy days.
What are your favorite MWL Activities?
- Make a Plant Press
- Watch, Listen, and Learn about Wildlife
- Go on a Family Picnic
Describe your favorite experience in the woods.
My favorite experience in the woods happened years ago on a woodlot overlooking the Ashokan Reservoir in Ulster County, NY. I was there to help a landowner, Joe, complete an application to get funding from WAC’s Management Assistance Program for a timber stand improvement project. After getting all the information I needed, Joe sat me on his ATV and took me on a tour of his property. I got to see the beautiful view of the reservoir he had cleared and the small cabin he had built (and bear proofed!) while he told me how his family ended up owning the property. He wrapped up my tour at an old charcoal kiln. The years hadn’t been kind, so it was just a pile of hand-made bricks. But Joe brought that pile back to life with the history of the charcoal and chemical wood industries that shaped his land a century ago. Before I hopped back on the ATV, he handed me an old brick, scorched black on one side. I had the pleasure of meeting Joe several more times. That brick makes a great bookend on my desk at work, a daily reminder of one person’s love for their woods.
