Board of Directors
Southern Tier Land Conservancy

The Southern Tier Land Conservancy is governed by a dedicated board of directors who bring diverse expertise and a shared commitment to land conservation in our region. Jason Shaw serves as President, providing strategic leadership for our conservation initiatives. Carl Lipo contributes as Secretary, maintaining organizational records and academic connections. Jeff Merrell applies his financial acumen as Treasurer, ensuring responsible stewardship of our resources. Board members Dodie Jones, Susan Ryan, Jeremy Waddell, Sean Cummings, and Joann Lettis contribute valuable perspectives from backgrounds in environmental science, community development, land management, and regional planning. Together, this team guides our conservation efforts with careful deliberation and deep knowledge of the Southern Tier's ecological needs and opportunities.

The land ethic simply enlarges the boundaries of the community to include soils, waters, plants, and animals, or collectively: the land... In short, a land ethic changes the role of Homo sapiens from conqueror of the land-community to plain member and citizen of it. It implies respect for his fellow-members, and also respect for the community as such.

-- Aldo Leopold

The care of the Earth is our most ancient and most worthy, and after all our most pleasing responsibility. To cherish what remains of it and to foster its renewal is our only hope.

-- Wendell Berry