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Former Park Chief joins Land Trust Board
After 37 years in the National Park Service and several more years as a Peace Corps director in Zambia, Africa, former Olympic National Park Supt. David Morris will be helping North Olympic Land Trust protect special qualities of land in Clallam County.
Morris has accepted the Land Trust’s Board invitation to work with the nonprofit organization as a member of its Board of Directors.
“As a resident of the Peninsula, I want to do what I can to protect and manage a significant portion of the remaining natural landscape,” said Morris, who served as ONP superintendent from 1994 to 2003.
He said he hopes his experience from the National Park Service will be helpful to the Land Trust.
Since returning to Port Angeles, Morris also has joined the local YMCA Board and volunteers with Peninsula Dispute Resolution Center. Before retiring from Olympic National Park and taking the Peace Corps assignment, he was a member of the North Olympic Tourism and City Parks and Recreation boards, an ex officio member of Olympic Park Institute’s Board and worked with the Olympic National Resource Center.
While superintendent of Olympic National Park, Morris had a leadership role in purchasing the two Elwha River dams, establishing Friends of Olympic National Park and initiating the Park’s General Management Plan.
His international activities included other Peace Corps work, advising Sri Lanka’s Dept. of Wildlife Conservation and assisting several other countries with conservation work.
Land Trust President Jim Mantooth said the organization is fortunate to have Morris working with the other directors.
“We believe his decision to work with us is another indication of support for the importance of the Land Trust’s efforts to protect lands outside the Park through voluntary agreements with property owners,” he said. “Many of these lands are part of ecosystems that begin within the Park and extend beyond its boundaries.”
The organization has protected more than 1,500 acres of land with special qualities since local citizens established it in 1990. Those qualities include: habitat for salmon and other wildlife, farmland, sustainable commercial timberland, clean water and air, scenic vistas, open space and cultural heritage. More information about the local Land Trust’s services and opportunities for involvement is available from northolympiclandtrust.org and its office, 360-417-1815.
This entry was posted on Wednesday, March 12th, 2008 at 10:22 am and is filed under Latest News.