Waldron brings a wealth of forest management experience and will help scale up habitat improvement for wildlife.
January 21, 2021 – Ruffed Grouse Society and American Woodcock Society (RGS & AWS) announced today that Todd Waldron was selected for a new Forest Conservation Director position in the Northeast Region. In the newly developed position, Waldron will build and manage a network to achieve forest wildlife goals across several states. The region includes New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. He will be based in New York.
“We were honored to speak with so many forest wildlife professionals with an interest in our approach to wildlife conservation,” said Ben Jones, President and CEO of RGS & AWS. “Todd’s depth of experience in forest management, building partnerships, and communicating the results really stood out. We also extend a heartfelt thanks to donors like long time RGS & AWS Board Director Terry Wilson, who made this timely hiring happen, despite the challenges of 2020.”
Waldron has spent his entire 25-year career working in a variety of forest conservation roles across the Northeast including forest industry, private landowner consulting, nonprofit leadership, and forestland valuation and transaction management. In addition to extensive forestry experience, Waldron is equally passionate about what forest management means for wildlife.
“The Northeast’s 51 million acres of forest have long been recognized as an incredible landscape for ruffed grouse and woodcock,” said Waldron. “For generations, New England’s northern hardwood and conifer covers have been highly celebrated for their incredible bird hunting and wildlife viewing opportunities. However, declining forest diversity is creating major, region-wide conservation challenges. Together with RGS & AWS members, supporters, and partners we will focus on solving these issues through active forest management.”
Waldron said that if conservationists are going to address habitat issues on a large scale, it is going to require broad partnerships, community support, innovative funding, exceptional communications, and a thoughtful approach.
“The forest conservation model and the team at RGS & AWS is perfectly positioned to address these challenges,” said Waldron. “I’m excited to bring my professional and volunteer experience to this community.”
In his most recent role, Waldron worked as a Forestry Project Manager with F&W Forestry Services in Glens Falls, New York, where he served a variety of private, institutional, and nonprofit conservation clients over the past 14 years. He holds a B.S. in Forest Resource Management from SUNY ESF, an A.A.S. in Forest Technology from SUNY ESF’s New York State Ranger School and is currently enrolled in a Masters in Natural Resources program at Virginia Tech University.
When he is not working on forest conservation projects, Waldron enjoys hunting, podcasting, fly-tying, running, camping, and outdoor mentorship. He lives with his wife and daughter in New York’s Adirondack Mountains.
RGS & AWS are also in the process of recruiting Forest Conservation Directors for the Mid-Atlantic and Eastern Great Lakes Regions.
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Media Contact:
Ashley Peters
Director of Communications & Marketing
ashleyp[at]ruffedgrousesociety.org
Phone: 412.312.9703
