In June, CHC welcomed Dave Erickson to the team as our new Conservation Director. Here Dave introduces himself in his own words.
Collaborating with individuals and communities to conserve and care for special places for generations to come has been an inspiration for me. I am thrilled to have an opportunity with CHC to continue this journey and contribute to CHC’s vision for the people and wildlife of the Cold Hollow Mountains.
Growing up along the southern edge of the Adirondack Mountains in NY instilled a deep appreciation of open space and the natural world. This experience led me to Durango, Colorado where I attended college to study Environmental Biology, met my future wife, and full heartedly immersed myself in the incredible landscape and people of the American southwest. After graduating college, I had the great fortune of working for a land trust in Idaho which ended up being a guiding light.
From there, I worked as a field biologist for several projects and completed a master’s degree in wildlife science from the University of Arizona where I was part of a group researching wildlife populations in Tanzania. This was a seminal experience that furthered my passion for community-based conservation solutions. This passion most recently culminated in an 8-year span where I was part of an incredible team of people at the Aspen Valley Land Trust in western Colorado. Here I led the trust’s efforts to forever steward conserved land with many wonderful landowners and conservation partners while also helping establish several new programs and initiatives.
During that time, I started a family with my wife that includes two very active 3- and 6-year-old boys. We decided to move to the northeast to be close to my family and roots and fulfill a dream of raising children in the Green Mountains of Vermont. We enjoy exploring the woods and waterways with our beloved dog Finnley and indulging in popsicles from the nearest general store.
As Conservation Director at CHC I look forward to working with landowners and partner groups to help facilitate conservation goals. I feel very fortunate to be in this position and look forward to connecting with the incredible people and landscape CHC serves. Please feel free to reach out to me at dave@coldhollowtocanada.org.