Molly Morrison, president of Natural Lands, has announced plans to retire after 14 years as leader of the region’s largest conservation organization.

Morrison said that she expects to step down by the end of 2018.

Morrison took the reins at Natural Lands in 2005, and her leadership has resulted in some of the region’s most significant conservation achievements. During her tenure, the organization has preserved permanently more than 32,000 acres of open space in eastern Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey. This includes landmark additions to its network of 44 nature preserves, including:

• the 1,282-acre ChesLen Preserve in Chester County
• the 3,565-acre Bear Creek Preserve near Wilkes-Barre
• its first Berks County property, the 201-acre Green Hills Preserve

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“Molly is a force of and for nature,” said Jack Terrill, chairman of Natural Lands’ Board of Trustees. “More than 2.5 million of the region’s residents now live within five miles of land under Natural Lands’ protection and they will forever benefit from what Molly and her team continue to achieve.

“Her skills as a strategist, spokesperson, manager, and consensus-builder have made Natural Lands a highly impactful organization, and those of us who have had the honor of serving on the Board of Trustees during her time as president marvel at the organization’s accomplishments.”

“The essential role that nature and open spaces play in the quality of life for people in this region is better understood today than it has ever been,” said Morrison. “Knowing that we, as an organization, are having an impact on preserving nature and connecting people to the outdoors has made this job especially satisfying.”

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