{"id":37203,"date":"2024-03-17T11:19:53","date_gmt":"2024-03-17T15:19:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.glensfalls.com\/glensfallsbusinessjournal\/?p=37203"},"modified":"2024-03-17T11:19:53","modified_gmt":"2024-03-17T15:19:53","slug":"hellos-and-goodbyes-are-announced-by-local-watershed-protector-battenkill-conservancy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.glensfalls.com\/glensfallsbusinessjournal\/2024\/03\/hellos-and-goodbyes-are-announced-by-local-watershed-protector-battenkill-conservancy\/","title":{"rendered":"Hellos And Goodbyes Are Announced By Local Watershed Protector Battenkill Conservancy"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure id=\"attachment_37155\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-37155\" style=\"width: 750px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-37155\" src=\"https:\/\/www.glensfalls.com\/glensfallsbusinessjournal\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/109\/2024\/03\/battenkill-h.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"750\" height=\"547\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.glensfalls.com\/glensfallsbusinessjournal\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/109\/2024\/03\/battenkill-h.png 750w, https:\/\/www.glensfalls.com\/glensfallsbusinessjournal\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/109\/2024\/03\/battenkill-h-300x219.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-37155\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Former Director Lorraine Merghart Ballard and newly appointed Director Beth O\u2019Grady stand outside the Battenkill Conservancy office in Varak Park in Cambridge.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>With the warmer skies and spring temperatures on the way, the Battenkill Conservancy (\u201cBkC\u201d), a not-for-profit land trust that works within New York and Vermont\u2019s Battenkill watershed, has announced some exciting hellos and some bittersweet goodbyes. <span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>In January, the organization lost its long time BkC Board Chair, Stuart Bartow, who passed away after a relatively brief battle with cancer.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>His dedication to BkC\u2019s mission coupled with his talents as a writer, poet and avid fly fisherman helped guide the organization\u2019s work for over 18 years. A memorial tree planting and a scholarship announcement will take place later this spring.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Simultaneously the BkC Board in conjunction with Lorraine Merghart Ballard, its first Executive Director, was working to secure her replacement. In 2016 with assistance from the NYS Conservation Partnership Program, Ballard<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>was appointed BkC\u2019s first Executive Director.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>During her tenure, she helped revitalize the organization with popular river related events, increased the public\u2019s river access through the Battenkill Corridor Connections Project and used a simple \u201cPicky Bugs Exhibit\u201d containing macroinvertebrates to demonstrate the importance of cold, clean water and a healthy watershed.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>She promoted the Battenkill as one of the area\u2019s most important recreational, cultural, historical and environmental assets.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>Advocating for \u201cClean Water &amp; Open Space for All\u201d became the organization\u2019s motto during her tenure. She will continue to stay involved and act as Board Chair to help with the transition.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"><strong><span class=\"s1\"><span class=\"s2\"><!--more--><\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span>Last month, Cambridge resident and former research chemist and science teacher, Beth O\u2019Grady was appointed as BkC\u2019s new Director.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>As a former board member (2020 &#8211; 2022) and an active volunteer, O\u2019Grady hits the ground running.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>She has participated in a number of key projects including BkC\u2019s five-year Strategic Plan and the Land Management Plans for the three Preserves.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>Her love of education and science helped bring BkC\u2019s Picky Bugs program of educating children about macroinvertebrates into the Cambridge Central School.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>Beth has plans to utilize her community activities and involvement with other NFP organizations to further connect and promote BkC\u2019s mission.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>Her focus will be watershed and habitat conservation, community education, and organizational sustainability. <span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>In conjunction with the changes at the staffing level, BkC has announced changes to the Board. <span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>After dedicating over 10 years as an active Board Member and volunteer, Jim Ballard stepped down in December, 2023. He joined the Board at a pivotal time and was the creative force behind the Battenkill Runs Through It Festival.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>He was also instrumental in guiding and executing the stewardship and land management efforts at BkC\u2019s Schmidt Meadow Preserve &amp; Rexleigh Marble Mill.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>In February, BkC welcomed three new Board Members; Deb Vincent Evans, Melissa Skellie and Kimberly Neilson. Last summer, Evans, of Troy, served as the Assistant Program Director of BkC\u2019s Discover Your Battenkill Program.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Melissa Skellie, a retired elementary school teacher lives in Coila. She has lived in the area since joining her husband and assisting with the operation of their 7th generation dairy farm. <span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>BkC\u2019s third board member to join in February was Kimberly Neilson, who now calls East Greenwich her home. Originally from Queens,<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>she is a 25-year veteran of the Life Insurance industry and works in Product Development for Prudential Life Insurance Company. . <span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Throughout the years BkC has offered a robust calendar of fun, river related events, topical annual speakers and advocated for public access to the Battenkill for all. Their mission of preserving and enhancing the Battenkill watershed will continue with O\u2019Grady as Director and a stronger board with new members.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>With the warmer skies and spring temperatures on the way, the Battenkill Conservancy (\u201cBkC\u201d), a not-for-profit land trust that works within New York and Vermont\u2019s Battenkill watershed, has announced some exciting hellos and some bittersweet goodbyes. \u00a0 In January, the organization lost its long time BkC Board Chair, Stuart Bartow, who passed away after a [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":89,"featured_media":37155,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[51],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v22.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\r\n<title>Hellos And Goodbyes Are Announced By Local Watershed Protector Battenkill Conservancy - 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