Oil Patch Bits: The Nature Conservancy announces new Alaska director

The Nature Conservancy in Alaska said March 12 that it is pleased to introduce Steve Cohn, the experienced leader selected to guide the organization into the next era of conservation achievement in the 49th state.

The Nature Conservancy’s longstanding commitment to protecting important lands and waters for nature and people has produced lasting conservation results across the state. As the Conservancy celebrates its 30th anniversary in Alaska, Cohn stands ready to continue that legacy by addressing the state’s most pressing conservation challenges.

“We’re at an important moment in Alaska,” said Cohn. “Even as people and sectors face new challenges, we are beginning to see more people responding as we pioneer new ways of working together and uncover new pathways that could lead us toward solutions that work in Alaska.”

Cohn joins The Nature Conservancy after a distinguished 16-year career with the federal Bureau of Land Management, where he successfully served as deputy state director for resources in Alaska for five years, in addition to serving in senior BLM postings in Washington, D.C., and Arizona.

“As the chair of the Board of Trustees of The Nature Conservancy in Alaska, I’m pleased to welcome Steve to a thriving non-profit organization with a proud history of innovation in the state,” said Steve Murphy, president of ABR Inc., an environmental research and services firm. “The issues that TNC in Alaska is addressing are urgent, and we look forward to calling on Steve’s leadership and deep regard for Alaska’s people and way of life as we seek new ways of working with tribes, Alaska Native corporations, businesses, institutions, and other non-profits around the state.”