FROM A RELEASE:

While the Truckee Donner Land Trust has been shaped by countless board members, staff, volunteers and donors over its 31 years, no one person has done more to drive the success of the organization than Perry Norris.

Starting in 1996 as a part-time employee in a mostly volunteer organization, Norris helmed the land trust through many of its greatest successes, including the acquisitions of Waddle Ranch, Royal Gorge, Webber Lake, Lower Carpenter Valley, Frog Lake and Truckee Springs, permanently protecting more than 40,000 acres of open space throughout the region. Stewardship of the land and public access to open space are core beliefs of Perry’s and he built the land trust accordingly, raising funds and staffing the organization to effectively care for its growing protected acreage. Today the trust has a staff of eight and actively manages tens of thousands of acres of open space, including over 45 miles of trails, numerous picnic areas, a campground and backcountry huts, all for the public to enjoy.

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“I’m so thankful for Perry’s leadership, his friendship and his mentorship. The land trust would not be the organization it is today without him. More importantly the Truckee we know and love — the publicly accessible open space and scenic views, the protected habitat, and the ski shots, crags and trails — wouldn’t be the same without his tireless work,” said Co-Executive Director John Svahn in a press release. “His leadership has set us up to continue to succeed into the future, and I’m excited for what is yet to come.”

Svahn will take over the executive director position. Perry will remain engaged with land trust projects as a consultant on land acquisitions, and as the hutmeister for the new Frog Lake Backcountry Huts.

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“On behalf of the entire Board of Directors and staff of the land trust, I want to thank Perry for all the incredible work he has done,” said Board President Aparna Reddy. “Under his leadership the land trust has accomplished so much, and I look forward to the future as John takes the lead.”

Norris is well known in the land trust community for his skill in negotiating complex land deals for conservation, resulting in win-win outcomes for both the sellers and the greater region. With tens of thousands of acres of open space yet to be protected, Norris will continue to help with new acquisitions, as well as the new Frog Lake Backcountry Huts

“It’s been an incredible opportunity and an honor to work at the Truckee Donner Land Trust, to be able to preserve the beauty of the northern Sierra, and to help shape the future of this place we all love,” Norris said. “After 25 years I’m ready for new things, and with new leadership I look forward to all that the land trust will accomplish in the coming years and decades.”

To learn more about the Truckee Donner Land Trust, current projects, or ways to explore its protected lands and trails, go to truckeedonnerlandtrust.org.

Source: Truckee Donner Land Trust