THE NATURE CONSERVANCY KANSAS CHAPTER NAMES NEW STATE DIRECTOR

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Rob Manes spent nearly 20 years with Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks
TOPEKA — The Nature Conservancy (TNC) has named Rob Manes the new Kansas state director of the conservation organization. Before attaining this position, Manes spent six years as TNC’s director of conservation for Kansas, where he was responsible for establishing conservation easements with private landowners, overseeing management of all TNC-owned properties in Kansas, ecological planning for all Kansas priority regions, and leading collaborative efforts for renewable energy and agricultural conservation issues.

Manes brings extensive experience in natural resource management, having spent nearly 20 years with the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks and five years with the Wildlife Management Institute in a variety of leadership positions. He is originally from Pratt and received his bachelor of science with a biology emphasis from Kansas State University in 1982 and master of environmental science from Friends University in 1991.

“The wild resources of Kansas are both rich and deep and, in many cases, threatened,” Manes notes. “Effectively conserving the state’s natural landscapes, waters, and wildlife is a costly, long-term challenge, but The Nature Conservancy has proven its ability to deliver lasting, large-scale results. My commitment to the Conservancy’s mission is founded on the firm belief that these resources are inherently worth saving, but equally important, conserving wild resources benefits people, economies, and cultures.”

Former state director Alan Pollom assumed a new role with TNC as senior conservation specialist for Kansas and the Central U.S. Division. In his new position, Pollom will focus on cross-border conservation planning and strategy relating to preservation of the Flint Hills tallgrass region, as well as representing TNC as a major stakeholder in wind energy issues.

Pollom opened the Kansas office in 1989, and during his tenure, he led the chapter through several acquisitions, including the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve and three successful capital campaigns that raised nearly $30 million for conservation efforts in Kansas.

“The Kansas Chapter Board of Trustees is especially pleased that we can look forward to continuing exceptional leadership from the state director position,” says Bill Riley, chairman of the TNC Kansas Chapter Board of Trustees. “We all recognize the outstanding credentials Rob Manes brings to our conservation efforts in Kansas, including his recent years of outstanding service as the Kansas director of conservation. His appointment as state director promises to continue our upward trajectory as the largest and most effective conservation nonprofit organization in the state.”