The Nature Conservancy Appoints New State Director

Chris Oberholster tapped to lead nonprofit after numerous conservation successes.

Birmingham, AL — July 18, 2007 — The Nature Conservancy is pleased to announce Chris Oberholster as its new Alabama state director. Oberholster has worked for the Conservancy in Alabama since 1992, most recently as the director of conservation programs. His strong relationships with Alabama’s congressional delegation and state and federal government agencies have helped the Conservancy be a part of a number of Alabama’s recent conservation accomplishments, such as the creation and subsequent expansion of two national wildlife refuges, protection of the Walls of Jericho, the Perdido River and many other projects statewide.

“We had an exceptionally strong slate of candidates, but it is our belief that Chris Oberholster is the right person for this important role,” said Alabama Board of Trustees Chair David Donaldson. “Chris will be an outstanding asset for the chapter.”

“It is a deep honor to be selected to serve as the state director,” Oberholster said. “As one of the top-five most biologically diverse states in the nation, Alabama is one of the most exciting places in the United States to practice conservation. Many hundreds of animals and plants are found only in the rivers, forests and other habitats of Alabama and nowhere else on Earth. We have a great responsibility to protect this unique heritage for future generations of our citizens to know and appreciate.”

A native of South Africa, Oberholster has a degree in grassland science from the University of Natal in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa and a master’s degree in agronomy and soils from Auburn University in Alabama. His strong family ties with South Africa and travels to other countries to observe nature bring an important global perspective to his new position.

Oberholster has lived in Alabama for almost 20 years and resides in Hoover with his wife, Suzanne, and their two sons and one daughter. He enjoys hunting, birdwatching, gardening and stamp collecting. Oberholster succeeds Jeff Danter who was Alabama state director from 2002 until June of this year. Danter now serves as the Conservancy’s state director in Florida.

The Nature Conservancy is a leading conservation organization working around the world to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people. To date, the Conservancy and its more than one million members have been responsible for the protection of more than 15 million acres in the United States and have helped preserve more than 102 million acres in Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific. Visit The Nature Conservancy on the Web at www.nature.org.