The Nature Conservancy in North Carolina - Faces of Conservation: Mark Salser

Faces of Conservation
Mark Salser

Mark Salser
© Meika Decher

What does it take to be on the board of trustees of the North Carolina Chapter? The most common attribute is a commitment to preserving and protecting the lands and water that plants, animals and natural communities need to survive. But some board members take this just a step or two further.

Take Dr. Mark Salser, for example…one might say that this new board member has a burning passion for the Conservancy.

“My interest in conservation and science go back to my university days in California,” says Salser. “I first became interested in The
Nature Conservancy while working as a research biologist at UC-Berkeley.” The Nature Conservancy was instrumental in creating the Heath Angelo Reserve, a critical facility for ecological research along the Eel River in Northern California. Salser was deeply impressed by the Conservancy’s role in creating the reserve for the University of California.

With a Ph.D. in entomology from UC-Davis in the works, Salser and his wife made a move from California to the Sandhills region of North Carolina. The insects are currently taking a backseat while the Salsers manage their horse farm, but the commitment to conservation burns as bright as ever.

“Upon moving to the Sandhills I made a point of familiarizing myself with what the Nature Conservancy was trying to accomplish in North Carolina, and I was impressed by the scope of their vision. I also learned about the Conservancy’s burn crew and thought that was something I’d like to get involved in,” says Salser. After undergoing rigorous training, Salser was welcomed to the burn crew.

Being on the burn crew gives this board member a unique and extremely up-close look at precisely how the Conservancy manages some of the land in its care. Suited up from head to toe in fire-resistant gear,
Salser and the rest of the crew are called out many times during the winter and spring to take part in burns. “It’s exciting to be part of the hands-on work of the Conservancy. I get to see the land transform from overgrown tract to new clearing to growing, thriving ecosystem,” he says. “It’s particularly satisfying to work in the longleaf pine forests near my new home in the Sandhills, where I can go back every few months to see the difference the burn has made and to visit a healthy habitat that I’ve helped create.”

As a member of both the board of trustees and the burn crew, Salser’s involvement with the Conservancy may be a bit unusual, but his concern for protecting North Carolina’s natural treasures resonates with us all.

“We need to keep perspective on what makes this region so special and how we can preserve those qualities while still allowing our communities to grow and thrive. The Nature Conservancy’s work helps ensure that activities so many of us enjoy—such as camping, hunting, fishing and hiking—will continue to be available to us, to our kids and to their kids.”