Land Trust Selects New Executive Director

Emily Wood, the new executive director of the Door County Land Trust

Door County Land Trust (DCLT) has appointed conservation leader Emily Wood as its new executive director, and she will begin her new duties Aug. 1.

Since 2017, Wood has been the executive director of the Indiana Wildlife Federation, an affiliate of the National Wildlife Federation. There, she has been a key player in regional conservation efforts, including the Great Lakes invasive-carp strategy and Indiana’s monarch butterfly conservation plan.

Wood has also served as a wildlife and natural-resource conservation advocate working at the local, state and federal levels to pass bipartisan legislation such as the Great American Outdoors Act, Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, the reauthorization of the Land and Water Conservation Fund and the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act.

The DCLT’s board voted unanimously to appoint Wood, said Donna Hake, president of the DCLT board of directors. 

“We believe that Emily’s experience and record of outstanding achievements, her energy and her passion for the natural world make  her the right leader for the Land Trust’s skilled team of dedicated conservationists,” Hake said.

Prior to leading the Indiana Wildlife Federation, Wood was the director of greenspace for Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, an environmental and community organization that works with neighbors and volunteers to plant trees and native landscapes, create community spaces, and engage students of all ages in nature.

“The need for land protection has never been greater – and the Door County community has shown its dedication by conserving Door County’s wild lands,” Wood said. “I am honored to work with you – and for you – as we protect the beauty, ecology and rural landscape of this part of the world.”