The North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources has ushered in a new director for the Atlantic Conservation Coalition. Sara Ward steps into the leadership role, overseeing a multi-state effort to curtail carbon emissions by conserving the natural habitats of the southeastern U.S. coastline. This announcement was made yesterday by the DNCR, aimed at signaling an aggressive push toward environmental restoration involving states such as North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and Maryland.
Last year, a whopping $421 million grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency was awarded to roll out various conservation projects. This substantial sum is managed by the DNCR and is earmarked for a five-year period, focusing on forest protection, peatland wetlands, and coastal habitats across the participating states. DNCR Secretary Pamela B. Cashwell said, "Sara’s extensive experience in conservation policy make her an ideal choice to manage this substantial grant over the next five years."
The Atlantic Conservation Coalition, under Ward's direction, is expected to spearhead nature-based solutions and cutting-edge environmental strategies. Before her new appointment, Ward's portfolio is notably marked by her role as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's national Nature-Based Resiliency Coordinator and her advisory capacity at the U.S. Department of the Interior. Her career, spanning over two decades, has been dedicated to fostering cross-sector partnerships for conservation, emphasizing community and habitat resiliency.
Ward's academic credentials include a bachelor’s degree in biology from St. Mary’s College of Maryland and a Master of Environmental Management in environmental toxicology, chemistry, and risk assessment from Duke University's Nicholas School of the Environment. Her extensive expertise in environmental policy and practice will be brought to bear as she helms projects aimed at making the region more resilient to environmental stresses.
