Who we are & What we do

About Us

WHO WE ARE

The Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that was established in 1990 with a mission to preserve and enhance the quality, scenic beauty, and ecological health of the Chautauqua (NY) region’s lands and waters for our community.

We diligently pursues this mission so that the Chautauqua region will remain an attractive, healthy, and enjoyable place for those who live in, work in, and visit the Chautauqua region now and in the future.

WHAT WE DO

We pursue our mission through land conservation, environmental education, and watershed stewardship.

We conserve lands with high ecological, hydrological, and scenic value on Chautauqua County’s natural lakeshores, along tributaries and within its watersheds and currently own and manage more than 1,250 acres of land and 35 nature preserves, all of which are open to the public for outdoor recreation and refreshment.

We promote proactive best land, wildlife, and water resource management practices and provide educational programs to raise the community’s awareness of the connection between land use and the quality and quantity of our water resources, our quality of life, and the economic prosperity of our region.

We also provide technical assistance to landowners, businesses, and municipalities so that they can better understand and implement the best land, wildlife, and water resource management practices for our region.

Goals

GOALS

To conserve and achieve healthy ecosystems county-wide to support native plant and animal species indigenous to the region

To conserve and achieve high water quality used for drinking water, food production / preparation, and recreation

To conserve the scenic beauty of the Chautauqua County region

To build an awareness and understanding of the inter-connectedness of watershed land use and its impact on waterways and to use this awareness and understanding to promote best land management practices

Board & Staff Anchor

Staff & Board

STAFF

Whitney Gleason, Executive Director

Tracy Carlson, Outreach Assistant
Jill Eklund, Director of Communications

Caitlin Gustafson, Business Manager

John Jablonski III, Special Projects
Coordinator

Twan Leenders, Director of Conservation
Carol Markham, Conservationist
John ("Johnny Mac") McCarthy,

Preserve Handyman

Bethany O'Hagan, Land Specialist

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Rebecca L. Nystrom, Chair

Jeanne E. Wiebenga, Vice Chair
Deborah E. Moore, Treasurer
Cheryl E. Mawhinney, Secretary

Kaitlyn L. Bentley
Janis L. Bowman
Dennis H. Collins
Michael E. Jabot
William R. Locke

Kristofor G. Sellstrom

Mary Beth Southwick

Robyn R. Steele
Deborah C. Trefts
Ruth T. Wahl
William J. Ward

John S. Ford, ex officio

EMERITUS DIRECTORS

Michael K. Lyons
Arthur D. Webster

From left: Conservationist Carol Markham, Special Projects Coordinator John Jablonski III, Executive Director Whitney Gleason,Land Specialist Bethany O’Hagan, Director of Conservation Twan Leenders, Outreach Assistant Tracy Carlson,

Preserve Handyman John McCarthy, Business Manager Caitlin Gustafson, and Director of Communications Jill Eklund

Employment & Internships

Empoyment & Internships Anchor

We do not have any openings at this time.