The Nature Conservancy. Protecting nature. Preserving life.™

Molly Dougherty, the Conservancy's Oregon director of volunteer programs. © Cliff Alton

"Without dedicated supporters like Susan and Morgan, our successes would not be possible."

Molly Dougherty, Director
Oregon Volunteer Programs

Each year, we honor exceptional volunteers who advance The Nature Conservancy’s mission in Oregon. We are delighted to announce the 2012 Ray C. Davis Volunteer of the Year Award winners, Susan Healy and Morgan Parks.

Susan Healy knows her way around a computer. From checking data entries for accuracy, to editing electronic newsletters and thanking work party volunteers, her technical skills and attention to detail are famous among our staff.

But Susan’s sharing of time and talent doesn’t stop at the office. Serving over 1,200 hours, she’s also a volunteer naturalist at Cascade Head near Lincoln City, where she’s greeted and educated visitors about habitats and wildlife since 2006.

“Susan steps up in a big way, putting in extra time and taking on numerous projects whenever needed,” said Molly Dougherty, director of volunteer programs. “I honestly can’t imagine how I would keep up without her weekly assistance, and I am so grateful.”

For Susan, volunteering is about reciprocating nature's gifts. “Working alongside fantastic Conservancy staff and volunteers has been a wonderful opportunity for me to give a little something back,” she said.

Morgan Parks joined the Conservancy’s Oregon team three years ago as an AmeriCorps volunteer, when she enjoyed overhauling manuals for our volunteer naturalists so much, she decided to try it out for herself. She’s been volunteering at Tom McCall and Cascade Head preserves ever since.

But that’s not all. Morgan’s also a volunteer crew leader and has supervised our Wednesday night crew. Plus, she launched and managed our social media outreach for over a year — and has shared stories about restoration work parties.

“It's been such an honor to work with Morgan, says Jen Newlin, senior creative manager. “Her creativity and tireless dedication — she posted to our Facebook and Twitter accounts daily for months — are remarkable. She’s directly responsible for making Oregon a role model for other states across the organization.”

Volunteering with the Conservancy means a lot to Morgan. "Good work, great friends and favorite places are just a few of the reasons,” she says.

Congratulations and genuine thanks to Susan and Morgan!