The Nature Conservancy. Protecting nature. Preserving life.™

The Nature Conservancy (TNC) of South Carolina is pleased to announce the hiring of a full-time fire management specialist and four-person crew of part-time firefighters to conduct prescribed fire work, in cooperation with U.S. Forest Service (USFS) fire crews, primarily in the Francis Marion National Forest. The positions, funded as part of a two-year $400,000 USFS grant, effectively double TNC’s fire management capacity in South Carolina.

Matt Snider, TNC’s new fire management specialist, comes to the state from the TNC Georgia Chapter, where he was fire program manager for three years. Before that, he worked in fire management with the National Park Service for 13 years.

“I am extremely excited about having Matt join us,” said Tom Dooley, the TNC South Carolina Chapter’s State Fire Manager. “The depth and breadth of his expertise is a wonderful addition to our fire program, not to mention his federal fire experience, which will be critical in our ability to fully integrate into the Forest Service’s fire operations.”

The four additional new firefighters are Matt Jones (crew lead), Chandler Melton, Christina Anabel, and Ryan Smith. The entire TNC fire team looks forward to a safe and productive fire season.

South Carolina’s prescribed fire season generally runs from January through April.