Historic photograph shows a group of volunteers, led by a woman with curly hair and a plaid hat, pointing down at a large sheet of paper while sitting on a rock in the woods. — Historic Mianus River Gorge Historic photograph shows a group of volunteers planning a trail at Mianus River Gorge Preserve near Bedford, New York. © TNC

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Stories of TNC: The People Behind Conservation

The Nature Conservancy and Ancestry come together to honor those whose lives and legacies shaped conservation – and to inspire the next generation.

The Nature Conservancy began with a small group of people who believed that nature was worth protecting—and that individuals could make a difference. This Earth Month, we’re joining forces with Ancestry on The Stories of US to celebrate 250 years of U.S. history through the lives of everyday people who helped shape our organization and continue to inspire conservation today.

Supporting Young Changemakers

Gabriela Tejeda Gabriela Tejeda, an externship alumna, 2023 National Geographic Young Explorer, and current TNC employee. © National Geographic Society

As part of this collaboration, Ancestry is supporting TNC’s externship program, which equips young people around the world with the skills and experience to take action for nature. One former extern is Gabriela Tejeda, now a member of TNC’s global storytelling team. Gabriela's journey from externship alumna to TNC staff shows how investing in people today helps shape the future of conservation.

The Power of People

The belief that individuals can make a difference has guided TNC from the very beginning. The stories below highlight some of the people whose ideas and actions helped shape TNC in its earliest days.

Explorer in the Field A moment of reflection during field exploration, echoing the spirit of curiosity that helped spark grassroots conservation. © Wildlife Conservation Society. Reproduced by permission of the WCS Archives.

Gloria Hollister Anable

Gloria Hollister Anable was a scientist, explorer, and conservationist who played a key role in the early history of TNC. In the 1930s, she helped advance deep‑sea research as a record‑setting explorer. Years later, she brought that same commitment to her own community, helping lead efforts to protect New York’s Mianus River Gorge – work that became TNC’s first land conservation project.

Richard H. Pough

Richard H. Pough was a conservationist and one of the early leaders of TNC who helped shape how the organization approached land protection. As TNC’s first president, he believed that saving important places often meant moving quickly, and purchasing land before it was lost. Over time, he played a role in protecting places like Hawk Mountain in Pennsylvania and Corkscrew Swamp in Florida, helping establish a practical model for conservation that TNC continues to use today.

Black and white photo of a man in suit and tie with thick glasses, inspecting a leaf from a shrub with berries. — **Father of the Land Deal** Dick Goodwin, often called “Father of the land deal,” was one of the founding members of The Nature Conservancy. © The Nature Conservancy

Richard H. Goodwin

Richard H. Goodwin was a botanist and educator who helped guide TNC in its early years. A founding member of TNC and twice its president, he played an important role in shaping the organization as it grew from a small, volunteer-led effort into one focused on protecting land before it was lost. His work helped establish an early approach to conservation that balanced science, people, and place, and continues to inform TNC’s work today.

Walter P. Cottam

As a botanist, educator and a co-founder of TNC, Walter P. Cottam believed in protecting representative natural areas for research, learning, and future generations. Through his work studying and conserving landscapes across the American West, Walter helped reinforce a science‑based approach to land protection that still influences TNC’s work today.

A woman looks up at the camera as she hugs a climbing rope, high up amidst the forest canopy. — **Nalini Nadkarni** Professor Emerita at the University of Utah © Sybil Gotsch

Nalini Nadkarni

Nalini Nadkarni is a forest ecologist whose work has broadened how people understand and connect with nature. Best known for her research in forest canopies, she believes conservation is strongest when science reaches beyond traditional audiences. A member of The Nature Conservancy of Utah Board of Trustees, Nalini continues to shape a more inclusive approach to conservation through her collaboration with TNC and her efforts to bring nature into schools, prisons, faith communities, and public spaces.

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View from a lookout with tree covered mountains in the distance. — Spruce Knob At 4,863 feet, Spruce Knob is the highest point in the state of West Virginia and the summit of Spruce Mountain, the highest peak in the Allegheny Mountains. © Kent Mason

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A side view of a person climbing a mountain.

Who We Are

From our historic work in land acquisition to cutting-edge research that influences global policy, TNC is constantly adapting to take on our planet’s most important challenges. Our vision is a world where the diversity of life thrives, and people act to conserve nature for its own sake and ours.