Our People

Scott Morrison

Interim State Director, California

California

Scott stands at the western edge of Santa Cruz Island overlooking Santa Rosa Island in the distance.

Santa Cruz Island Scott Morrison, The Victor E. Shelford Director of Conservation Science for The Nature Conservancy, stands at the western edge of Santa Cruz Island overlooking Santa Rosa Island in the distance. © Morgan Heim/Day's Edge Productions

Area of Expertise

Conservation Science

Media Contact

Heather Gately
Email:

Biography

Scott Morrison is the Interim State Director, Director of Conservation Programs and the Victor E. Shelford Director of Conservation Science for The Nature Conservancy in California. He leads an interdisciplinary team of scientists and practitioners who design and implement cutting-edge conservation strategies across the lands and waters of California. He joined TNC in 2001, working to develop the science and planning foundations for our work to protect a network of conservation lands across the rapidly urbanizing landscape of southern California. In 2008, he assumed the directorship of California’s science and geodesign teams; his contributions during that tenure included co-leading the core team that spearheaded the 2016 refresh of the Conservancy’s signature “approach,” Conservation by Design. In 2017, his scope expanded to include leadership and management of California’s Conservation Programs Department. Prior to the Conservancy, he was a Peace Corps volunteer working on a reforestation project in Costa Rica. Scott holds a B.S. in biological sciences from Stanford University and a Ph.D. in ecology and evolution from Dartmouth College.


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