The Nature Conservancy names Scott Lemmons as Mississippi State Director
Lemmons plans to grow the Mississippi Program by focusing on three priorities: freshwater, forests and coasts.
Media Contacts
-
Becky Russell
Phone: 601-397-2134
Email: becky.russell@tnc.org
Scott Lemmons has been named The Nature Conservancy's State Director in Mississippi. Lemmons has been TNC's Director of Freshwater Programs for the past ten years, focusing on wetland restoration, bottomland hardwood reforestation programs, large-scale floodplain reconnections and side channel reconnection projects along the Mississippi River and Yazoo Basin.
Lemmons was instrumental in directing efforts at Loch Leven in Southwest Mississippi, one of TNC's largest conservation projects in its history of working in the state and the largest floodplain reconnection in the history of the Lower Mississippi River Basin. Through his leadership, Lemmons brought together more than 15 state, local and federal partners to complete the multi-million dollar 6,000-acre floodplain reconnection project.
As a Registered Forester, Lemmons also initiated and managed the USFS Stewardship Agreements with three National Forests in Mississippi, brokering timber sales on the national forests and utilizing the stewardship agreements to restore the sale tracts back to native longleaf pine habitat.
“I am honored to be named State Director, and I look forward to providing leadership in our continued efforts to protect and restore resilient Mississippi landscapes. We have an incredible team of dedicated professionals here at TNC who are the very best in their fields. We are the leaders in conservation in Mississippi because of the work they have done over the years,” said Scott.
As a 2004 graduate of the Mississippi State University College of Forest Resources, Lemmons holds a Bachelor of Science in Forestry. Before joining TNC, he spent 10 years working for USDA/APHIS/Wildlife Services/National Wildlife Research Center as a wildlife biologist mitigating human-wildlife conflicts as related to agriculture and public health and safety, with most of his focus within the Mississippi Delta region.
Lemmons says his vision for TNC Mississippi is to grow the program by focusing on three priority areas: freshwater, forests and coasts. He also plans to enhance and grow the philanthropy team.
Lemmons will lead the chapter in reaching the 2030 goals:
- Large-scale floodplain reconnec1on projects.
- Restoring river miles through side channel reconnec1ons along the Mississippi River and tributaries.
- Reducing carbon emissions through bo<omland hardwood reforesta1on prac1ces and restoring habitats to na1ve shortleaf/longleaf pine ecosystems.
- Con1nuing to acquire, restore, enhance, and protect priority ecosystems within Mississippi.
- Working to promote a healthy Gulf and to con1nue to restore coastal and marine habitats along our Gulf coast.
Robert Taylor, TNC's Board Chairman in Mississippi added, "As trustees, we are so proud of Scott’s unbelievable work that he has accomplished in conservation. We look forward to his leadership to carry on the great things going on in Mississippi."
The Nature Conservancy is a global conservation organization dedicated to conserving the lands and waters on which all life depends. Guided by science, we create innovative, on-the-ground solutions to our world’s toughest challenges so that nature and people can thrive together. We are tackling climate change, conserving lands, waters and oceans at an unprecedented scale, providing food and water sustainably and helping make cities more sustainable. The Nature Conservancy is working to make a lasting difference around the world in 81 countries and territories (40 by direct conservation impact and 41 through partners) through a collaborative approach that engages local communities, governments, the private sector, and other partners. To learn more, visit nature.org or follow @nature_press on X.
Recent Stories
Restoring Nature at Loch Leven
The Nature Conservancy plays a key role in the largest floodplain reconnection project in the Lower Mississippi.
Tony Trapani Oyster Reef
The Nature Conservancy constructed a 35-acre oyster reef following natural and man-made disasters that have decimated populations in the Bay of St. Louis.
A Legacy of Land Protection
Working with the State of Mississippi on large-scale land acquisitions has allowed TNC to protect several large and ecologically important areas along the Pascagoula River and elsewhere in Mississippi.