The LandTrust for Central North Carolina recognized new and outgoing board members at its annual meeting. According to LandTrust bylaws, board member terms are three years and board members can serve a maximum of three terms, or nine years.

Leaving this year were Ed Norvell, Marla Coulthard, Dennis Testerman and Walter Holland.

Norvell is from Salisbury and has served nine years on the board, and was the president of the board. Norvell was a former employee of The LandTrust in its early years, and serves on various other boards including the North Carolina Coastal Land Trust. Norvell was presented with a wildlife sculpture for his service.

Coulthard is from Rockingham and also served nine years on the board, being formerly employed by Central Park NC.

Coulthard is also a member of the Uwharrie Trailblazers and has assisted with the Uwharrie Trail through hike for the past five years. She was presented a framed picture of her kayaking on the Little River.

Testerman is from Cabarrus County and served six years on the board, being formerly employed by the Cabarrus Soil and Water Conservation District.

Testerman was presented a framed picture of Clarke Creek Rookery, a partnership project between The LandTrust and Cabarrus SWCD.

Holland is from Iredell County, and also served six years on the board. Holland has a farm under conservation easement with The LandTrust in Iredell County.

He was not in attendance, but will be presented a photo of the Stokes Family Farm, protected during his tenure on the board.

The LandTrust also announced a new slate of incoming board members at the annual meeting.

Bob Kluttz is the owner of Quality Sprinkler Company in Charlotte, but is also a conservation easement donor of a beautiful 90-acre property in Anson County.

Kluttz manages his property for wildlife and has a particular interest in bees and pollinators.

Leon Huneycutt is a Stanly County native and the owner of Locust Lumber. He is an avid outdoorsman who manages his land for wildlife, and is also an easement donor of property on the Rocky River in Stanly County.

Other new board members include Stacey Kerney, Ben Fisher, Monty Crump and Shelby Emrich.

Crump is the city manager for the city of Rockingham and is a member of the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission.

He has 34 years of experience in all areas of local government administration, community and economic development. He is a lifetime resident of the Yadkin-Pee Dee River region and is a conservationist with a history, experience and leadership on resource protection issues.

Kerney is a resident of Montgomery County and is a graduate of North Carolina State University and Methodist University.

She was a police officer for 13 years and looks forward to continuing to give back to her community. She has been involved in outdoor activities, wildlife and hunting her entire life. She has recently moved back to Montgomery County and enjoys kayaking, hiking, and getting outdoors in the Uwharries.

Fisher is a former LandTrust intern who now lives in Salisbury and is a project manager for Carrol Fisher Construction Company.

He is in the United States Coast Guard Reserve, and has studied fisheries, wildlife and conservation biology at NC State University and graduated from Cape Fear Community College with an A.A.S. in Sustainability Technologies.

Emrich is the executive director of the Anson County Chamber of Commerce. She was promoted to her current position with the chamber in August 2016, after having served as interim director and working for the chamber for five years. She is dedicated to helping Anson County with sustainable economic development.

This brings The LandTrust board up to a total of 18 members.

“The LandTrust is very fortunate to have supportive board members who have given many years of service to this organization in our conservation mission, and also blessed to have talented new board members to volunteer to serve in the coming years,” Executive Director Travis Morehead said.

To learn more about how to support The LandTrust for Central North Carolina, contact Crystal Cockman at 704-647-0302 or crystal@landtrustcnc.org.