Lysle Sherwin -- a former executive director of the Loyalhanna Watershed Association and retired faculty from Penn State University, where he served as the director of the Center for Watershed Stewardship graduate studies program -- now spends his time continuing the mission of watershed and habitat conservation, but this time, as a volunteer.

Lyle is a member of the Penns Valley Conservation Association, who volunteers tirelessly to improve woodcock habitat through the coordination of planting riparian (stream) buffers and wetland maintenance.

He works with a wide network of public and private partners, including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, Department of Environmental Protection, Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Centre County Conservation District, Fish and Boat Commission, and Game Commission, among others.

He volunteers on project development and grant writing; and acts as a liaison between participating landowners and the implementing agencies at the state, federal, and local level.

While working with the Game Commission, Lysle utilizes their technical expertise and knowledge of wildlife biology, particularly woodcock and biodiversity biologists.

Lysle grew up in a small town in Somerset County, where he could walk out the door after school, and in five minutes be roaming the fields and woodlots with a bird guide in hand or sometimes a shotgun.

Even as a kid, he could see the impact that society was having on the natural world from a mine-polluted stream in his town.

These experiences sent him to college in Pittsburgh where he studied wildlife management.

While he is rewarded personally and professionally with the positive results of conservation efforts, he finds that the overall impact of wildlife habitat restoration to be the greatest reward.

“An equally rewarding outcome is the greater recognition and understanding by landowners of how and why those results were achieved,” he says.

Lysle recognizes that the need for conservation is becoming more important as population growth, land development, invasive species domination, and the accelerating loss of biodiversity is rapidly becoming a major challenge to our society and quality of life.

“Patience and persistence are key to getting things done,” he remarks. “People want to do the right thing to conserve natural resources; and will get involved if they see a clear path to get results.”

Know of a good natured Pennsylvanian who is passionate about outdoor recreation and/or conservation that we should feature? Contact DCNR by sending email to: ra-resource@pa.gov to nominate someone.

For more information on state parks and forests and recreation in Pennsylvania, visit DCNR’s website, Click Here to sign up for the Resource newsletter, Visit the Good Natured DCNR Blog,  Click Here for upcoming events, Click Here to hook up with DCNR on other social media-- Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Flickr.

(Photo: Lysle Sherwin - left.)

(Reprinted from the Dec. 23 DCNR Resource newsletter.  Click Here to sign up for your own copy.)

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[Posted: December 24, 2019]

12/30/2019