County Coordinator Appreciation: Dennis Wingle

The Old-Growth Forest Network wouldn’t be able to continue our mission of creating a national network of protected old-growth forests without our County Coordinators! They are the on-the-ground experts of their local communities and know all about the forests that are near and dear to their hearts. To honor our amazing volunteers, we regularly showcase one County Coordinator and share more about what makes them so special.

County Coordinator, Dennis Wingle, with Mid-Atlantic Regional Manager Brian Kane, at McKaig Nature Education Center

Name: Dennis G. Wingle

County (counties) where you volunteer: Lancaster and York Counties, Pennsylvania

Forest Nomination(s) to date: (1) Ferncliff Natural Area and Wildlife Preserve in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania and (2) Otter Creek Nature Preserve in York County, Pennsylvania.

In 3 to 4 sentences, describe yourself  to the OGFN community: I am passionate about national parks, wilderness areas, and other strictly protected natural areas anywhere on the Planet. Although I am especially passionate about old-growth forests, I am also passionate about all types of ecosystems—be they prairies, deserts, tundras, wetlands, etc. It is my sincere hope that by setting aside enough protected areas that we will stop the climate and extinction crises.

Favorite forest you have visited: Fernbrook Nature and Wildlife Preserve in Albermarle County, Virginia

Favorite tree species: Eastern White Pine

Favorite season: Spring

What inspired you to volunteer as a county coordinator? The desire to contribute towards the protection of our remaining old-growth forests.

Do you have any advice to share with someone considering serving as a volunteer county coordinator? When setting out to find a prospective old-growth forest to add to the Old-Growth Forest Network, do the research first by reading the literature to see if there are old-growth forests in your local area. The Pennsylvania Department of Natural Resources is the state agency likely to have information on this subject. In addition, the late Mary Byrd Davis wrote Eastern Old-Growth Forests: Prospects For Rediscovery And Recovery about 30 years ago which gives a comprehensive list of the known old-growth forests in the Eastern United States. Although this book is now out of print it still can be a reference for old-growth forests in the Eastern United States.

Fun Fact about Dennis: I have  hiked a total of nine of the forty forests that are dedicated forests in the state of Pennsylvania—four of them just within the past twenty days. In addition, I have hiked two Network Forests within Ohio and three in Virginia.

County Coordinator Dennis Wingle, with Mid-Atlantic Regional Manager Brian Kane and OGFN Founder Joan Maloof, at Otter Creek Nature Preserve


THIS COULD BE YOU!

Are you interested in volunteering to be a County Coordinator with OGFN? Fill out this simple form today and the Regional Manager for your area will contact you shortly.

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Historic Step Forward for Old-Growth Forests at the 9th American Forest Congress