Preserve Steward
Shannon Gillen has been the Preserve Steward for the West Virginia Land Trust since July 2022 and is based in Charleston. She is the primary ‘boots on the ground’ staffer who is maintaining trails, mowing grass, and working with contractors to make our organization’s preserve development plans a reality. She also helps to ensure the organizations’ adherence to Land Trust Alliance (LTA) standards by monitoring many of the conservation easements that private landowners hold all throughout the state. If you see a white pickup with a WVLT logo, feel free to wave – it’s probably Shannon driving to or home from one our many properties!
Shannon grew up in Vermont and has always had a passion for the outdoors, especially the forested mountains of the eastern U.S. She obtained her undergraduate degree from the University of New England and spent several years working around the country for organizations including AmeriCorps, the National Park Service, and the U.S. Forest Service before obtaining her M.S. in Biology from James Madison University. When not working or actively exploring the beauty that WV has to offer, she enjoys reading and spending quality time at home.
