FALMOUTH — Maine Audubon on Monday announced the appointment of Ole Amundsen III as executive director.

Amundsen most recently served as program manager for the national land trust, The Conservation Fund. He replaces Charles Gauvin at Maine Audubon.

“I am elated to join Maine Audubon,” Amundsen said in a Maine Audubon press release. “I grew up in northern New England and am passionate about protecting the vital wildlife and habitat in this region.”

According the release, Amundsen brings more than 25 years of experience in conservation leadership, “with a focus on landscape scale conservation, environmental education, and finance.”

While at The Conservation Fund, Amundsen sourced more than $20 million in loans to conservation groups across the country. He also helped communities and nonprofits through strategic planning and investment in trails, farmers’ markets and parks.

According to the press release, one of Amundsen’s signature achievements came after the 2010 BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, when he brought together land trusts in the region to create a vision for land conservation and restoration using the BP settlement funds. It reportedly was one of the first times “national conservation organizations … and local and regional land trusts worked together to create common goals for the conservation of the Gulf coast.”

Jerry King, Maine Audubon president, said “Maine Audubon is a great match for Ole’s experience as a conservation leader.”

Ole Amundsen III

Copy the Story Link