Truckee Donner Land Trust Announces new Co-Executive Director Leadership in 30th year

TRUCKEE, Calif. – As the Truckee Donner Land Trust grows as an organization – now in its 30th year, protecting 40,000 acres of open space – the Land Trust’s Board of Directors announces the promotion of John Svahn to Co-Executive Director, sharing leadership responsibilities with Perry Norris.

Svahn, who has served in stewardship roles and as Associate Director over the last 15 years at the Land Trust, will join Norris, who has been Executive Director for the past 20 years, in leading the growing conservation nonprofit. The decision aims to better equip the Land Trust as its acreage of protected of lands, miles of trails and other projects continues to grow.

“We are fortunate to have an embarrassment of riches in the leadership at TDLT,” said Jeff Brown, President of the Board of Directors for Truckee Donner Land Trust. “John and Perry are both exceptional leaders who have dedicated their entire professional careers to the conservation of precious lands in the Northern Sierra. The opportunity to recognize both as equal leaders of the organization is an acknowledgement of the unique talents each brings.”

The co-director roles will allow Norris to focus on big-picture projects including future open space acquisitions, strategic partnerships and special projects, such as the backcountry huts currently under construction at the recently acquired Frog Lake property. Svahn will lead all other operations for the Land Trust including land management, stewardship and annual giving, while also managing the staff.

“Nobody has made a greater impact on conservation in our area over the last two decades than Perry Norris,” according to Svahn. “It’s is an honor to be working shoulder to shoulder with Perry in the ongoing pursuit of conservation.”

“John is the absolutely the right person to lead this organization forward into the future, his passion for the work of the Land Trust is undeniable,” Norris said.

The work of the Land Trust has impacted the region on a landscape-level scale, helping make whole the fractured ownership left as a legacy by the construction of the transcontinental railroad to better protect wildlife habitat, forest health, watersheds and sustainable recreation. Recently, the Land Trust protected nearly 3,000 acres with the successful acquisition of Frog Lake, Red Mountain & Carpenter Ridge, and is now working to protect a vital property – named Truckee Springs – right on the bank of the Truckee River across from downtown.