Chris Minor
Director of Land Management and Fire Manager, Kentucky Chapter
Morehead, Kentucky
Chris Minor, Fire Manager Chris Minor, Fire Manager in Kentucky © © Devan King/TNC
AREA OF EXPERTISE
prescribed fire, land stewardship
Biography
Chris Minor is originally from Bluefield, Virginia, a small town nestled within mountains located in the southwest portion of the state. He discovered The Nature Conservancy after completing his Associates Degree in Recreation and Wildlife Management at Hocking College in Ohio. Upon graduation in 1999, Chris joined the Conservancy’s staff in Kentucky as a land steward while completing his Bachelor’s degree in Wildlife Management from Eastern Kentucky University. He eventually grew his land stewardship and management skills to focus on specific landscapes including the Kentucky River Palisades and later, the Licking River. Based in Morehead, Chris currently focuses on managing unique habitats throughout the state.
nature.org: Have you always had an interest in conservation?
Chris Minor: Yes. While growing up in southwest Virginia, my parents would often take me camping, hunting, fishing and just about all other outdoor activities. I think this really laid the foundation for my interest in conservation.
nature.org: How did your career path lead to working with The Nature Conservancy?
Chris Minor: Pure luck! My first job with the Conservancy was short-term and located in a state I had never even visited! I took this position because the pay was a dollar more per hour than any jobs I explored closer to my hometown in Virginia. During those early days as a land steward – pulling, cutting and spraying invasive species – the organization really grew on me. I quickly became impressed with the staff’s commitment and the organization’s overall mission. It didn’t take long for me to decide that protecting the last great places on earth is something I wanted to be a part of.
nature.org: What projects have your focus these days?
Chris Minor: I’m focused on gearing up active management on lands owned by the Chapter and working to build capacity for prescribed burning within the organization and throughout Kentucky.
nature.org: What do you hope to tackle in the long-term?
Chris Minor: In the years to come, I hope to have improved the condition of the Conservancy’s preserves throughout the state through a strong and well-established stewardship program. I also hope to continue building the prescribed fire program a make burning a more acceptable and recognized practice in Kentucky since it serves as such an important management tool for many of the habitats we protect here.