Meet Award Winning Volunteer, Mark Byington!
Every season, we honor one of our outstanding volunteers with the Lady Slipper Award. This spring, that award goes to the very deserving Mark Byington. Thank you for everything you do, Mark!
How long have you been a volunteer with Conserving Carolina?
For seven years, beginning with election to the Board of Pacolet Area Conservancy in early 2016.
In what capacity do you typically volunteer with Conserving Carolina? How have you volunteered for Conserving Carolina in the past?
I started with Pacolet Area Conservancy (PAC) as a Board member and continued (after the consolidation with Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy) with Conserving Carolina as a Board Director until my term ended in summer of 2022. During those years I have been on the Land Protection Committee as well as the Nominating and Board Development Committee. I have also volunteered my expertise on various projects, and have made presentations on behalf of the organization. I am currently helping to represent Conserving Carolina on The Saluda Grade Trail Conservancy as a Board member.
What brought you to Western North Carolina, and what has been your inspiration for becoming involved with Conserving Carolina?
I have long been an advocate for land and natural resource protection, and after moving to Tryon from Greenville, SC in 2000, I began to get involved in volunteer organizations including the Pisgah Chapter of Trout Unlimited where I served as president for a couple years. Moving from cold water conservation to land conservation was a natural.
What was your education/career background before coming to the area?
I am a career landscape architect after receiving a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture from the University of Georgia.
How did you come to be so involved with Conserving Carolina? What motivates you to continue focusing so much of your time and energy on furthering conservation efforts?
Being a lifelong naturalist, land protection and conservation are extremely important to me. Engaging with the volunteers and staff of Conserving Carolina, I have realized that there may be no better place for me to spend my time and efforts.
What is your “favorite” environmental conservation issue, either facing WNC or in another community?
With rampant growth in our region and climate change, I am deeply concerned about the decline of biodiversity.
What has been your most rewarding experience in volunteering with Conserving Carolina?
Looking at the yearly results of the work of the organization and feeling that I have played a small part.
What are your hopes and/or expectations for Conserving Carolina in the future?
I hope that the Conserving Carolina organization can maintain the excellence at the staff level, and continue to sustainably manage the on-going conservation efforts.
What else do you like to do when you aren’t volunteering for Conserving Carolina? Your other interests, passions, hobbies and pursuits?
Fly fishing is a major pastime for my wife and I, as the pursuit takes us to places of such natural beauty near and far.
What other interesting, cool and exciting information about you can we share with our readers? Do you have a motto or quote that you try to live by, that has informed your commitment to volunteering with Conserving Carolina?
None really. Although I have stayed in a Holiday Inn Express.
