We are pleased to announce that Ryne Huggins has joined the Aiken Land Conservancy as the new Stewardship Coordinator.
Ryne comes to ALC from The Orianne Society, a well-respected organization that works to research and conserve reptile and amphibian populations and their associated habitats across the Southeastern United States. In his position with The Orianne Society, Ryne conducted work focused on the conservation of the declining Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake, along with conservation efforts for other native reptile species, and the assessment of habitat quality on public lands across the Coastal Plains of Georgia.
Prior to his tenure with The Orianne Society, Ryne worked as a field biologist for several other renowned herpetological conservation organizations such as the University of Georgia’s Savannah River Ecology Lab and Marshall University. His experiences in both of these positions garnered an interest and passion for the restoration of various native habitats across the Southeast, which has steered him into the role he holds today with ALC. His expertise, particularly in the management and restoration of sandhill habitats, will be greatly beneficial in his duties as our Stewardship Coordinator.
Ryne is a graduate of Clemson University, where he studied conservation area management and wildlife biology while also competing as a student athlete for four years. The significance of Ryne earning his degree while balancing his athletic responsibilities cannot be understated, and it is a great reflection of his work ethic and dedication to conservation.
The addition of a Stewardship Coordinator is an important step for the ALC as the Aiken community responds to accelerating development pressure. Our core mission is to protect Aiken’s quality of life, and the ALC is the only organization solely dedicated to protecting Aiken’s land, trees, historic properties, and water resources. To fulfill that mission, we must not only continue our efforts to protect and conserve new properties in our county, but also diligently steward the properties which are already protected. Our ability to monitor the existing condition of these places and restore the quality of degraded resources will ensure that we are not only protecting Aiken’s landscape from development in perpetuity, but also restoring and actively managing their quality in perpetuity. Ryne’s expertise in Southeastern natural resource conservation will be pivotal in our capability to achieve our organization’s conservation values, which will ensure our region’s protected resources are maintained in the highest possible condition.
Please join us in welcoming Ryne to the ALC.