News Release »
| Beverly Eaves Perdue, Governor | Dee Freeman, Secretary |
| N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources |  |
| Release: Immediate | Contact: Charlie Peek | |
| Date: 2009-06-04 | Phone: (919) 715-8709 |
Nealson is New Superintendent at Eno River State Park
EDITORS: (View / download Nealson Photo)
RALEIGH -- Keith Nealson, a veteran ranger at William B. Umstead State Park, has been promoted to superintendent of Eno River State Park in Durham and Orange counties, according to the N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation. Nealson succeeds David Cook, who was named superintendent at Hanging Rock State Park in December.
A superintendent is the chief of operations and administration at a state park or state recreation area with wide-ranging responsibilities for staffing, training, law enforcement, visitor services, natural resource protection and environmental education.
A native of Massachusetts, Nealson graduated from Northern Arizona University in 1994 with a bachelor’s degree in biology and chemistry. He worked with behaviorally and emotionally handicapped children at a middle school in Chapel Hill before joining the state parks system in 1998 as a general utility worker. He was promoted to park ranger later that year.
While at William B. Umstead State Park, Nealson had responsibilities in environmental education and resource management. He holds certifications in environmental education, advanced law enforcement and law enforcement instruction and first aid/CPR/AED, and is a facilitator for The Food, Land and People Project.
“Keith has excellent qualifications and experience at a state park that is very urban in nature, and he possesses excellent people skills,” said Lewis Ledford, director of the state parks system. “He will be able to contribute much to the development of Eno River State Park, with its strong tradition of conservation and stewardship.”
Eno River State Park was established in 1972 and now encompasses 4,139 acres. It recorded 414,301 visits in 2008.
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