News Release »
| Beverly Eaves Perdue, Governor | Dee Freeman, Secretary |
| N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources |  |
| Release: Immediate | Contact: Charlie Peek | |
| Date: 2009-08-03 | Phone: (919) 715-8709 |
Shimel is New Superintendent at New River State Park
EDITORS: (View / download Photo of Joe Shimel)
RALEIGH -- Joe Shimel, a veteran ranger and park superintendent, has been named superintendent of New River State Park in Ashe and Alleghany counties, according to the N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation.
Shimel succeeds Mike Lambert, who was promoted to chief of operations for the state parks system earlier this year.
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 Wilson County, Shimel graduated from North Carolina State University in 2000 with a bachelor’s degree in parks and recreation management. He worked as a seasonal employee and intern at Falls Lake State Recreation Area before joining the staff as a full-time ranger in 2000. He moved to Carolina Beach as a ranger in 2003 and became superintendent at Medoc Mountain State Park in 2007.
Shimel holds certifications in environmental education, advanced law enforcement, advanced interpretive skills and prescribed burning. In his new position, he also will have management responsibilities for Mount Jefferson State Natural Area.
“Joe has been aggressive at developing educational programming and in natural resource management at the state parks where he has served, and those are valuable skills in guiding a park such as New River where protection of the natural resource is so important,” said Lewis Ledford, director of the state parks system. “We’re pleased that he’s taking on this challenge.”
New River State Park was established in 1976 and now encompasses 2,359 acres. It recorded 267,993 visits in 2008.
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