Catskill Center Announces Markley Boyer appointed to Chair, Board of Directors; Three new members join Board of Directors

ARKVILLE, NEW YORK---The Catskill Center announced the appointment of Markley Boyer to Chair, at its most recent meeting of the Board of Directors. Mr. Boyer previously served as the Board’s Treasurer alongside long-time Chair Jim Infante. Three new members joined the board. Board member Camilla Lancaster was appointed to Treasurer.

“It has been a privilege to serve on the board of the Catskill Center for the last 5 years, during a period of exceptional accomplishment and growth. I am deeply honored to partner with Jeff Senterman, Executive Director, to help lead the Center as we continue to expand our programs promoting the well-being of our beautiful region," said Mr. Boyer.

Mr. Boyer has been a part-time resident of the Catskills since 1996 with property outside of Potter Hollow, New York, at the southern edge of Schoharie County.  He is an avid fisherman with a great interest in the streams of the Catskills and the trout that live in them. Mr. Boyer co-owned a digital imaging company in Manhattan for many years that pioneered digital photography in the fashion industry.

From 2005 to 2009, he worked on two major projects for the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) in New York.  The first was a large-scale ecotourism development plan for Gabon. WCS had been instrumental in establishing thirteen new national parks to protect intact rainforest with substantial wildlife populations.  The project involved creating new maps of the parks as well as guidelines and recommendations for implementing a sustainable tourism industry.

The second major project for WCS was a visual reconstruction of the landscapes and ecosystems of Manhattan Island in 1609 at the time that Henry Hudson first arrived. Working with landscape ecologist Eric Sanderson, Markley used GIS and 3D modeling software to create images of the island as it appeared in 1609. The images were used for a book, Manahatta: A Natural History of New York City, published by Abrams, in an exhibit at the Museum of the City of New York, and for the cover of National Geographic.

Mr. Boyer has an undergraduate degree in philosophy from Princeton University and recently completed a master's degree in Material Culture at the Bard Graduate Center in New York.  His family has been very active with The Nature Conservancy and other organizations in preserving the rich and relatively undisturbed ecosystems of Maine's Cobscook Bay.

Three new members were also elected to the board: John Lyons, David Kukle and Calandra Cruickshank. John Lyons said he is “thrilled to join the Catskill Center Board. I am looking forward very much to working with the Board and staff to advance the Catskill Center's many exciting efforts and initiatives.” David Kukle is “looking forward with great enthusiasm to the honor and privilege to serve such a wonderful organization. I am committed to the mission envisioned by folks that came before me, who led the way with such passion and steadfast commitment for the Catskills, and their place in the world.” Calandra Cruickshank said, “It is an honor to join the Catskill Center board. I look forward to actively supporting their mission to both protect our treasured natural resources and help sustainably grow our local communities.”

Jeff Senterman, Executive Director, said “the Catskill Center is grateful to our Board of Directors, former Chair Jim Infante especially, for providing our organization steadfast guidance and support. As we continue the work of the Center, we are guided by our mission and the legacy championed by our current and past board members. We warmly welcome our newest board members and Chair, and look forward to continuing to work for our shared region.”

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CATSKILL CENTER

Since 1969, we have led the effort to protect the more than 700,000 acres of the Catskill Park and Catskill Forest Preserve. We are the major force advocating for the Catskill region.

OUR MISSION  To protect and foster the environmental, cultural and economic well-being of the Catskill region. catskillcenter.org

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