Michael Hensley

Background

About Michael Hensley

I’ve dedicated most of my professional life (20 years+) to my passion for conserving our natural world, and doing so in a way that balances the needs of people with conservation of our environment. Despite having an English degree, and not a degree in a natural science, I was able to sneak my way into the field by virtue of a couple of tactics: a willingness to work for free as a park volunteer to prove myself to a rightfully doubtful park manager, and once “in the door” a tireless passion to make good things happen. My years with the Florida Park Service forged me into a “jack of all trades, master of some.” I learned to be more than passably good at virtually anything. A good Park Manager is a little bit of: cop, medic, teacher, naturalist, janitor, media relations specialist, wildlife specialist, and so much more. To really succeed you also need to excel at: leadership, grant writing, budget management, expecting accountability and being accountable. I’ll always treasure my nearly ten years with the Florida Park Service, and the life lessons learned that will always be with me. Joining The Nature Conservancy in 2010 represented a natural evolution in my conservation career, as I had reached a point where I wished to focus more on protection and restoration of our natural resources. When my in person interview for a Conservancy position in Kentucky was conducted during a canoe float on the Green River, I knew I’d lucked into the best next step. Conservation wins in Kentucky are virtually all “team wins” as opposed to individual achievements, and I was fortunate to play leading roles in: advocating for and finally removing Lock and Dam #6 from the Green River, protecting and restoring bottomland hardwoods in concert with private landowners, and engaging the distillery industry on mutually beneficial sustainable agriculture initiatives. In 2019, I moved south once again to take the reins for my current role as the Conservancy’s Chattahoochee Fall Line Program Director. I’m blessed to lead a team of four incredibly dedicated, experienced professionals, and represent this incredible program with a host of internal and external audiences and partners. Since 2019 we’ve built partnerships with agencies, individuals, and companies, and even built a permanent headquarters for our Fall Line program. It’s a long legacy of conservation success that I’m proud to be a part of!