The Columbia Land Conservancy, Tue., May 26, announced Peter Paden, its executive director since 2007, will retire at the end of 2020. In a press release the Conservancy wrote, "Peter has been an extraordinary leader and the legacy of his work will endure for years to come." Under Paden's leadership, CLC has "Conserved an additional 10,000 acres of land in Columbia County, including the permanent protection of more than 30 Columbia County family farms; Began one of the country’s first Farmer-Landowner Match Programs, connecting more than 75 farmers and landowners and keeping more than 3,600 acres of farmland in production; opened the...Harris Conservation Area in Austerlitz, the...1,700-acre Overmountain Conservation Area in Ancram and facilitated creation of the Hand Hollow State Forest in New Lebanon." The Board of Trustees' search for a new leader is underway. CLC has contracted with Kittleman and Associates to manage the search process. Read the full press release at clctrust [dot] org.