Carolyn Koestner (Photo provided)

LAKE PLACID — The Lake Placid Land Conservancy is pleased to announce the hiring of its newest staff member, Carolyn Koestner.

She joins the organization as the strategic conservation planner and will use her expertise in geographic information system (GIS) analysis and mapping to identify priority areas for conservation in the AuSable and Saranac River watersheds.

Her work aims to drive land protection efforts in the Adirondacks while generating collaborative opportunities with other local conservation groups.

Koestner earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in environmental science from Skidmore College and her certificate in GIS from Pace University. In addition to her education, she previously served in a variety of conservation and GIS positions, including assessing culverts to identify barriers to wildlife passage, teaching environmental education in New York City, serving as a GIS laboratory assistant and, most recently, working with the state Department of Environmental Conservation on source water protection across New York.

“We feel very fortunate to have found someone with Carolyn’s experience and creativity to lead this new project,” Kerry Crowningshield, LPLC’s executive director, said in a press release.

Though not originally from the Adirondacks, Koestner said she has quickly grown to love the area and is excited to focus her work on protecting the Adirondacks and to spend her free time continuing to explore this park.

The Lake Placid Land Conservancy is a nonprofit land trust that partners with landowners and communities in the AuSable and Saranac River watersheds to conserve important open spaces, viewsheds, wildlife habitats, water resources, and recreational lands that create opportunities for people to enjoy the region’s natural beauty. Their office is located in Lake Placid, and it protects lands in Keene, Wilmington, Jay and Lake Placid.