Redwood Parks Conservancy Welcomes Tara Dettmar as New Executive Director

Press release from the Redwood Parks Conservancy:

Redwood Parks Conservancy (RPC) is pleased to announce the appointment of Tara Dettmar as its new Executive Director. A longtime environmental professional with deep roots in Northern California, Dettmar brings more than two decades of experience in conservation, environmental education, habitat restoration, cultural resources, and collaborative stewardship to the organization.

Dettmar’s connection to the natural world began in a small town on the Florida-Georgia border, where she spent her childhood exploring beaches, springs, wetlands, and maritime forests. After graduating from Warren Wilson College in North Carolina, she embarked on a journey that took her across the country through a variety of environmental and educational roles, including service with AmeriCorps, food education programs in Oregon, and outdoor science education in Southern California.

That journey ultimately led her to Northwest California through the Watershed Stewards Project, where she discovered a landscape that would become home. Over the next decade, Dettmar worked throughout the Klamath and Smith River watersheds and along the North Coast with organizations including the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Smith River Alliance, Tolowa Dunes Stewards, the Yurok Tribe Environmental Program, and the U.S. Forest Service. Her work focused on fisheries biology, environmental education, habitat restoration, and cultural resource stewardship.

Most recently, Dettmar spent more than five years helping lead the Tribal Marine Stewards Network, a statewide, Tribally led initiative supporting coastal stewardship projects and programs across California. The role strengthened her commitment to the idea that conservation and community are inseparable.

“Returning to a regionally focused role in a place I’ve long called home is incredibly meaningful,” said Dettmar. “I’m excited to support Redwood Parks Conservancy’s mission and to work alongside the staff, volunteers, partner agencies, Tribal Nations, donors, and community members who care so deeply about these landscapes. My first priority is to listen, learn, and build strong relationships as we continue this important work together.”

As Executive Director, Dettmar will lead Redwood Parks Conservancy’s efforts to support public lands throughout Northern California, including partnerships with the National Park Service, California State Parks, Bureau of Land Management, and U.S. Forest Service. She will oversee the organization’s programs, fundraising, retail operations, educational initiatives, volunteer efforts, and community engagement activities that help foster understanding, enjoyment, and stewardship of the region’s public lands.