Program Leader
Field Trip Leaders
David Ackerman has spent his career immersed in the natural world, working as a naturalist in Michigan, Ohio, and California before studying in Wildlife Biology at Humboldt State University. He later returned to Ohio to start a family and help run the family business while remaining deeply involved in conservation efforts. Dave served on the board of the Ohio chapter of The Sierra Club, co-chairing the Forests and Public Lands Committee, and contributed to ecological research through surveys for the U.S. Geological Survey. In recent years, he has found a new passion for sharing his love of nature with the Arc’s community of staff and volunteers. “There’s nothing better than being in the woods with my fellow ‘Nature Nerds’ and learning from them. It feeds my soul.”
David Baker and his wife, Kim (the Arc’s Outreach Coordinator), have been OSU 4-H leaders for nearly 20 years in Adams County, Ohio. They find joy in mentoring young people and believing that the future of our planet depends on the investments we make in them. For years, they nurtured a dream to protect the back-forty of their farm, a landscape defined by a deep limestone gorge. Their dedication led them into partnership with the Arc, and today, Quiverheart Gorge Preserve stands as a testament to their vision and commitment to conservation. David has called this land home since he was 12 years old, making its preservation especially meaningful.
Brent Charette was trained in forest resource management at Hocking Technical College. His first career was with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, first working as a state-wide naturalist for the Division of Parks and Recreation, and eventually serving as Park Manager at Malabar Farm State Park. Brent now works for the Arc of Appalachia, serving as the Director of Land Stewardship. In his personal time, he relishes caring for one of the Sanctuary’s tracts of land known as Ridgeview Farm, where he cares for the trails, removes invasive plants, and plants a ton of trees! Brent’s greatest passions include nature interpretation, permaculture & forest gardening, native tree propagation, and subsistence gardening. He loves anything to do with trees, including growing his own edible mushrooms, carpentry, and studying mycorrhizal associations.
Elijah Crabtree is Land Manager for the Arc’s Tremper Mound Preserve in Scioto County. Elijah was born and raised in Ross County – the epicenter of Hopewell architecture – where he developed a passion for local cultural history, natural sciences, and conservation work. He has a special interest in connecting people to the natural world and promoting historically significant sites as protected public domains for education and inspiration. Elijah is an excellent all-around naturalist and has a special passion, particularly for geology.
Robert Klips Is an associate professor emeritus in the Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology at Ohio State University, where he taught for over twenty years. He currently manages the bryophyte and lichen specimen collections in the herbarium at OSU’s Museum of Biological Diversity. Skilled in botanical macrophotography, Klips served as the photographer for the Ohio Division of Wildlife’s 2017 Common Lichens of Ohio Field Guide and has contributed images to dozens of books, periodicals, and websites. He frequently conducts fieldwork and educates nature study groups about the identification, ecology, and distribution of Ohio plants and lichens.