Press release by Delaware Highlands Conservancy posted 27 August 2026
Executive Director Trey Talley at the Van Scott Nature Reserve in Beach Lake, PA
The Board of Directors is pleased to announce that Trey Talley has been named the organization’s new Executive Director, effective August 24, 2026. Talley has served as Acting Executive Director since June, following the departure of former Executive Director Diane Rosencrance. He is the third Executive Director in the Conservancy’s more than 30-year history.
Following a comprehensive national search that drew a strong pool of qualified candidates, the Board selected Talley based on his deep knowledge of the Conservancy and its work, his experience in land conservation and organizational planning, and his commitment to serving the communities of the Upper Delaware River region.
“We are thrilled to welcome Trey Talley as our new Executive Director,” stated Conservancy President Jacqueline Sailer. “Trey has shown that he is a natural leader who is committed to land conservation, the local community, and the Conservancy’s mission. His vision for the future will broaden the Conservancy’s important impact on our landscapes, clean air and clean water for generations to come.”
Talley joined the Delaware Highlands Conservancy’s land protection team in 2018 and has spent the past eight years leading and supporting land conservation projects throughout the Conservancy’s service area in New York and Pennsylvania. Through this work, he has developed strong relationships with local and regional stakeholders, including landowners, grant funders, and public and private conservation organizations.
In addition to his land protection work, Talley worked closely with Rosencrance on strategic and organizational planning, conservation policy advocacy, and the development and expansion of regional partnerships. He represents the Conservancy through multiple regional networks and coalitions and has served as a reviewer, contributor, and committee member for environmental planning efforts within the Conservancy’s service area.
“I am deeply honored to take on this new role at Delaware Highlands Conservancy,” Talley stated. “This is a critical time for conservation efforts in the Upper Delaware River region, and I look forward to working with other members of our community, including our partners in conservation and education, to build upon the Conservancy’s three decades of positive impact. Toward that end, we will continue protecting land, expanding our education programming, and inviting members of the public to enjoy hiking and exploring at the Van Scott Nature Reserve.”
The public is invited to meet Talley at the Conservancy’s annual free Meadow Party(opens in new tab) on September 19 at the Van Scott Nature Reserve in Beach Lake, PA. Drop in between 10 and 11 a.m. for bagels, coffee, and conversation with Trey and members of the Conservancy community.
The leadership transition comes at a time of continued momentum for the Conservancy. The organization has expanded its land protection and environmental education efforts and continues to develop partnerships and secure resources for conservation throughout the Upper Delaware River region. During Rosencrance’s ten years as Executive Director, the Conservancy protected nearly 5,000 additional acres in Pennsylvania and New York, expanded its staff, and established the 144-acre Van Scott Nature Reserve in Beach Lake, Pennsylvania, as a growing center for conservation and environmental education.
With the completion of the leadership transition, the Conservancy is entering a new chapter while remaining firmly rooted in its mission and the relationships that have supported its work for more than 30 years.
Read More
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Delaware Highlands Conservancy Announces Executive Director Transition
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About Trey Talley
Before joining the Delaware Highlands Conservancy, Talley served as an AmeriCorps Land Protection & Education Associate with the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy in Asheville, North Carolina. During graduate school, he worked as a Research Assistant at the Environmental Finance Center at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Earlier in his career, he was a financial analyst at a Community Development Bank in Chicago, Illinois.
Talley holds a Master of City & Regional Planning degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he specialized in land use and environmental planning, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from the University of Chicago.
Talley lives in Honesdale, Pennsylvania, with his wife, Peggy, and their two children. Outside of work, he enjoys hiking, fly fishing, and spending time with friends and family.