The selection of Taft by a search committee comes with the unanimous approval of the board of directors and follows a comprehensive six-month process. During that period, a national search was conducted and candidates from across the country were screened and interviewed, however, it was the homegrown candidate who best suited the Society’s needs and future direction.

“The search committee spent hundreds of hours reviewing resumes, interviewing candidates from as far away as Texas and Colorado, and asking each applicant the questions we felt were most critical in choosing an outstanding leader for our organization. Larry brings to the executive director’s position such a breadth of experience, knowledge of our mission, a wealth of non-profit leadership and familiarity with the issues and structures of Rhode Island's environmental community that his selection prevailed,” said Kohlenberg.

Taft’s legacy, as the Properties and Acquisitions Director, is comprised of his strategic leadership when working with area landowners, foundation representatives, allied conservation organizations and volunteers in adding nearly 1,000 acres of important natural habitat under Audubon’s permanent protection during the past five years.

His responsibilities included the stewardship of more than 9,500 acres of land under ASRI’s care, directing limited resources while delivering optimal results. Under the initiatives of Taft, the Society secured approximately $50,000 in matching funds for the restoration of local grassland habitats at Audubon refuges.

Taft also increased the Society’s capacity to manage its refuges in a more scientific manner by providing training for refuge staff in ecological inventory and monitoring protocols in partnership with the Rhode Island Natural History Survey. Working in consultation with biologists at R.I. Department of Environmental Management (RIDEM), he made the Society’s Marion Eppley Refuge a recovery area for sand plain gerardia, classified among the world’s most endangered species of plants. His work at the 14 wildlife refuges, which are the centerpieces of the Audubon Society of Rhode Island’s land holdings, led to advancements in staff training, improvements to refuges that also serve as visitor centers, broader public awareness, and increased attendance and revenue generation from program offerings.

Prior to joining the Audubon Society in 1999, Taft was the chief executive officer of the Norman Bird Sanctuary in Middletown, R.I., a position he held for 14 years.

Under his leadership, the Norman Bird Sanctuary (NBS) grew from a small community refuge into a thriving resource for Newport County. Memberships increased from 800 to 2000 families along with a dramatic rise in attendance for environmental education programming. The sanctuary established an award-winning volunteer recruitment and recognition program, which resulted in an increase in volunteer hours and became a model for other organizations throughout the state.

From 1989 to 1991, Taft managed a $1.6 million dollar capital campaign to purchase a critical piece of land adjacent to NBS that was slated for development. The campaign not only exceeded its goal, it received international recognition.

Taft supervised the sanctuary’s education staff and education committee in launching a widely acclaimed educational initiative called “Project Islle” (Island Students Learning about their Local Environment). A comprehensive environmental education program, Project Islle reached all 5th graders from Newport, Middletown and Portsmouth through a combination of in-school presentations, on-site field trips and independent investigation. The project also resulted in the production of an educational video as well as a student-produced, local wildlife guide. Interdisciplinary in its approach, Project Islle incorporated science, math and writing skills and was one of the first environmental education programs in the state to dovetail with the R.I. science standards and received substantial foundation and corporate support.

Earlier in his career, Taft was affiliated with the Audubon Society of Rhode Island as both an education coordinator and an assistant camp director. He was also employed by RIDEM as a park naturalist and the University of Rhode Island as an instructor and naturalist.

“I have spent my entire professional career dedicated to the environment in one way or another. Preservation and protection of the natural world is not just what I do for a living; it’s my passion. To become the executive director of the Audubon Society of Rhode Island is the realization of a long-term goal of mine. I look forward to providing the Society with new ideas, energy and an enthusiastic leadership style along with a solid understanding of the traditions, values and unique history of the Audubon Society of Rhode Island,” said Taft.

Taft’s professional and civic affiliations are numerous. He serves on the Governor’s Advisory Committee on Natural Heritage Preservation and reviews recreational development grants submitted to the RIDEM’s Open Space Grants program. He is currently in his second term on the board of directors of the Rhode Island Natural History Survey. With that organization, Taft serves on the executive committee and fund development committee. He was also chairman of the Natural History Survey’s annual conferences in 1998 and 1999.

Coordinating efforts with government, non-profit and business leaders, Taft was a member of the steering committees for open space, recreation and clean water bonds that state voters carried resoundingly in 2000 and 2004. That support funneled $50 million and $75 million, respectively, into significant environmental projects. He is a founding board member and past officer of the Aquidneck Island Land Trust, serving from 1989 through 1996. He remains on the trust’s board of advisors and land management committee. He is the past chairman of the land use committee for the Town of Middletown, where as a member of the citizens advisory committee, he coordinated creation of a land use plan for Middletown.

Taft earned his Master of Sciences in Environmental Studies from Antioch/New England Graduate School in Keene, N.H. He also holds a Bachelor of Sciences in Natural Resources from the University of Rhode Island, Kingston.

He succeeds Lee C. Schisler, Jr., who served as ASRI executive director for 11 years, before vacating the post last summer and returning to his home state of Pennsylvania to become president of Hawk Mountain Sanctuary in Kempton.

The Audubon Society of Rhode Island, independent and unaffiliated with the National Audubon Society, was founded in 1897. Today, with 17,000 members and supporters, the Audubon Society of Rhode Island is dedicated to education, land conservation and advocacy. The Society independently protects or owns more than 9,500 acres of woodlands and coastal property embracing diverse natural habitats. More than 33,000 students from area schools participate annually in its educational programs. A voice in statewide ecological issues, the Society actively fulfills its environmental stewardship through preservation and protection of Rhode Island’s natural heritage.

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