State Parks Commissioner Carol Ash to Speak at 58th Annual Recreation Conference

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OPRHP Commissioner Carol Ash

CORTLAND, NY (10/28/2008)(readMedia)-- Carol Ash, the commissioner of the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP) and the state historic preservation officer, will deliver the prestigious Metcalf Endowment Lecture at this year's 58th annual SUNY Cortland Recreation Conference from Nov. 6-7 at the College.

Ash's vision for the future of State Parks includes improving park infrastructure and working to ensure that the agency's policies and initiatives can serve as a model in efforts to address global warming. Her talk, "Rebuilding New York State's Parks," begins at 1:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 7, in the Corey Union Function Room. The lecture is free and open to the public.

"Reach for Recreation" is the theme of the two-day gathering, the nation's oldest continuous collegiate-sponsored recreation education conference. Sponsored by the College's Department of Recreation, Parks and Leisure Studies, the conference receives additional support for its Metcalf Lecture from the Metcalf Endowment.

Registration begins at 7 a.m. on Thursday and 7:30 a.m. on Friday at Corey Union. The fee is $85 for professionals and $35 for students to attend both days; $60 for professionals and $35 for students to attend Thursday only; and $55 for professionals and $35 for students to attend Friday only. The additional cost to receive Continuing Education Unit (CEU) credits is $8. The registration fee includes meals and entertainment. Additional information may be obtained by calling (607) 753-4939, by e-mailing recconf@cortland.edu or online at www.cortland.edu/rec, where the brochure and registration form may be viewed or printed.

The conference will offer more than 30 educational sessions and practical workshops on recreation management, therapeutic recreation, outdoor recreation, environmental education, and leisure and society.

Approximately 400 recreation professionals and college recreation majors are expected to participate in the conference. Topics will include "Sensory Swimming: Making Waves with Kids and Autism," "Longview: Intergenerational Programming in Therapeutic Recreation," "It's a Guide's Life," and "New Games: The Foundation of Cooperative and Non-Competitive Play."

Cortland alumni presenting at this year's conference include Jess Krueger '06, Donna Dvoracek '07, John Larue '89, Laurie Penny McGee '99, John Silsby '70, James Francisco Bonnila '76 and Elizabeth Conveny '05.

The event is planned and directed by SUNY Cortland recreation and leisure studies majors in the Special Events Planning class, taught by Lecturer Patrick Mercer. The students and the committees they chair include:

• Brandon Seymore of Camden, N.Y., conference co-coordinator, internal services, exhibits, and internship forum;

• Tommy Gill of Scipio Center, N.Y., social services and program support;

• Kevin Green of Cortland, N.Y., program coordinator and special speakers;

• Jennifer Smiley of Phoenix, N.Y., conference co-coordinator and registration and tracking;

• Emily Kishbaugh of Unatego, N.Y., program design and printing, office manager, and volunteer coordinator; and

• Nate Smith of Greene, N.Y., bulk mailing, public relations, and marketing.

When Ash was confirmed to her current position in March 2007 by the New York State Senate, Albany Times Union columnist Fred LeBrun described her as "one of the most qualified nominees in history."

Ash, who joined OPRHP as acting director in January 2007, oversees an agency that administers 176 state parks, 35 state historic sites and 19 heritage areas.

Before she was selected as OPRHP commissioner, Ash was executive director of the Palisades Interstate Park Commission, which manages more than 100,000 acres in New York and New Jersey. The first woman to hold the post in its 107-year history, Ash oversaw passage of the Highlands Conservation Act in 2004, creation of the Highlands Environmental Research Institute, construction of the U.S. Senator Frank R. Lautenberg Visitor Center in Sterling Forest and construction of the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor.

Previously, as New York state director of The Nature Conservancy, she was involved in the successful effort to preserve Sterling Forest and helped negotiate the purchase of 15,000 acres of Whitney Park in the Adirondacks.

In 1992, Ash became the first director of the Office of Environmental Policy, which was created to initiate proactive environmental programs within the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. She was responsible for a budget of $10 million and managed environmental issues immediately after the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center.

From 1985 to 1992, Ash served as the New York City regional director for the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, responsible for carrying out activities related to the Environmental Conservation Law. During her tenure, Jamaica Bay was designated as a Critical Environmental Area; more than 200 acres of threatened open space was purchased; and her regional unit obtained approval of the City's solid waste management plan.

Ash has been the recipient of numerous honors, including the annual Advocates Award by the Environmental Advocates of New York. She has also served as board member to many organizations that encourage environmental advocacy, the stewardship of our parks and greenways and the preservation of precious natural resources.

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