{"id":4523,"date":"2026-08-11T20:34:12","date_gmt":"2026-08-11T20:34:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usmovingexpertss.com\/?p=4523"},"modified":"2026-08-11T20:34:12","modified_gmt":"2026-08-11T20:34:12","slug":"georgia-conservationist-returns-to-sc-to-lead-influential-environmental-group","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usmovingexpertss.com\/?p=4523","title":{"rendered":"Georgia conservationist returns to SC to lead influential environmental group"},"content":{"rendered":"<article><!-- --><!-- --><!-- WPS-5038 -- removed the script from WPS and added the placeholder for trinity player --><!-- --><!-- --><!-- --><!-- --><!-- --><!-- --><!-- CONTENT --><!--[--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>A former staff member at the S.C. Coastal Conservation League has been picked to run the organization, an influential group that for years was considered a model on how an environmental association should be operated.<\/p>\n<p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/usmovingexpertss.com\/?p=4522\">SC man accused of selling liquor without a permit. Here\u2019s what the warrant says<\/a><\/p>\n<p><!-- --><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>Megan Desrosiers is leaving her position at One Hundred Miles, a Georgia coastal protection group, to direct operations at the Conservation League in Charleston beginning Jan. 1. Desrosiers was a founding member of One Hundred Miles in 2013.<\/p>\n<p><!-- --><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>In a news release, Desrosiers said she\u2019s \u201cthrilled\u2019\u2019 to be returning to the league. She worked for 10 years at the Coastal Conservation League under founder Dana Beach, with her duties including fighting to protect Johns Island from development, raising awareness about climate change and energy issues, and preservation of the historic Ashley River corridor near Charleston.<\/p>\n<p><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>Desrosiers, 50, is a Pennsylvania native who moved south to work at a farm protection organization before moving to the league for 10 years under Beach.<\/p>\n<p><!-- --><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>She said the South Carolina coast faces multiple environmental challenges that need to be addressed, including the population growth and sprawl, the arrival of data centers and the impacts of climate change, including sea level rise and flooding.<\/p>\n<p><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe problems are unprecedented, and our response will match the challenges,\u201d Desrosiers said in Tuesday\u2019s news release.<\/p>\n<p><!-- --><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>Scott Coleman, who chairs the board of One Hundred Miles, said his organization is losing a gifted employee who could bridge gaps between different interests  trying to protect the coast.<\/p>\n<p><!-- --><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>\u201cShe built a rapport with a lot of different folks,\u2019\u2019 he said. \u201cShe wasn\u2019t just sort of a dog barking in the corner. She was pragmatic. But she also wasn\u2019t so pragmatic that she set aside her environmental values.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>Desrosiers\u2019 return to the Conservation League follows issues with staff turnover that emerged after Beach retired in 2017. The league has had two directors since Beach, a widely respected environmentalist who insiders say left big shoes to fill.<\/p>\n<p><!-- --><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>While the league continued to speak out on environmental matters, the aggressive, bare-knuckled approach it was known for appeared to diminish after Beach\u2019s departure. Beach was sometimes criticized for filing lawsuits to protect the environment, but supporters say that was necessary.<\/p>\n<p><!-- --><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>The last director, Faith Rivers James, left in February after key staffers quit the organization, some complaining about the direction of the organization. Many of those who left had years of experience on conservation issues.<\/p>\n<p><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>James, whose hires included well-regarded former S.C. Natural Resources director Robert Boyles, defended her work.<\/p>\n<p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/usmovingexpertss.com\/?p=4520\">Many Columbia area voting locations change for SC Senate special election. Here\u2019s where<\/a><\/p>\n<p><!-- --><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>Desrosiers, in an interview with The State, said she learned a lot from Beach\u2019s management style, both in dealing with staff and in relations with the community.<\/p>\n<p><!-- --><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe had a big vision but also looked at every single name that came into the organization,\u2019\u2019 Desrosiers said. \u201cHe could inspire somebody to do something really difficult, such as go and talk to an elected official, or make another person feel special for writing a 10 dollar (donation) check.<\/p>\n<p><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think a good leader is someone who works with the people on their team to make sure that everyone understands what the vision or the goal is and then helps people on the team become leaders rather than followers,\u2019\u2019 she said. \u201cThat\u2019s what I hope to do with the staff at the Coastal Conservation League.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n<p><!-- --><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>At One Hundred Miles, Desrosiers helped establish an endowment like the one Beach established at the Conservation League to help fund the organization.<\/p>\n<p><!-- --><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>The Conservation League was historically on sound financial footing because of the endowment Beach established. Years after the league\u2019s founding, it had $9 million in assets, about $6 million of which was its endowment that provided a stable source of income. The league also was the first in South Carolina to have a large, full-time staff. The Conservation League model is credited with helping other environmental groups, like Upstate Forever, get started in South Carolina.<\/p>\n<p><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>Today, the league has more than 30 staff positions focused on various environmental issues the group deals with. The league has offices in Charleston, Columbia, Beaufort County and Georgetown County.<\/p>\n<p><!-- --><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s hard to imagine a more opportune time to have Megan return to the Conservation League and South Carolina,\u2019\u2019 Beach said in the news release. \u201cOur rivers and rural communities are threatened by growth pressures that are chipping away at some of our most iconic natural areas. Megan\u2019s experience makes her uniquely suited to face these challenges.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n<p><!-- --><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>Desrosiers and Coleman, the board chairman for One Hundred Miles, said they hope the two organizations can collaborate on regional environmental issues.<\/p>\n<p><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe are talking about the same salt marshes and the same environmental features\u2019\u2019 in the two states, he said. \u201cThere are a lot of opportunities.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n<p><!-- --><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>Until Desrosiers becomes full-time director in January, she will consult with the league. The league will, for the next five months, be overseen by former U.S. Environmental Protection Agency staffer Lori Cary-Kothera, who has been serving as interim director.<\/p>\n<p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/usmovingexpertss.com\/?p=4519\">Who did Gov. McMaster vote for in Tuesday\u2019s primary?<\/a><\/p>\n<p><!-- --><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>Desrosiers has three sons, the youngest of whom is a senior in high school.<\/p>\n<p><!--]--><!--]--><!-- --><!-- --><!-- --><\/article>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A former staff member at the S.C. Coastal Conservation League is returning to run the organization after directing an environmental group in Georgia.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4523","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-environment"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Georgia conservationist returns to SC to lead influential environmental group - US Moving Experts<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/usmovingexpertss.com\/?p=4523\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Georgia conservationist returns to SC to lead influential environmental group - US Moving Experts\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"A former staff member at the S.C. 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