Peter Hausmann

I am sure that many in the local land-preservation community know Peter Hausmann, a long-time open-space advocate and Chester County resident. Peter just received another honor: he was awarded the Lifetime Conservation Leadership Award "for his decades of leadership and dedication in conserving our special places and landscapes" by the Pennsylvania Land Trust Association at their meeting in State College.

Peter has served as chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Natural Lands Trust for the past 13 years (in my experience, heading any board of trustees for 13 years is a formidable accomplishment in itself). "During his tenure as chairman, the organization has preserved more than 35,000 acres of open space, the single most productive period in the organization’s 60-year history," the Pennsylvania Land Trust Association's press release said.

I met Peter maybe 20 years ago when he was the chairman of Save Open Space, the group that spearheaded Chester County's open-space bond issue. I went to his West Chester office to interview him -- except I forgot my notebook and had to take notes in the back pages of my pocket calendar. Real professional.

(Photo credit: Ed Cunicelli.)