Lenny Lichvar of Boswell, Somerset County, was sworn in this week as the District 4 commissioner for the Fish and Boat Commission, representing Bedford, Blair, Cambria, Fulton, Huntingdon, Juniata, Mifflin and Somerset counties.

Commissioner Lichvar was reappointed to the post late last year by Gov. Edward Rendell and was confirmed by the Senate on December 16. Commissioners serve eight-year terms and receive no compensation. Commissioner Lichvar’s eight-year term expires on December 16, 2017.

Commissioner Lichvar is deeply involved in conservation matters, both professionally and in numerous volunteer organizations. He is currently district manager for the Somerset Conservation District. He previously served as executive director of the non-profit Southern Alleghenies Conservancy for eight years and currently serves on the conservancy’s board of directors. He is chairman of the Stonycreek-Conemaugh River Improvement Project and is on the board of the Somerset County Conservancy.

Commissioner Lichvar is a board member, Stream Improvement chairman and Yellow Creek Coalition representative for the Mountain Laurel Chapter of Trout Unlimited. He is a member of the Jenner Rod and Gun Club. He has previously served on the board of directors of the Pennsylvania Organization for Watersheds and Rivers.

In addition, Commissioner Lichvar is a freelance outdoor writer and photographer whose works have been published in local, state and national publications. Twice he has won recognition from the Pennsylvania Outdoor Writers Association for the best published article on trout and coldwater conservation. He is presently an outdoors correspondent for the Somerset Daily American and produces a monthly outdoors page for the newspaper.

Other community interests include the Boswell Area Jaycees, where he is an alumni member, two-time past president and current newsletter editor and publisher. He is also the founder and current president of the Boswell Area Historical Society and previously served as chairman of the Boswell Centennial Homecoming Celebration Committee.