Daniel A. Devlin, a veteran of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resource’s Bureau of Forestry, has been appointed state forester and will serve as director of the bureau.

Devlin, who has worked for 26 years in various positions in the Bureau of Forestry, will succeed Dr. James Grace, who is now DCNR’s deputy secretary for state parks and forestry.

“Dan Devlin brings to this position enthusiasm, energy and a deep knowledge of the bureau and Pennsylvania’s more than 2 million acres of state forest land,” DCNR Secretary Michael DiBerardinis said in announcing the appointment. “I look forward to tapping his breadth of knowledge and his vision to address new and challenging forest issues that include deer management, invasive species, private forest stewardship, improving recreational opportunities on the public land, and emerging policy issues such as wind power and sequestering carbon.”

Devlin, 54, takes over the reins of Pennsylvania’s forest system — the largest in the nation that is certified as sustainably managed to ensure its future health and that of the vibrant timber industry it supports.

“I am truly excited and honored to be able to build on the many successes that the Bureau of Forestry has achieved and I will strive to do more to connect people to the outdoors, manage the state forests entrusted to us and promote economic development, particularly in the Pennsylvania Wilds region, through nature tourism,” said Devlin.

Devlin lives in Duncannon, Perry County, with his wife and daughter.

He has served in a variety of positions since joining the Bureau of Forestry in 1981, including serving as director of forest planning and stewardship, division chief of resource planning and information, program manager and a wildlife biologist. He started his career as a reservation forest manager for the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs in Minnesota.

Devlin graduated from Penn State University with a bachelor’s degree in forest science and a minor in forest resources. He also received a master’s degree in wildlife management from Penn State.

9/7/2007