Richard O’Keefe, New Board Chair

Richard O’Keefe of Morris was elected Chairman of the Board of Directors at the annual meeting in April, after previously serving as treasurer. Rick is a conservation easement landowner and donor and an active member of the Butternut Valley Alliance. He has a deep passion for protecting the beauty and environmental quality of the Upper Susquehanna region. As the owners of Cahoon Fen and Forest in the Maple Grove section of Morris, Rick O’Keefe and John Chanik advocate for permaculture and wild native gardens, as well as the forests and fields that make up their 105-acre conservation property. They generously hosted the Conservation Easement Landowner celebration in 2023, where more than 70 local people gathered to celebrate the success of conservation in our region. Rick is a practicing physician at Columbia Health at the Morningside Campus of Columbia University. Otsego Land Trust is very fortunate to have him leading the board toward a stable and sustainable future for the organization.

Photos Left to Right: Rick O’Keefe welcomes guests to the 2023 Landowner Celebration. Rick O’Keefe and John Chanik look out over a pond on their conserved land. A forest view of Cahoon Fenn and Forest, Rick O’Keefeand John Chanik’s conservation easement.