Patrick Lynch is a conservation leader with more than 15 years of experience in the nonprofit sector. He has advised municipalities on water infrastructure improvements and land acquisitions, served in leadership roles at watershed associations and other conservation groups, and supported intertribal environmental causes to advance Native sovereignty. Recently, Patrick has spoken at community Rotary Clubs, Trout Unlimited, Adirondack Research Symposium, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, and Onondaga County Council on Environmental Health. In his role at CNY Land Trust, he oversees a portfolio of 57 nature preserves and a team that includes 3 staff and more than 175 volunteers across the region.

Patrick holds a Masters in Public Administration from Harvard Kennedy School, a J.D. from Vanderbilt Law School and a Bachelor’s in Economics and English Literature from Fairfield University. He serves on the Advisory Boards of the Onondaga County Greenways + Blueways program, the Oneida Lake Watershed and Otisco Lake Watershed 9E Plans, and on the Communications Committee of the New York Outdoor Recreation Coalition. Patrick is a Member of the World Commission on Environmental Law, stemming from the eight years he spent building coalitions to improve Chilean water policy and protect rivers in the Patagonia region of South America. He is fluent in Spanish, and is available to speak to community groups in English or Spanish about the public benefits of saving land across Central New York. He lives in Pompey with his wife and lovable cat, and in the warmer months you can usually find him paddling the Erie Canal System. Follow his adventures on Instagram, Threads and Bluesky at @plynchrivers.