Lesley Starke has built her career in state government conservation programs focused on the in situ conservation of rare and imperiled plants. For more than a decade, she has led the on-the-ground stewardship of protected plant populations on dedicated nature preserves in North Carolina and Virginia while also developing and implementing broader conservation programs for imperiled species. She serves as Chief of Natural Areas Stewardship for the Virginia Natural Heritage Program and formerly managed the North Carolina Plant Conservation Program.
Her work extends beyond agency boundaries to build partnerships among government agencies, nonprofits, land trusts, botanical gardens, researchers, and academic institutions and leverage their collective expertise and capacity to advance durable conservation outcomes. Her work centers on understanding and addressing threats to native plant populations, designing and stewarding protected areas, rehabilitating natural communities, and adapting conservation strategies to constant and accelerating change. Lesley holds a Master of Environmental Management from Duke University’s Nicholas School of the Environment and a B.A. in Biology from Hampshire College.
Support the people who manage our natural areas and protect biodiversity in perpetuity.
