Noah Matson

Noah Matson Vice President for Land Conservation

Areas of Expertise: National Wildlife Refuge, U.S. Forest Service, National Park, and Bureau of Land Management law and policy, wildlife and global warming, federal appropriations' U.S.-Mexico border region conservation

Noah directs Defenders’ effort to create and implement policies and strategies to conserve habitat for threatened and endangered species, and overall biodiversity on federal, state, and private lands. He takes lead responsibility in working with the U.S. Congress, state agencies, and non-governmental organizations on initiatives to enhance habitat conservation on public and private lands. Noah also supervises and directs all of Defenders’ land conservation programs including the Habitat and Highways Program, the Conservation Planning Program, the Federal Lands Program, and the Oregon Biodiversity Program.

Previous to his position as Vice President, Noah was the Director of Defenders’ Federal Lands Program overseeing Defenders’ program to insure that wildlife and habitat is restored and sustained on public lands, with an emphasis on the National Wildlife Refuge System. He has successfully worked to ensure that laws, federal regulations, and government policies strengthen the wildlife conservation mandate of the refuge system.

Before joining Defenders of Wildlife in 1999, Noah worked for two Department of Interior agencies, the U.S. Geological Survey where he conducted hydrology studies and the National Park Service where he worked as a ranger teaching marine ecology to children. He holds a B.S. in biology-geology from the University of Rochester and a Masters of Environmental Management from the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies.