Elizabeth Estill
Elizabeth Estill spent her career in natural resources management and protection, and lectures and consults on natural resource issues.
2007-Present: Occasional lectures and consultancy in Natural Resource Issues. Mostly enjoying retirement.
She retired in 2007 as the Deputy Chief of the US Forest Service, responsible for strategic planning, policy development, fiscal accountability, legislation, and communications with the public, Congress, the White House, and Governors. She received the Distinguished Rank Award for Senior Executives in Government from President George W. Bush “in recognition of visionary, global leadership in involving corporations, volunteers and communities in collaborative natural resource management”. The President also cited leadership and commitment to mentoring which “resulted in a new generation of more diverse and effective Government leaders”.
Prior to becoming the Deputy Chief, Estill was the Regional Forester of the Southern Region (thirteen States including Tennessee) and Puerto Rico responsible for an annual budget of approximately $300,000,000 and a 4,000-person workforce. Provided management direction and oversight for the National Forests, and State and Private Forestry programs throughout the Southeast. Initiated the Southern Forest Resource Assessment to evaluate sustainability that now provides a common understanding of resource conditions for decision-makers at all levels of government.
In 1992, Elizabeth Estill broke the 100-year-old “glass ceiling” of the male-dominated USDA Forest Service, becoming the agency’s first female Regional Forester (Rocky Mountain Region). She was responsible for management of 22 million acres of National Forests and Grasslands, as well as programs implemented through State organizations. Awarded commendations from the White House, the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Interior for developing collaborative processes across agencies that saved the region more than $4,000,000 annually. Invigorated public concern for protecting water resources and negotiated the first Wilderness water rights for the Forest Service. Estill was elected and served as the Chairman of the Federal Executive Board (112 agency heads) in Denver.
Career Related Activities:
World Parks Conference, plenary speaker, Durban, South Africa
Landcare Conference, US delegate, Darwin, Australia
World Wilderness Congress, plenary speaker, Port Elizabeth, South Africa
World Forestry Forum, US delegate and presenter, Geneva, Switzerland
World Experts Meeting on Protected Areas, Co-chair with Director of the Environment for Brazil, San Juan, Puerto Rico
Greener Forests Program, represented the United States Government, Stockholm, Sweden
European Ministers Meeting on Sustainability, representing the Secretary of Agriculture, Lisbon, Portugal
World Forestry Congress, delegate, Antalya, Turkey
World Wilderness Congress, plenary speaker, Tromso, Norway
World Forestry Congress, delegate, Paris, France.Current and Previous Professional Affiliations and Board Memberships: Society of American Foresters
Board of Directors, Chairman, Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont
International Women’s Forum
Advisory Board, University of Tennessee College of Forestry, Wildlife, and Fisheries
Board Member, University of Colorado Environmental Law Center
Board Member, Kentucky Science and Technology Commission
Board Member, Alabama Environmental Quality Council
Advisory Board, Oquirrh Institute (appointed by Gov. Michael Leavitt)
Board of Directors, Pinchot Institute for Conservation
Sigma Xi, Scientific Research Society