Originally from Connecticut, Ryan has lived in Western North Carolina for over 30 years. In 2007 he graduated with a degree in GIS from Haywood Community College and a year later he began his career in conservation at Haywood Soil and Water Conservation District. Over the course of his 15 years with the Haywood District, Ryan was responsible for the GIS needs of numerous District projects. These projects allowed him to work with local, state and federal government, various non-profit organizations, and of course numerous landowners and farmers.

In 2017, Ryan took over management of the Farmland Preservation Program. During his tenure with the District, with the cooperation of the NCDA-ADFPTF and the USDA-NRCS, and many forward thinking farmers, Haywood Soil and Water was fortunate enough to receive over 30 Farmland Preservation Conservation Easements, resulting in the protection of over 2,000 acres of prime farmland. In this position, Ryan also served as the clerk to the Haywood County Agricultural Board and managed the Haywood County Voluntary Agricultural District program.

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