NH Conservation Appoints New Executive Director

The Board of the New Hampshire Association of Conservation Commissions (NHACC) has named its fifth executive director in its 44-year history.

Nicholas “Nik” Coates comes to NHACC after six years as a planner with the Central New Hampshire Regional Planning Commission (CNHRPC). He moves into the position after Carol Andrews spent the past eight years as NHACC’s executive director. Andrews followed Marjorie Swope, the organization’s longtime executive director.

“First off, I want to thank Carol for the tremendous work she has done for the conservation community,” said Coates. “The challenges that conservation commissions face are diverse and the Board and I will work together to assist them so they can continue to be effective in their communities.

“With the new legislative session here, we will continue to ensure that conservation commission interests are well represented. Conservation commissioners are always looking for educational opportunities to improve their skills, and we will focus on providing meaningful opportunities to them. We will work hard on building relationships with the media and partners to promote the great work that conservation commissions are doing. And we will work hard to engage and inspire young people to get involved in this valuable work.”

While at CNHRPC, Coates oversaw the PATH program, which focused on helping municipalities, schools and businesses make it safer and more accessible to access transportation choices. He also led the Commute Green New Hampshire initiative, the statewide collaboration to improve access to transportation options. He will remain chair of the state’s Bicycle Pedestrian Transportation Advisory Committee.

“What I enjoyed about my time as a planner were the opportunities to improve the quality of life for residents. NHACC offers me the opportunity to continue working with municipalities on one of the most important issues of our state – protecting its natural resources and beauty. As someone who grew up in New Hampshire, that’s very important to my family and me.”

Coates received his master's degree in journalism from Northeastern University and undergraduate degree in communication from Southern New Hampshire University. He lives in Belmont with his wife and two sons, where he is also a member of the Belmont Conservation Commission.

NHACC began in 1970 and is nonprofit conservation organization that provides education and assistance to the 215 municipal conservation commissions in New Hampshire. NHACC provides important support to these local volunteers. Commissioners contact the NHACC office with numerous questions ranging from how to take meeting minutes, to best practices for trail building, to providing examples of language for a conservation easement with the purpose of protecting community drinking water supplies.