Long Island man picked to head state parks council

Alex Gault, Watertown Daily Times, N.Y.
Updated ·1 min read

Apr. 10—ALBANY — The New York Council of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation has a new chair.

Bryan Erwin, Mattituck, Long Island, was appointed by Gov. Kathleen C. Hochul as the new chair of the council, which advises, recommends and reports on all matters regarding state parks, recreation and historic preservation.

The board consists of the chairs of the 11 regional park commissions across New York, the state parks commissioner, the Department of Environmental Conservation commissioner and the chair of the Board for Historic Preservation, and oversees over 250 parks, recreational trails and boat launches.

Mr. Erwin has been the chair of the Long Island State Park Commission since 2008, serving a seven-year term and being reappointed in 2021. As of January 2022, he's been the acting chair of the state Council of Parks, after his predecessor, Lucy A. Rockefeller Waletzky, stepped down.

With his formal appointment, Mr. Erwin will become a board member of the National Heritage Trust and of the state Board for Historic Preservation.

"I am grateful to Governor Hochul for her confidence in my ability to lead the state Council of Parks," Mr. Erwin said in the statement announcing his appointment. "This is a very exciting time as we celebrate the Centennial of the New York State Park system. I always enjoy my time in our state parks and historic sites and look to build on a legacy that offers endless recreational and educational opportunities for visitors."

Mr. Erwin previously ran the Trade Advocacy Center for President Barack H. Obama in 2010, facilitating U.S. trade. He is now the founder and managing partner at Bluewave Merchant Partners, which helps companies access government trade assets as they sell their products or services to international markets.