Whiterock Conservancy in Coon Rapids has announced its new executive director.
Chris Freland will be the new director, following the retirement of Dan Gudahl. Freland has over 20 years of combined nonprofit leadership experience in agriculture and food marketing, including her work as the former executive director of the Iowa Beef Industry Council. Freland lives in Gowrie, and she is looking forward to recreating as well as working at Whiterock.
The conservancy is a nonprofit land trust stewarding 5,500 acres of prairie, savanna, wetland, crop land, pastures, and forest along the Middle Raccoon River. Besides its work in sustainable agriculture, Whiterock offers overnight hospitality, an extensive trail system, and spaces for outdoor recreation.