Mike Valenti joined the Delaware Nature Society (DelNature) as Director of Abbott’s Mill Nature Center in March 2023. He came to DelNature from the Delaware Forest Service, Delaware Department of Agriculture, where he worked in forest health, wildland fire, land acquisition, and his last 12 years served as Forestry Administrator. During his tenure, many milestones were reached including permanently protecting 2,919 acres of forestland, the expansion of Delaware’s wildland firefighting program, and a complete update of the Delaware Forest Action Plan in 2020. Mike carries his commitment to accomplishment, enthusiasm, and passion for land conservation to his new position at Abbott’s Mill.
Since 2002, Mike has maintained an adjunct faculty appointment at Delaware State University and taught courses in entomology and dendrology and currently teaches a graduate course in population biology. This educational skill set will be an asset to DelNature when it comes to connecting people with the natural environment.
A noteworthy part of Mike’s previous employment was his participation in wildland firefighting. He has served on 23 out-of-state wildland fire deployments, mostly in the role of crew boss. He led 20-person crews throughout the western U.S., most notably in the states of Idaho, Montana, and California.
Mike lives in Dover with his wife Amy. They raised four boys, all of whom, like their dad earned the rank of Eagle Scout. Although his sons have long aged out of Scouting, Mike still remains active as a volunteer adult leader in Del-Mar-Va Council having witnessed firsthand the benefits of Scouting and desiring to pass on those timeless values to the next generation of young men and women.