The Hamilton County Park District welcomes Mr. DeVere Burt to the Board of Park Commissioners.

Mr. Burt formerly served as President and CEO of the Cincinnati Museum of Natural History until 1996, before fulfilling his lifelong desire to paint nature. Mr. Burt founded Masterworks for Nature in 2000 with a vision of bringing some of the area’s finest wildlife, western, and landscape artists together with nonprofit conservation organizations in order to raise awareness and funds.

Mr. Burt has also served as regional Vice President for the Nature Conservancy, directing its interests across a nine state area. He was also a field biologist for the United States Antarctic Research Program, studying the breeding biology of the Adelie penguins. He has personally participated in three expeditions to find rare birds: the Negro Fruit Dove on the Philippine island of Negros; the only population of the Panay Stripped Tree Babbler in the Philippines and the Ivory Billed Woodpecker along the Choctowatchee River in Florida.

Mr. Burt’s term began January 1, 2013. He joins John Reis, Joseph Seta, Ginger Warner and Buddy LaRosa on the Board of Park Commissioners.

As established by state law, the Board of Park Commissioners is appointed by the Hamilton County Judge of Probate Court, currently the Honorable James Cissell. Mr. Burt is the 20th Commissioner to serve in the Park District’s 82-year history. The Board of Park Commissioners is composed of five members that serve terms without compensation. They establish policy and approve budgets and expenditures for all Park District land acquisitions, development projects, services, facilities and equipment.