Aaron grew up in McKean, attended General McLane High School, and graduated from Slippery Rock University with a bachelor’s degree in safety and environmental management. Since then, he has worked various jobs in Hershey, Richmond, and Baltimore from Safety Manager at Gredau Steel Mill to selling HVAC and plumbing products to contractors and suppliers in Erie. All the while maintaining a close relationship with nature through mountain biking, snowboarding, and camping.
“I first discovered Asbury Woods when I was about 12 years old and was mountain biking with some friends. Back then, there wasn’t a boardwalk west of Asbury Road or a bridge over walnut creek so getting around was a little more challenging but loads of fun!” says Aaron. Thanks to years of hard work and community support, Asbury Woods now consists of 234 natural acres of fields, forests and wetlands, and offers over 5 miles of breathtaking trails that are free and open to the public all year long.
Aaron started at Asbury Woods in January 2023. Between his love of nature, his environmental safety and technical manufacturing background, and his plumbing and HVAC experience, the facilities and grounds position seemed a good fit. Aaron says that “I am the physical means to which achieving our goals here at Asbury Woods are accomplished. My job would not be possible without all our gracious volunteer help. Together, we make it possible for others here to do their job successfully through the maintenance of our systems and facilities and the management of our property’s needs.” Some of his most recent projects have included working on our outdoor children’s play area, The Little Woods, and overseeing the implementation of a Conservation Stewardship Plan adopted by Asbury Woods in July of 2023. The plan outlines several repairs to our trail system as well as how best to use and maintain the newly acquired areas of land. All of this, plus preparing for our robust programming and events held throughout the year sure keeps him busy!
But for Aaron, the best part is just being surrounded by nature. “Asbury Woods is a small gem, unique to Erie. The ability to immerse yourself in nature but still be so close to a metropolitan area is great! Walnut creek carves a unique landscape through a diverse and interesting ecosystem and the topography is a beautiful example of the coastal great lakes area. If you take time to look, you will always find something special here. Being in the woods here both reminds me of my childhood and always invites me to learn something new.”