This profile introduces Leo Miranda-Castro as the Executive Director of the Conservation Without Conflict coalition. It outlines his career trajectory from Private Lands biologist in Puerto Rico through national program coordinator roles to serving as Southeast Regional Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service from 2018 to 2022, where he managed a budget exceeding $400 million and oversaw approximately 1,300 employees across 10 southeastern states, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Beyond biography, the piece previews the coalition's direction under Leo's leadership, emphasizing voluntary, collaborative conservation as the path forward. He highlights concrete examples of success in shade-grown coffee production, sustainable timber, and buffer zones around military installations as proof that government agencies and private landowners can achieve outcomes that benefit both people and wildlife, without the friction and regulatory burden that has historically divided them.
Read the full article on the WMI Outdoor News Bulletin.
