December 11, 2019 228 PM
FORT DAVIS — Acting National Park Service Regional Director Kate Hammond announced the selection of David Larson as superintendent of Fort Davis National Historic Site in Texas. Larson has worked for the National Park Service for more than 25 years, most recently as the chief of science and resource management at Big Bend National Park and the Rio Grande Wild and Scenic River. He will begin his new role on Dec. 8.
“David has an extensive background in park management and resource stewardship,” said Hammond. “His skill set makes him uniquely qualified for this position and he will play an integral role in Fort Davis’s effort to address the National Park Service maintenance backlog by preserving the historic sites and landscape for future generations.”
“I look forward to working with the park staff, volunteers and partners who make the fort a great place to work and visit,” said Larson. “Advancing public educational opportunities and implementing strategies to better preserve and protect the resources are my top priorities. My family and I are also excited to participate in the living history events.”
Larson received his Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science from Western Washington University. After graduation, he served as a U.S. Peace Corps volunteer in Costa Rica where he focused on community development and reforestation projects. He returned to Washington in 1994, where he worked at Mount Rainier National Park as the National Environmental Policy Act compliance specialist. Since that time, he has worked at six other National Park Service units, including an acting position as deputy superintendent and two acting positions as superintendent.
Larson enjoys camping, birdwatching, canoeing and drawing. He and his wife, Heather, have two children, Hayden and Forest, and one dog named Petra. David is fluent in Spanish and is working on improving his American Sign Language (ASL).
To learn more about Fort Davis National Historic Site, visit www.nps.gov/foda.
