MIDDLETOWN -- From the foothills of Appalachia, Robert Cardeiro is coming to the marsh lands of the Sakonnet River to run the Norman Bird Sanctuary, one of Aquidneck Island's most beloved institutions.
Cardeiro, originally from Massachusetts, will take over the helm of sanctuary on Feb. 11, replacing Betsy de Leiris, who resigned in October to spend more time with her family.
De Leiris presided over last year's phenomenally successful fundraising campaign to buy Third Beach for $3.7 million, an ambitious endeavor for a small, nonprofit nature conservancy. That success was in large measure what attracted Cardeiro to the job, he said.
"I was really impressed with the Third Beach acquisition," Cardeiro said. "That really caught my eye."
The Strawberry Hill Nature Center and Preserve, where Cardeiro is currently the executive director, is a 600-acre woodland in central Pennsylvania, with hiking trails and an original homestead log cabin from 1793 on its property, Cardeiro said. Over the centuries, the land has seen many uses, including zinc mining, he said.
More than 60 people applied to be executive director of the Norman Bird Sanctuary, said Christopher D. Greene, chairman of the Friends of the Norman Bird Sanctuary. He credited his search committee for its keen eye in narrowing down the hopefuls.
The job was primarily advertised on the Internet, and the applications came from across the country, and in one instance, from a foreign company.
"He seemed to fit the best,' Greene said. "He's incredibly energetic, enthusiastic and dedicated."
Cardeiro received his bachelor's degree in zoology from Connecticut College and a master's degree in nature resources from Washington State University, he said. He has three young children and his wife, Dawn, is a freelance science writer.
To contact Jenny Holland, phone (401) 253-1200 or e-mail jholland(at)projo.com.
