By PAULA TRACY
CONCORD – Despite a hiring freeze in state government, Gov. Kelly Ayotte said this week she will fill a recent vacancy as director of state parks.
Brian Wilson, who has been parks director since his unanimous confirmation Oct. 19, 2022, is leaving his post to return to the state of Connecticut where he previously worked as the assistant director of the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection from Nov. 2018 until 2022.
An internal state memo indicated the vacancy last week.
“We are going to fill that position,” Ayotte told InDepthNH.org. “We are going to find someone who understands our parks, who has the right background and experience to make sure that our parks are maintained strong and accessible to the people of New Hampshire,” the governor said.
New Hampshire has 93 state parks, campgrounds, beaches, historic sites, and recreation trails that are under the direction of Parks within the state Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.
They are located throughout the state with a website here: https://www.nhstateparks.org/
Wilson started his career in New Hampshire. He worked as a N.H. State Parks’ Seacoast Region supervisor and Dover Parks from 2003-2008. He is a graduate of the University of New Hampshire with a degree in recreation management.
Throughout his career, he has also held several positions at local and statewide parks organizations in Connecticut, most recently as assistant director of Connecticut State Parks.
Wilson said, “New Hampshire State Parks have a profound positive impact on the lives of millions of residents’ and visitors’ lives—and I am no exception.”
He stressed the importance of working with communities where parks properties are, throughout the state and who “contribute to the stewardship of these special places.”
Wilson succeeded Phil Bryce, who retired this year after serving as director of N.H. State Parks for a decade.
Now looking for the right person to fill the job is Sarah Stewart, commissioner of the DNCR.
“Brian’s leadership as the Parks and Recreation Division Director has had a lasting impact on New Hampshire’s state parks. His role in implementing over $30 million in federal American Rescue Plan funds has resulted in critical improvements that will benefit residents and visitors for generations. Projects like the enhancements at Pawtuckaway State Park currently under construction stand as a testament to his dedication to strengthening our state’s outdoor spaces.
“His commitment to accessibility has also been remarkable, securing grants for adaptive equipment at Bear Brook State Park and completing the Hampton Beach State Park Accessibility Study—ensuring that more people can enjoy our parks regardless of ability,” Stewart said.
“Additionally, Brian played a key role in guiding the management transition at Cannon Mountain, setting the ski area up for continued success. His leadership was also instrumental in advancing the Mount Washington environmental and facility assessment, a crucial next step following the adoption of the master plan.
“As New Hampshire looks for a new Parks and Recreation Division Director, we need someone who can build on our current momentum—someone with a deep understanding of park management, a commitment to accessibility and sustainability, and the leadership skills to oversee large-scale projects that enhance our state’s natural and recreational resources. Most of all we need someone who is community minded, as our park and trail system impacts every corner of the state,” Stewart said in an email.
N.H. Division of Parks and Recreation, N.H. State Parks is one of five divisions within the N.H. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.
The Division comprises the Bureau of Park Operations, Bureau of Historic Sites, Bureau of Trails and Cannon Mountain.