Senate Confirmation Hearing
Remarks by Michael DiBerardinis
Acting Secretary
Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
March 11, 2003
Good Morning. Madam Chairman, Sen. Musto, distinguished members and guests. It is a pleasure to appear before the committee regarding my nomination to become the second secretary of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
I have enjoyed my brief meetings with each of you, and would like to take this opportunity to expand upon some of my experiences and philosophies, as they would relate to DCNR.
First of all, let me say it is an honor to be nominated by Governor Rendell to lead this agency. Although DCNR is young, its programs and services are steeped in history, with parks and forestry units dating back more than 100 years. Our mission is as important now as it was then, and will continue to play a vital role in the future of Pennsylvania: maintaining and improving state parks; managing state forest lands to assure their long-term health, sustainability and economic use; and administering grant and technical assistance programs that benefit rivers conservation, trails and greenways, local recreation, regional heritage conservation and environmental educational programs.
When I was growing up, my brothers and I spent a lot of time in the woods and pastures of then-rural Chester County, swimming and trapping in Beaver Creek and fishing and hiking along the Brandywine. At an early age, I grew to understand the wonder and beauty of nature in our lives. While we were raising our four children, my wife, Joan, and I used our state parks as affordable and fun vacation destinations. In recent years, I’ve enjoyed bird watching and fly-fishing in our state parks and waterways in the southeast. And now, I find myself responsible for protecting and enhancing the very resources I have enjoyed my entire life.
Great conservation leaders and managers have sat in my seat, and I am humbled to be chosen to follow what they so finely laid out for us. It’s a daunting responsibility, but I’m eager to take it on.
I am ready for the challenges. I have faced them before. For eight years, I served as Philadelphia’s Recreation Commissioner, a position with many parallels to this job: a large government agency with a massive infrastructure in need of continuous upkeep, lean budgets, a cadre of civil servants, and, of course, bureaucracy issues.
As Commissioner, I oversaw more than 2,000 full- and part-time employees, more than 250 neighborhood parks and recreation centers, ice rinks, adult centers, and the renowned Veterans Stadium. It is one of the largest systems of its kind in the country, and with it came its challenges and rewards. The biggest challenge was a slashed budget to help the city get back on track. In fact, it reminds me of our current circumstances. But, in the end, we pulled through and prospered. We even increased program offerings and reopened facilities during those tough times. Based on those experiences, I am confident, with Governor Rendell’s leadership and your support, DCNR will weather its storms and become a stronger agency, better able to serve the citizens of Pennsylvania.
As Commissioner, I saw how a good park system, strong recreation amenities, and green spaces can revitalize a neighborhood, stimulate our youth, strengthen family ties, curb sprawl, and bring economic benefits to struggling areas.
That and other positions I have held—vice president at the William Penn Foundation and most recently the Executive Director of the Campaign for Working Families—taught me the values of being a good manager, that paying close attention and listening to your employees, setting goals, and creating high expectations make the difference between success and failure.
I believe as public servants we have an obligation to the people we serve. I consider it a compact. We are entrusted with critical responsibilities, and it’s our duty not only to provide what our citizens expect, but also aspire to give them more.
As a leader, I will expect DCNR staff to look beyond the ordinary. I will look for new and imaginative solutions in lean economic times. I will seek change where status quo failed to achieve great results. I will hold managers and others with authority accountable. But I have no doubt DCNR employees will deliver what we ask of them.
Admittedly, I still have a lot to learn about DCNR, from biodiversity, to heritage parks, to forest pest management. I am working hard and learning fast. After our budget process, I plan to spend a few days a week on the road visiting our parks, forests, heritage areas, and regional offices. I believe no one could manage a system so large and complex without understanding its staff, without familiarity of its physical assets, and without listening to all its stakeholders. This knowledge is critical to strong budget management and inclusive leadership.
It’s also vital that I understand the broad issues and interests that define our stakeholders. I have had the opportunity to meet with many of our constituent groups in the business, recreation and conservation communities, but constant communication will be key to our progress as an agency.
Of course, I will look to forge strong relationships with you and your colleagues in the General Assembly. We both serve the same constituents, so a free and constant dialogue is necessary to satisfy their needs. I pledge to you DCNR will continue to be accessible and responsive.
Over the next several months, I hope to develop specific, measurable goals for the agency. For now, I leave you with two underlying thoughts that will help shape how I’d like to move DCNR forward:
The first concerns economic development. Most people don’t think of DCNR as an economic development agency. But consider this. In the rural areas of the state, where economic stimulus is perhaps most needed, our state parks and forests fuel businesses and drive the local economy. From tourism to timber production, our natural resources can help Pennsylvania thrive and prosper.
It’s important we grow our visitors to help grow our communities. We’ll look for ways to expand tourism opportunities. And we’ll continue to manage our state forests in a sustainable manner to yield high-quality timber. Maintaining the certification of our state forest system, which is very important to me, will ensure a healthy forest today and in the future.
Our heritage parks help to stimulate growth in once-vibrant industrial towns by shifting the focus to heritage travel. And our grants for open space protection and recreation help create places where people want to live, work and play. These programs will continue to play an important role in the economic revival of cities and towns across the state.
The second thought concerns new leadership roles for our agency. We must continue to carve out our place in state government, playing our strengths and building upon our strong foundation. DCNR is well-known and well-respected for its management of its state parks and state forest systems and in helping communities meet their recreation and conservation goals. As I mentioned, there is a long history there. But it is time the public, the General Assembly, stakeholders and the Administration, recognize our leadership roles in other areas such as open space protection, private land stewardship, biodiversity conservation, and economic development. I plan to make that a personal goal.
While I am not ready to offer specific goals for DCNR, I do have one aspiration: to make this the best conservation agency in the country, because how we manage our lands, protect our open spaces, and preserve precious habitat will shape our future as Pennsylvanians.
I come to this job with a deep appreciation of our state’s natural resources and a profound respect for the men and women who serve in this department. It would be an honor to follow in the footsteps of the great leaders before me. I ask that you give me the opportunity to do so. Thank you for your time and consideration.
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