Marshall Johnson

Chief Conservation Officer
About

Marshall Johnson serves as 51ÁÔÆæÈë¿Ú’s Chief Conservation Officer, leading conservation strategy and work across the Western Hemisphere. He brings science, policy, and conservation work together around 51ÁÔÆæÈë¿Ú’s Flight Plan and its ambitious goals for habitat conservation, climate action, global policy, and community building.

Marshall has spent his career building partnerships that deliver conservation at scale. As Vice President of 51ÁÔÆæÈë¿Ú Dakotas, he launched initiatives that conserved nearly 500,000 acres with more than 300 farmers, ranchers, and communities and helped launch 51ÁÔÆæÈë¿Ú’s Conservation Ranching Program, now spanning nearly 4 million acres. Today, he is focused on expanding protected and working lands, advancing bipartisan policy solutions, and growing public and private investment in conservation across the Americas.

Marshall joined 51ÁÔÆæÈë¿Ú in 2009 and serves on several national conservation councils and advisory groups. An avid sportsman and lifelong history enthusiast, he believes lasting conservation starts with connection—to people, place, and the birds that connect us across the hemisphere.

He is the author of the forthcoming book, Everyday Earthday, published by Patagonia Books.

 

Articles by Marshall Johnson

Aerial view of salt marsh on Maryland's Eastern Shore.
A Blueprint for Saving Salt Marshes
July 20, 2026 — Across Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay, 51ÁÔÆæÈë¿Ú is leading a landscape-scale effort to reverse marsh loss for birds and people.
MID-ATLANTIC Coastal Resilience
A meadowlark perched on a wooden fence post.
America’s Birds Are Declining, The Farm Bill Can Help Turn the Tide
March 09, 2026 — As Congress advances the Farm Bill, strengthening voluntary conservation programs on farms, ranches, and forests is essential for birds, producers, and rural economies
Policy & Advocacy
Why Federal Bird Science Deserves Our Strongest Support
June 11, 2025 — For decades, two programs from the U.S. Geological Survey have provided essential information about birds. They must continue to be fully funded.
Policy & Advocacy
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework Represents a Meaningful Step Toward a Cleaner Future for Birds and People
July 22, 2021 — While funding levels for some programs are insufficient, the framework is a 'down payment' on future clean energy and resilience investments.
Renewable Energy