Susan McSwain

Susan’s interest in nature started at an early age. In sixth grade, she won first place in the Florida Dade County Fair for her project on wild ducks. As the daughter of an Air Force sergeant and later the wife of a Foreign Service Officer, she took advantage of opportunities to study nature in a wide variety of locations and habitats. She volunteered with environmental organizations on three continents, where she devised novel ways to introduce children to the wonder of nature – including birding from horseback.
She and her husband now reside in Nelson County on land that they have placed under a conservation easement with The Nature Conservancy. She serves on several committees, including Nelson County’s Ag/Forestal Districts Advisory Committee and Sturt Nature Preserve Steering Committee. For the past 26 years, she has led an annual butterfly count for the North American Butterfly Association, and she regularly leads nature rambles for a variety of organizations. In 2016, she was selected as Volunteer of the Year by the VA Master Naturalist program, and in 2025 she was presented with an Earth Flag from the Sierra Club’s Piedmont Group. Her interests include nature study, horses, history, music, and foreign affairs.

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