Crystal Lloyd, a nine-year employee of the N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation, will join David Mumford as superintendent at Falls Lake State Recreation Area in Wake Forest. Mumford moved into the lead superintendent position last year when Kristen Woodruff was promoted to superintendent for the state parks’ north district.
A superintendent is the chief of operations and administration at a state park or recreation area and has wide-ranging responsibilities for staffing, training, law enforcement, visitor services, natural resource protection, community outreach and environmental education. Lloyd’s position will be focused on managing park staff.
Falls Lake State Recreation Area is a collective of seven access areas around the shoreline of a 12,000-acre reservoir in the Triangle. It hosts more than 300 campsites, five swim beaches, boating ramps and mountain biking trails. The Mountains-to-Sea State Trail winds through parts of the recreation area and is a centerpiece of a network of hiking trails.
A native of Creedmoor, Lloyd graduated from N.C. State in 2011 with a Bachelor of Science in parks, recreation and tourism management. Her career began with the Division of Parks and Recreation prior to college, however, as an entrance station worker at Falls Lake in 2006. In her early days with state parks, she also served as a park tech at Falls Lake and an office assistant at William B. Umstead. She started her first job as a ranger at Falls Lake in 2015.
“Crystal’s exemplary work at Falls Lake and familiarity with our parks system as a whole will be a great asset as she takes on this leadership role at this busy recreation area,” said Dwayne Patterson, director of state parks. “Having served the park system at every level, Crystal understands the challenges and needs of all park staff, and this will make her an outstanding leader.”
In addition to her work on the ground, Lloyd also hosts the “Ask a Ranger Podcast” with her colleague, Superintendent Jess Smith. The educational podcast explores the daily work of rangers and delves into history, culture and societal issues.
Lloyd is preparing for a challenging year in her new role at the park. She expects continued high visitation in the coming year and hopes to find balance with recreation and standing up for the park’s natural and human resources alike. “I’m most looking forward to being a voice for the field staff and advocating for their needs. In the challenging times we are in, delivering what the parks need to serve the public is important.”
About North Carolina State Parks
North Carolina State Parks manages more than 250,000 acres of iconic landscape within North Carolina’s state parks, state recreation areas and state natural areas. It administers the N.C Parks and Recreation Trust Fund, including its local grants program, as well as a state trails program, North Carolina Natural and Scenic Rivers and more, all with a mission dedicated to conservation, recreation and education. The state parks system welcomes more than 19.8 million visitors annually.
About the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (NCDNCR) is the state agency with a vision to be the leader in using the state's natural and cultural resources to build the social, cultural, educational and economic future of North Carolina. NCDNCR's mission is to improve the quality of life in our state by creating opportunities to experience excellence in the arts, history, libraries and nature in North Carolina by stimulating learning, inspiring creativity, preserving the state's history, conserving the state's natural heritage, encouraging recreation and cultural tourism, and promoting economic development.
NCDNCR includes 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, two science museums, three aquariums and Jennette's Pier, 39 state parks and recreation areas, the N.C. Zoo, the nation's first state-supported Symphony Orchestra, the State Library, the State Archives, the N.C. Arts Council, State Preservation Office and the Office of State Archaeology, along with the Division of Land and Water Stewardship. For more information, please visit www.ncdcr.gov.