Gary Schneider
Project Founder 
Phone: 902-651-2575       

Email: macphailwoods@gmail.com​

Gary Schneider founded the Macphail Woods Ecological Forestry Project in the fall of 1991.  He is involved in all aspects of the project, from collecting seeds to fundraising to nature education. He has won a variety of awards for his work at Macphail Woods, including a national Nature Inspiration Award from the Canadian Museum of Nature in 2020. In 2024 he was conferred an honorary degree from the University of Prince Edward Island.

Eric Edward
Director

Email: ericedward@macphailwoods.org​

Eric Edward has been with the project since 1998. He manages our forestry operations, is the lead chainsaw safety Instructor and our summer camp director. Over the years, he's had a hand in nearly every aspect of the project and developed many of the restoration practices used by our staff. Eric is inspired by the vision of a forestry industry that values the health of forests, foresters and the community they support all equally. 

Daniel McRae
Lead Researcher

Email: danielmcrae@macphailwoods.org​

Daniel started working with Macphail Woods in 2008. Since then he has become an expert in botany, data collection, mapping and forest assessment. Daniel is our lead researcher but is involved with many other aspects of the project including ecosystem restoration, sustainable harvesting and nature education. 

Becky Byrne
Nursery Manager 

Email: beckybyrne@macphailwoods.org​

Becky has been working at Macphails Woods for over 25 years. She attended Nova Scotia Agriculture College for Landscape Design and completed the Environmental Applied Science and Technology  program at Holland College. As the nursery manager Becky handles all our native plant sales, landscaping, and native plant propagation. Her work has greatly expanded our arboretum and nursery and helped us develop growing techniques for many rare species. 

Evan Young
Manager

Email: evanyoung@macphailwoods.org​

Evan began working at Macphail Woods in 2019 after he graduated from the Wildlife Conservation Technology program at Holland College. With his background in carpentry combined with his knowledge in wildlife conservation, he has contributed to the growth of many aspects of the project. Evan is one of our lead foresters and chainsaw safety instructors. He is also Deputy Fire Chief of the Belfast Fire Department.

Brandon Bernard

Propagation Manager

Email: brandonbernard@macphailwoods.org 

Brandon joined Macphails in the spring of 2023. A skilled greenhouse technician with extensive plant knowledge with over a decade of experience in plant production and woodworking. His passion and theoretical knowledge directly contribute to our success in native species restoration!

Michael Speelman
Forest Management Coordinator

Email: michaelspeelman@macphailwoods.org​

Michael started working for Macphails in May 2023, although has worked periodically for the organization since 2009. He graduated with a Master of Forest Conservation from the University of Toronto in 2017, after which he worked in British Columbia for several years before moving back to PEI. His primary role at Macphail is writing forest management plans. He also makes the coffee sometimes.

Sarah Campion
Nature Educator

Email: sarahcampion@macphailwoods.org​

Sarah started as a camper back in 2005. After years of attending camps, she volunteered her time until starting her first position in 2016. Now, Sarah spends her winter months working with the forestry team as a chainsaw operator and spends her summers as a nature educator, running camps. She loves working with children, being outside and helping people discover (or rekindle) a love of nature. 

Brenlee Brothers
Media & Marketing Coordinator

Email: brenleebrothers@macphailwoods.org

Brenlee worked as a nursery laborer for two summers before taking on the position as Media and Marketing Coordinator in February 2023. Her primary role is managing media output through social media, email marketing and website maintenance. With a degree in Applied Journalism from University of Prince Edward Island, she loves using her skills of photography and writing to create engaging content about the organization. 

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Jennifer Woods
Lead Forestry Technician

Email: jenniferwoods@macphailw​oods.org

Jenn, originally from Ontario, relocated to PEI to pursue her Diploma in wildlife conservation. She joined Macphails as Lead Forestry Technician, specializing in sustainable forestry techniques, nursery work, and chainsaw training. In her downtime, she enjoys exploring the island with her partner and pup, both on land and at sea.