After seven years at the Yukon Wildlife Preserve, Greg Meredith has stepped down from his role as executive director.

The new retiree – since last Monday – spoke to the Star Thursday about the preserve’s evolution, his passion for his former job and “trying to develop a new capital project at the same time as trying to figure out how to air-freight mountain goats to Ottawa.”

Meredith said he “lived, ate and breathed” his job, and was always excited to go to work.

“I’ve adored my work at the preserve; we’ve accomplished a lot.”

From new feeding stations for the preserve’s 13 species of northern Canadian mammals, to expanded school programming, to the preserve’s second national accreditation through Canada’s Accredited Zoos and Aquariums, Meredith said the last seven years have seen accomplishments for the more than 700-acre ecosystem.

“For his seven years of service, he’s done an exemplary job of growing the preserve and its programs and leveraging the core funding that we receive from government,” said Alexandra Tait, the president of the Yukon Wildlife Preserve Operating Society.

The modern Yukon Wildlife Preserve opened in 2004 after the Yukon government purchased the privately owned Yukon Game Farm. The government provides the preserve around $700,000 in annual core funding.

Community outreach was an important focus during Meredith’s seven years, and it’s clearly paid off: according to Meredith, visitation numbers have grown from approximately 10,000 to 27,000 annually.

“Everybody loves to bring their friends and relatives out to the preserve, and it’s a great product. It’s world-class, and Yukoners deserve to be very proud of what they have here,” he said.

His proudest accomplishment? Putting together a good team, he said.

“I ended up hiring some very, very special people.”

The most challenging element of his job?

“Just trying to keep up.”

This is where Meredith referenced having to manage capital project development while simultaneously organizing the logistics around flying mountain goats to Ottawa.

“It was never boring.”

But a new era is dawning for both Meredith and the preserve, located off the Takhini Hot Springs Road.

In the spring, planning will begin on a new 10-year master plan for the preserve’s future.

“I think it’s time for maybe a fresh set of eyes to come in, participate in the whole year-long planning process, and then be around for 10 years of implementation,” Meredith explained.

Tait said a new executive director has not yet been selected, nor has a decision been made about seeking one internally or externally. During the transition, the preserve’s board and executive will guide staff.

“He was the face of the preserve, and his lack of presence will be noticed,” she said of Meredith.

“But we have absolute faith in the staff to continue his legacy as we move forward into the next phase, into the next master plan.”

Meanwhile, Meredith will be making the transition to full-time retirement in Roatan, Honduras, where he can scuba dive, he said, any day he wants to.

“I’ve got too many friends, – and I’m 61 – who waited until 65 to do the retirement thing, and then died. Let’s get ’er done now.

“I’m just heading off to live the life, I hope.”

He said he plans to come back to the Yukon on occasion, to visit friends in his old Volkswagen camper.