A naturalist at PPL's Lake Wallenpaupack has been appointed to the state's Conservation and Natural Resources Advisory Council by Gov. Tom Ridge.

Meg Welker, a four-year employee at PPL and a Hawley resident, is one of six council members appointed by the Governor.

"Meg is unique in the environmental education field. She has great interpersonal skills, as well as the unique perspective of being a naturalist who also works for a large corporation," said Josh First, director of the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR). "PPL is a valued conservation partner with the state; Meg does a great job, has an open mind and is passionate about her work. It's a great combination. Her participation on the council will be an asset in the larger field of conservation."

The 18-member council advises the DCNR, the Governor's office and the General Assembly on the conservation and stewardship of the Commonwealth's natural resources. An equal number of members are appointed by the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Welker said her experience as a naturalist with PPL has afforded her opportunities to work with the DCNR throughout the park system. Because of this experience, she is interested in working on the council's environmental education committee and possibly the land and water conservation fund.

"PPL has a strong commitment to the environment and I'm in a great position to bring some of that expertise and resource to the table," Welker said of her appointment.

Based in Allentown, Pa., PPL Corp. is a FORTUNE 500 company that delivers electricity and natural gas to more than 1.3 million customers in Pennsylvania; markets wholesale or retail energy in 43 U.S. states and Canada; provides energy services for businesses in the
Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern U.S.; generates electricity at power plants in Pennsylvania, Maine and Montana; delivers electricity to 1.4 million customers in southwest Britain; and delivers electricity to more than 800,000 customers in Chile, Bolivia and El Salvador.