Ethan Kauffman

Director of Stoneleigh

Ethan Kauffman joined Natural Lands in 2016 when the organization acquired our newest property, a 42-acre garden in Villanova, PA, known as Stoneleigh: a natural garden.

Ethan spent the last nine years at Moore Farms Botanical Garden in Lake City, South Carolina, located about 90 miles east of Columbia. During his tenure, he led the transition of Moore Farms from a private home and pleasure garden to a public garden. As part of this process, Ethan oversaw all aspects of the garden’s conversion and established an education program that included workshops, public events, fundraisers, and volunteer opportunities.

Prior to Moore Farms, he spent several years as a horticulturist at Riverbanks Zoo and Garden in Columbia, South Carolina. He earned his B.S. in biological sciences from Clemson University.

A self-described “plant geek extraordinaire,” Ethan has collected plants throughout the country and across the world. When asked about his favorite native species, Ethan replied, “All of them, I’m obsessed! In all seriousness, if you look below the surface each plant species is a tiny world of complexities, adaptations and beauty.”

Ask Ethan about: wrangling snakes on five different continents.