Gov. Christine O. Gregoire has appointed Chelan resident Steve Milner to serve on the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission effective immediately.

Milner is a retired chemical engineer and amateur ecologist whose interest in the out of doors has led him to support a variety of conservation programs and organizations. He is a board member of the Chelan Douglas Land Trust.

He and his wife Jill, a practicing clinical nurse specialist, relocated to Chelan in 2006 and live near Lake Chelan State Park.

The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission sets policy for the Washington State Parks and Recreation agency. The Commission is comprised of seven citizen volunteers.

They hire a director to oversee the agency's operating and capital programs. The Commission has public meetings six times a year at predetermined locations around the state. Milner replaces outgoing Commissioner Eliot Scull of Wenatchee, who served on the Commission for 12 years. The next regular meeting of the commission is scheduled for August 11th in Wenatchee.

"I am very excited to have this opportunity to serve on the Parks and Recreation Commission," Milner said. "I believe that public lands provide a necessary role in maintaining a healthy relationship between society and nature and that state parks provide diverse opportunities to enjoy that relationship for people from all walks of life. I am excited to have a role in taking care of a healthy and growing system of parks across Washington State."