Credit: Christine Buckley/SERC

by Penny Chalkley and Kristen Goodhue

Eric See at Monument Valley. (Credit: Penny Chalkley)

Eric See loved the outdoors. As a graduate of the University of Virginia with a degree in environmental studies, followed by a master’s from the Yale School of Forestry, his career path never shifted. While at the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, he did field surveys for the 1970s Upland Natural Areas study and delineated tidal wetlands. He later worked as an environmental planner with Anne Arundel County before moving to the private sector, where eventually he had his own consulting firm specializing in wetlands and forest delineation.

“Eric loved the field workdays over time spent in the office or at hearings,” said his longtime companion, Penny Chalkley. “Weekends were a chance to get out and explore local parks and trails. Every vacation included natural areas throughout the country. He never lost his quest for information and was a voracious reader and fountain of history knowledge.”

After his death in December 2020, Chalkley and Eric’s close friends looked for a fitting way to honor his memory. They chose SERC for their memorial tribute because they felt a new scenic overlook was the kind of place he would love most. 

“After we selected the perfect spot, the staff at SERC did everything to make the installation go quickly and effortlessly,” Chalkley said. “My thanks to Christine Buckley and the team at SERC.”  

Chalkley said that Eric enjoyed spending time on his own, either reading or exploring the outdoors. The two new benches placed in his honor sit on a hill just off the trail connecting SERC's Java History and Discovery Trails. Here, visitors can step off the beaten path and capture a few moments of quiet and solitude.