Atira Conservation was created by Nicole Adimey and Brett Irwin, who discovered a shared passion for the outdoors when they met in 2006. Nicole grew up in Ohio hiking, fishing and exploring the outdoors. After graduate school, she settled into a career in marine biology and habitat restoration and protection. Brett spent his youth backpacking throughout the west and camping with his family across the United States. After college, he pursued a career in commercial real estate management and investment. In 2021, Nicole and Brett decided to shift their focus to land conservation to support healthier communities and a healthier planet.

Brett and Nicole provided the anchor funding to launch Atira Conservation. Because they also serve as the Board of Directors, new donors and partners can work directly with them. This streamlined leadership structure provides minimal internal bureaucracy and maximum efficiency, flexibility and mobility — attributes that can be essential to acting quickly under tight deadlines to conserve land before it is lost forever. This structure allows Atira Conservation to accomplish more and effectively leverage funding with partners to purchase impactful land projects.

Atira Conservation invests 100% of donor dollars directly into land conservation projects.

Brett Irwin

Over 30 years, Brett and his business partner acquired a 2.5 million-square foot portfolio of industrial property that included more than 50 industrial buildings in the metro Atlanta area. Brett’s focus on contract review and financial due diligence provides key expertise for evaluating potential partners and land conservation projects. His knowledge ensures collaborative partners have the long-time viability needed to manage lands in perpetuity.