If home is where the heart is, former Moraine State Park manager Obie Derr has a real problem.

After spending nearly 20 years in Western Pennsylvania working for the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and raising a family, Mr. Derr is now in charge of Nockamixon State Park in Bucks County, which places him a meager one-hour drive away from his family and childhood friends.

On the one hand, he's glad finally to be so close to all but two of his nine sisters and two brothers and most of their combined 45 or so children. On the other, he said, he and his wife, Martha, built a good life here for themselves and their two grown daughters.

"I'm going to miss Moraine," Mr. Derr said. "I worked there for 15 years and I made a lot of friends. It's the longest I've stayed in once place. It was a tough decision."

Mr. Derr worked at Presque Isle State Park for five years before coming to Moraine, where he was responsible for the 16,725-acre park and McConnells Mill State Park as well. Once here, he became an advocate of preservation and conservation efforts and joined boards of groups that promoted Moraine, the mill and surrounding communities.

He was a member of the Butler County Tourism and Convention Bureau and the Butler County Parks and Recreation board and he helped various volunteer groups improve the park at Moraine. He also oversaw major events such as the annual Heritage Festival at the mill and the Regatta at Lake Arthur, which drew a record 67,000 people to the park this year.

Earlier this year, the Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation named Moraine State Park its 2008 Park of the Year.

At the time, rather than take credit for that accolade, Mr. Derr quickly pointed out that the park's success was a reflection of the dedication of the staff. Even now he says the way the staff of 48 at Moraine worked together as a team is among his top accomplishments.

"You get to know the employees, and I'm proud we got the staff to work so well together," Mr. Derr said.

He also makes note of all the changes that have been made at the parks.

At Moraine, the sewage treatment plant has been upgraded, the marina has been rehabilitated and the boat launches are fixed. The buildings have been repainted and new biking trails are in place.

A group of bloggers from Pittsburgh Off Road Cyclists were so pleased with the support Mr. Derr and his temporary replacement, assistant park manager Jeremy Rekich, have given mountain bikers at Moraine that earlier this month they pondered writing letters of appreciation to the park staff's bosses.

"Both are great guys and have really backed biking. A good deal of the improvements like forthcoming signs, new trail approval and paved parking lot are all done with their help and support," one blogger wrote in September. "Give them a shout and thank them for helping out bikers by working with us to create a pretty unique biking location."

At the mill, the road leading up to it has been repaved and the turbine is up and running, Mr. Derr said.

"Both of the parks look real good," he added.

Making the switch from Moraine to Nockamixon shouldn't be that difficult, Mr. Derr said. The parks offer similar amenities such as boating, fishing, hiking trails, horse trails, cabins and swimming. Nockamixon is smaller at 5,283 acres and 38 employees, but the change really is a lateral move in every way, including pay, he added.

That he and his wife are living in a stone house built in 1843 is one serious perk.

"The house is pretty neat," he said, laughing.

His goals as park manager at Nockamixon include building the volunteer base and improving the sewage-treatment system.

Mr. Derr said even though they've moved, he and his wife can't leave Western Pennsylvania behind. Martha still has an antiques business in Butler, and both have friends they'll visit.

"I'll be coming back out," Mr. Derr said. "This time instead of going east [to visit], I'll be going west."