ICL has worked to protect and restore the clean air, clean water, wildlands, special places, fish, and wildlife that give Idahoans such an exceptional quality of life for over 50 years. And in each and every of those years, we’ve relied on our members to make this work possible. Our accomplishments do not just fall on the shoulders of our staff—the work of staff relies on our conservation community, made up of dedicated members, advocates, and volunteers. Our members are at the core of our conservation mission, and are the heartbeat of our organization. In appreciation of these behind-the-scenes “Faces of ICL”, we showcase the stories of our members on a monthly basis, shining a spotlight on their unique contributions, experiences, and reasons for supporting conservation in Idaho.
ICL Member Feature: Julie Weston & Gerry Morrison
“My name is Julie Weston, and I live with my husband Gerry Morrison, just north of Hailey, Idaho, in Indian Creek. We are both retired lawyers, but our new “work” is writing for Julie and photography for Gerry. We have just retired from skiing, our lifelong sport, and miss it.
My mother was a member of ICL for years, so I have known about ICL for as many years, although I lived in Seattle. My mother lived in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, and I grew up in Kellogg, Idaho. When we began spending our winters in the Sun Valley/Ketchum area in the 1990s, we joined ICL, wanting to protect our mountains and rivers and beautiful places in central Idaho. We also both fished and learned how precious the Big Wood River and Silver Creek were to us. Now that we live here full time, we appreciate ICL even more for all it does to preserve so many aspects of Idaho that we enjoy.
From fishing to skiing to hiking to enjoying all of our public lands, our personal passions and ICL’s work fit together. In addition, we are now aware of how important our water resources are. We want our steelhead and salmon to return to the Stanley Basin, not just for us but also for the fish themselves and for all the Tribal interests. Returning the Snake River to non-pollution is also important.
We feel we are making an impact as ICL supporters because our money helps fund ICL and its staff in their work. In addition, we keep abreast of areas where we can voice our concerns based on ICL’s work and newsletters. One of us frequently writes to the legislature and other governmental bodies to express those concerns and urge actions that will protect our lands, our fish, and the public.
We love and see every day our public lands, our rivers, and our mountains. For the future of Idaho, we plan to continue our interest in ICL and we hope we can change the make-up of our Idaho legislature to be more concerned about public lands and our interests as residents of Idaho.
Some of our best friends are also part of ICL. We have shared the pink coat amongst four of us couples, and we have traveled together to other parts of Idaho to see and feel how important Idaho is to us. We have learned so much in the science pubs and in the newsletters. ICL is really a part of our lives almost every day.
For others who are passionate about conservation in Idaho, we encourage them to go to Wild Idaho! (ICL’s annual meeting)! It is such a wonderful event and a good way to learn about ICL and meet others who have similar interests and passions. And then join ICL!”
Each of our members brings a unique perspective and a distinctive connection to our mission, creating a collective commitment to Idaho’s air, land, water and wildlife that is backed with a culture of caring. The diversity in why people support ICL is just as diverse as the landscapes and natural heritage of our great state. This diversity also reflects the huge breadth of issues ICL works on, and the collaborative and creative ways we work to get things done for our environment. Interested in sharing your ICL story? Contact Development Assistant, Jess McFarlane by email at [email protected] or phone at 208.345.6933×227.
Not an ICL member yet but want to be? Or are you already a member and know someone who loves Idaho’s lands, waters, fish and wildlife? Become a member below and share the love of Idaho with others!