Joselin Matkins
Enduring Spirit Fund
Joselin Matkins was our Executive Director from 2015 to January 2021. She started at the Land Trust in 2013 as the Land Protection Director. She will be remembered for her dedication, passion, and exceptional work in conservation, primarily in the Upper Snake River region in eastern Idaho. She was a loving daughter, partner, mentor, and friend to many. The legacy she leaves behind is a lifetime accomplishment and an amazing gift that all of us and future generations will benefit from.
To keep her bright light shining, we have set up the Joselin Matkins Enduring Spirit Fund to support projects that Joselin was most passionate about—private lands conservation, connecting youth and our community with nature, and protecting iconic Greater Yellowstone wildlife such as Sandhill Cranes.
“I am passionate about conservation and working at the Land Trust gives me the opportunity to wake up every day and do work that matters to me, the protection of nature, and our natural resources. Nature is facing so many pressures and I appreciate that the work of the Land Trust leads directly to sustaining habitat, rivers and streams, and farms and ranches – not just for today, but for the generations that will come after us.” – Joselin Matkins (March 16, 1978 to January 8, 2021)
For more information or to make a donation call Kami Archibald at 208-354-8939, send an email to kami@tetonlandtrust.org, or mail a check to PO Box 247 Driggs, ID 83422. Mark your gift as Joselin Matkins Enduring Spirit Fund.
Photo by Linda Swope – Swope’s Mountain Photography
Wray Landon Legacy Fund
Honoring our close friend and coworker Wray Landon IV, a memorial fund has been created to extend the conservation and stewardship work he loved. Wray Landon died while skiing the Southeast Face of the South Teton Sunday, February 21, 2010. Teton Regional Land Trust lost a valuable employee and friend that day. Honoring the wishes of Wray’s family, the Teton Regional Land Trust created a Wray Landon Legacy Fund. Gifts made to this fund go towards furthering the great work Wray did with the Teton Regional Land Trust.
Wray was a skilled naturalist and biologist who developed an impressive understanding of the natural systems of the Upper Snake River Watershed. He applied his knowledge with fervor and skill towards the stewardship of conservation easement lands. His field work and knowledge of the resources helped guide the permanent projects in partnership with landowners to protect their land. His good sense and courtesy endeared him to the landowners with whom the Land Trust worked, helping build strong relationships essential to the conservation of private lands. His surveys of Yellowstone cutthroat redds, Sandhill Cranes in Teton Valley, song-birds on the South Fork, and waterfowl along the Henry’s Fork, added to the knowledge of wildlife resources in eastern Idaho.
To date, over $241,403 has been raised in honor of Wray’s Legacy
- $166,577 has been contributed directly to the Wray Landon Legacy Fund.
- Since 2010, the Land Trust has hosted the Wrun for Wray which combined Wray’s love for adventure with his commitment to conservation. This event has raised an additional $30,153 from race fees and event fundraising.
- Local businesses and individuals have provided $44,673 in cash sponsorships and in-kind donations to support the race, raffle, and prizes.
$117,000 from the fund has supported the following activities and projects:
- Matching funds for land protection projects in Teton Valley
- Summer internship program
- Fence removal projects
- Ecological monitoring including Yellowstone cutthroat trout, Sandhill Cranes, and songbirds
- Educational materials and platform at Wood’s Creek Fen Outdoor Classroom
- Habitat restoration projects
- Remote conservation easement monitoring
- Teton Basin Trumpeter Swan Project
- Greater Yellowstone Sandhill Crane Initiative
- Interpretive signage and benches for the Teton Creek Corridor Project
For more information or to make a donation call 208-354-8939 or mail a check to PO Box 247 Driggs, ID 83422. Mark your gift as Wray Landon Legacy Fund.
Michael B Whitfield Scholarship Fund
Teton Regional Land Trust created this scholarship to honor Michael B. Whitfield who helped found the organization in 1990 and served as its Executive Director for 18 years. Michael’s continuing passion for and commitment to land conservation in eastern Idaho has been instrumental in the preservation of key landscapes in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. The scholarship is a $1,000 award that must be used for undergraduate education. The Land Trust awards one or two scholarships each spring.
Scholarship funds are open to graduating seniors within the Teton Regional Land Trust service area. Counties include Bonneville, Clark, Fremont, Jefferson, Madison, Teton County, Idaho and Alta, Wyoming. Candidates must show an intention to pursue a major course of study in college or vocational school in the environmental sciences, biology, ecology, environmental planning or policy, agriculture, or a related field.
If you would like to support this educational opportunity for our inspired youth, you can provide a tax-deductible gift to the Teton Regional Land Trust. When doing so, please indicate the donation is for the Michael B. Whitfield Scholarship fund.
In Memory
Gifts given in memory of a friend or loved one are a great way to honor individuals who were passionate about conservation. Teton Regional Land Trust will recognize these gifts in our semi-annual newsletters.
Connect with Us
Mailing Address
P.O. Box 247
Driggs, ID 83422
Physical Address
1520 S. 500 W.
Driggs, ID 83422
208-354-8939
info@tetonlandtrust.org
