Faces of ICL: Lauren Noeker

ICL has worked to protect and restore Idaho’s air, water, lands, and wildlife for over 50 years. 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—but on our entire conservation community. Our members are at the core of our conservation community, and are the heartbeat of our organization. Our blog series “Faces of ICL” tells the stories of ICL members, the people who make this work possible.

"My name is Lauren Noeker (she/her), and I’m a 5th-generation Idahoan. I live in Boise and work as the Environmental Program Director for the Upper Snake River Tribes Foundation, an inter-tribal consortia working on the protection, enhancement, and restoration of natural and cultural resources. I love hiking, biking, and spending time outdoors behind my camera lens. I grew up always hearing about ICL and their work. When I was old enough to understand their role in the community, the Idaho Conservation League played a large role in my personal immersion in the local conservation space. In college, I was able to work as the Andrus Scholar intern with ICL and learn more about their work and figure out how to build a career in the environmental field. After having such a positive experience interning, I joined the 2023 ELIE cohort to stay involved and meet other young adults interested in conservation. Living in Idaho, it's essential that folks who care about protecting the environment support one another. My positive experiences with ICL in undergrad, post-college, and now in graduate school and my career inspired me to stay involved with the work ICL does and contribute however I am able. Their work with regional Tribes is beyond admiral, and I appreciate how their work supports and amplifies the communities I’m able to work with daily. ICL helps to protect the natural spaces that I call home. More importantly, ICL puts tribal voices at the forefront of conversations where they belong. Being someone who works for the Tribes, this is so wonderful and inspiring to see; organizations who partner with and support our Tribes help to bring justice and respect to the landscapes we all enjoy by honoring Traditional Knowledge and values. ICL is working to make a sustainable, just Idaho a reality, indoors and out. Their work to defend the wild places we all know and love allows me to get outside and enjoy them.I love how Idaho offers “wild” in so many forms; lakes, forests, rivers, canyons, deserts, mountains, you name it, we have it here! Having the opportunity to explore different ecosystems has shaped my outlook on the natural world and what it means to protect it. I hope that Idaho can remain a place of solace for humans and non-human species alike in boasting diverse, healthy landscapes. I envision a resilient Idaho that can adapt to future challenges and changes, while showing others how to do the same. We can learn so much from the natural world, and practicing reciprocity for all the environmental gifts given to us is a great way to give back to the places you love.Supporting ICL’s work helps me give back to the community that helped me establish myself in the conservation field in Idaho. ICL helps others learn about and speak up for the things they care about most by providing the scientific, political, and communication tools used to defend wild spaces. Supporting organizations like the Idaho Conservation League helps me to pass on a legacy of stewardship to the next generation of environmentalists in the place I call home. ICL has always been supportive of individuals and groups interested in getting involved with conservation in Idaho. They worked with me through my college career, jumping in to talk to clubs and classes and allowing students to get involved directly with their work. They love to answer questions, no matter what your background is, about how to join the voices for Idaho’s outdoors. Without ICL’s involvement in our community, conservation wouldn’t be as accessible as it is today."

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Interested in sharing your ICL story? Contact Development Communications Associate, Kayla Wilcox by email at kwilcox@idahoconservation.org