It’s September, which means it’s time for the Idaho Conservation League’s annual membership drive! If you or others who love what Idaho has to offer, and you haven’t joined yet, this is a perfect time to become members of ICL.
Keeping Idaho Wild
This year, ICL is celebrating 50 years of conservation advocacy and 50 years of remarkable achievements! Together, we have protected millions of acres of Wilderness, hundreds of miles of Wild & Scenic Rivers, established the first Dark Sky Reserve in the United States, along with countless other victories for clean water, wildlife, clean air, and more.
During our September Membership Drive, we invite you to join with us as we embark on the next 50 years of our journey…for the Love of Idaho, become a member today! Gifts during the September Membership Drive will be MATCHED dollar for dollar.
Why ICL is Special to Me
ICL’s 50th anniversary provides an opportunity to celebrate past accomplishments, and to recognize the critical challenges that we face today. ICL takes a multifaceted approach that includes advocacy, education, participation in management, and boots-on-the-ground stewardship. Here are some examples of our successes:
- ICL spent decades working to permanently protect the Boulder-White Clouds in Central Idaho, but our work didn’t end with congressional passage of the bill. Since the Wilderness designation in 2015, we have coordinated summer wilderness stewardship programs for the four wilderness areas in Central Idaho. Each year, volunteer stewards are trained in data collection, trail and fire ring cleanup, leave no trace principles and other tasks. Their efforts help preserve the wilderness values we all fought hard to protect.
- ICL created a North Idaho Lakes program in 2022 with a focus on protecting and restoring the health of the Great Lakes of North Idaho, including Priest, Pend Oreille and Coeur d’Alene.
- ICL’s advocacy and research led to the establishment of a national rule in 2010 that regulates mercury emissions from gold mining. We also helped stop proposals for coal-fired power plants proposed in southern Idaho, one in 1975 and the other in 2010. And more than that, we’ve secured agreements from Idaho’s utilities to
- ICL has led efforts to protect and restore public lands across the state. We helped secure protections for 9 million acres of Roadless National Forests in 2008, we review and submit comments on hundreds of mining, timber, and other development projects each year, and our efforts contributed to the establishment of the Owyhee, Gospel Hump, Frank Church – River of No Return, and Hells Canyon Wilderness Areas.
- ICL was integral in designation of the Central Idaho Dark Sky Reserve, the first international reserve in the U.S. This reserve recognizes and protects the splendor of our night skies while also benefiting wildlife and human health. After the designation, our team got to work on plans for continued education and engagement with Idaho communities.
We couldn’t have accomplished any of this without our devoted supporters. Membership in the Idaho Conservation League means you have been, and continue to be, a part of solutions for a better Idaho…For the Love of Idaho!
Become a Member of Idaho’s Conservation Community
With the challenges that we continue to face: climate change, declining salmon & steelhead numbers, along with threats to the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the lands we love, ICL’s work is more important than ever. Becoming a member of the Idaho Conservation League means taking a stand for protecting Idaho’s clean water, clean air, wildlife, and wild places. Double your impact – gifts during the September Membership Drive will be MATCHED dollar for dollar.
When we work together, we can accomplish great things. Join us!