Conservation Voters for Idaho’s board of directors announces their decision to select Alexis Pickering as the next Executive Director for the organization after conducting an extensive search.  “The CVI and CVIEF Board of Directors are pleased to share a positive pronouncement for a bright outlook for Idaho’s conservation future brought about by Alexis Pickering’s leadership,” said Molly Page, chair of Conservation Voters for Idaho Education Fund. Pickering will start her new permanent position on May 6th. She succeeds Rialin Flores, who is currently part time and will depart the organiza ..read more

Since joining the team in 2016, it has been an honor to work with our talented staff and dedicated board to protect what makes Idaho, Idaho. Looking back, I’m humbled by the impact of this organization and proud of what we have accomplished together, and the time has come for me to move on.  Last year, I navigated a breast cancer diagnosis, requiring me to step away from the organization for a period of time as I focused on my health. Thankfully, it was an early diagnosis and I’m doing well. However, like so many who saw their priorities shift during a time of uncertainty with the pandemi ..read more

Written by Toni Belknap-Brinegar, CVI’s Senior Civic Engagement & Leadership Coordinator, and Samantha Miller, CVI’s Program Associate On the Docket: 2024 Fellowship Cohort  Every year, I say that I have met the best people who have chosen to participate in the program and this year doesn’t disappoint! Here is a peek at some of the fellows you will get to know over the next six months: Esperanza Pablano Esperanza currently lives in Nampa and works for a national organization providing training in diversity, equity and inclusions. She aims to learn the dynamics of boards and commissio ..read more

Written by Toni Belknap-Brinegar, Senior Civic Engagement & Leadership Coordinator On the Docket: Celebrating North Carolina CVIEF’s Boards and Commissions program began with a grant from the League of Conservation Voters (LCV), the first-ever offered in 2020. The following year, North Carolina League of Conservation Voters Education Fund was selected for the grant to start up their own program. The director, Kerry Wiggins, and I have worked very closely over the last two years building a learning community and sharing our knowledge about how our respective programs were thriving and learn ..read more

For years, Conservation Voters for Idaho has had the only year-round team that focuses on educating and engaging the public. This election cycle, our eight Voter Outreach Specialists knocked doors across Boise in preparation for the 2023 municipal election. These one-on-one conversations are one of the most powerful ways to connect people in the community with the candidates on the ballot and remind them of our shared values around conservation and outdoor spaces.  What is it like for our VOS team to meet voters face-to-face on local issues? We asked three of them to share their experienc ..read more

We begin this newsletter with sad news. In the September newsletter, we featured a potential fellow, Robin “Rob” Crisler. We received news as of Monday, October 30th, Rob has passed away. Rob was passionate about people; whenever you asked them what they were working on, it was always justice for people. “I want to uplift those in the margins of the margins.  Those who don’t feel like they fit into where they’re supposed to. And women! People struggling with inequality, insecurity, isolation and incarceration are who I want to uplift.” They were wise beyond their years and saw their ..read more

Boise voters take to the polls to elect pro-climate action candidates Conservation Voters for Idaho Action Fund was a driving force in electing a pro-conservation mayor and city council in yesterday’s Boise municipal election.  “This election once again demonstrates to CVIAF that Boise residents care about walkable neighborhoods, clean water, our booming clean energy economy, responsible and sustainable growth, and public transportation,” said Rialin Flores, Conservation Voters for Idaho’s Executive Director.  Mayor Lauren McLean won by a wide margin of over 7,000 votes — receiving 5 ..read more

I am writing to you this morning from the CVI office, where our team is celebrating some of CVI’s most substantial successes in organization history. The stakes were high for conservation in some of Idaho’s most populous communities, leading our team to dedicate months building support for candidates we know will keep up the momentum on preserving Idaho’s quality of life by preserving our natural environment. In this election, CVI selected 18 candidates across the state for our endorsement that demonstrated commitment to conservation principles and the political wherewithal to make those princ ..read more

Written by Samantha Miller, CVI’s Program Associate Idaho’s “city of trees” is about to get a whole lot greener. The Treasure Valley Canopy Network, in partnership with the City of Boise, has received a grant award of $1,076,500 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, which will be distributed over the next five years. It has been demonstrated time and time again that urban tree planting ultimately creates communities that are healthier and more resilient to climate change. The many benefits include reducing air pollution, keeping our water clean, reducing urban heat islands an ..read more

Written by Toni Belknap-Brinegar, Boards & Commissions Coordinator. To receive this monthly program update in your inbox, visit our website at cvidaho.org/sign-up/ While we’ve closed out our 2023 fellowship, there is a lot of updates from the cohort, as well as work being done to prepare for next year. Read on for the latest – –  On the Docket: Recruitment & Community Outreach On August 12th, CVI hosted a booth at the Soul Food Festival in Boise’s Julia Davis Park. 2021 B&C grads, Trish Walker and Shari Baber sit on the board of this nonprofit and organize the event. This yea ..read more