Chapter Meeting Mar 7

March 7, 2017, 7:30 PM
San Bernardino County Museum, 2024 Orange Tree Lane, Redlands

     The March 7 San Gorgonio Chapter meeting features Ben Wickham, Membership and Outreach Coordinator for Friends of the Inyo, a conservation organization based in Bishop, California, and founded in 1986.

     From the top of Mt. Whitney down to Death Valley, from Owens Lake to the Bodie Hills, and many places in between, Friends of the Inyo connects thousands of people to their public lands each year through hikes, tours, volunteer opportunities, habitat restoration, trail maintenance, civic engagement, and educational programs. For more information, visit www.friendsoftheinyo.org.

     Ben took the first job out of college that allowed him to work in the mountains. That summer at Merced Lake in the Yosemite Wilderness convinced him that mountains are where he should be. He migrated between Yosemite, Idaho, Montana, and the Eastern Sierra, working in the tourism industry to afford himself the opportunity to explore high alpine terrain on skis, deep forests by foot, and rapid rivers by kayak. Over time, Ben discovered that he wanted to do more to help people engage with the landscape around them. He taught at the University of Idaho’s McCall Outdoor Science School while receiving a masters degree in natural resources with an emphasis in environmental education at the university. Ben is excited to help Friends of the Inyo connect the public with their lands in the Eastern Sierra.