Phil and Teri Martin have lived in Sequim, WA since 2002. Phil is originally from Madison, Wisconsin, and Teri is from North Bend, Oregon.

“We have been members of The Nature Conservancy for about 30 years. We greatly admire the way the Conservancy works with different stakeholders to arrive at solutions, bridging differences that seem insurmountable. In 1991 we made our first trip to Africa, and simply fell in love with it, having returned eight times. It was the only place we could go and truly immerse ourselves, entirely forgetting about work or other concerns.

In 2003, we established a Charitable Remainder Unitrust for The Nature Conservancy in which we designated East Africa as the region in which the funds were to be used, even though at the time TNC had no work there, or even any plans. But to our amazement and great satisfaction, within only a year or two, TNC had undertaken a number of projects there. We were very pleased to be able to meet with David Banks and Matt Brown, Conservancy representatives in Africa, when we were in Arusha, Tanzania on our most recent trip, and to hear from them firsthand about the many projects underway.

In addition to the CRUT, The Nature Conservancy is the major beneficiary in our estate planning, and we plan, in addition to the Africa work, to support efforts in our home states of Wisconsin and Oregon, and of course, our adopted state of Washington.”

LEARN MORE ABOUT BECOMING A MEMBER

*Originally published on Leave 10

Written by Noelle van der Straaten, Volunteer Writer
Photographs by Beth Glosten

Beth Glosten, MD, retired from medical practice, runs her own business, RiderPilates, LLC where she teaches mindful pilates-based movement classes, and horseback riding lessons focusing on rider biomechanics. Beth is a Seattle area native, but has lived in several different areas of the U.S. However, the beauty and opportunities of the Pacific Northwest eventually drew her back and she has lived in Redmond, with her horses and cats, since 1992. She enjoys hiking and beach walking, as well as growing vegetables, playing in the kitchen, and cooking for friends.

We interviewed Dr. Glosten about what inspires her to give back to nature:

Tell us about your favorite memory or experience in nature?

I’ve had many! I feel very fortunate to be able to choose among my experiences in nature. I travelled to southeast Alaska and took a trip on a float plane to a river delta when the salmon were running. We watched bears that were so engrossed catching them for food. I was part of a group, with a guide, hunkered down near a river and watching the bears catching and eating salmon. It was a thrilling experience.

Why is nature important to you?

I see nature as a way for us to find balance and as we mostly live in populated areas, I believe it helps balance out our lives. The sounds in nature are different and being in nature helps me appreciate the different systems in the world. It is very humbling being out in nature.

Why do you choose to give to The Nature Conservancy?

I believe in the Conservancy’s mission and the method of your mission. The Conservancy’s way of supporting a threatened ecosystem that is based on science and finding options for both economies and nature to thrive together, is a good method.

I was involved in a Conservancy project– “Farming for Wildlife” – that I very much enjoyed. This program is a great example of how TNC brings all parties to the table and has farmers thrive alongside migrating shorebirds. Watching the plans of this project evolve solidified my support of TNC and their work.