Legacy Circle Profiles
Legacy Circle Profile: Woodwell/DeForest Family
 Have you ever mistaken The Lands Council for The Inland Northwest Land Trust – or vice versa? If you visit the Woodwell/DeForest household, you'd better know which organization you are talking about! Caroline Woodwell and Chris DeForest share a deep passion for environmental protection and they live it out everyday in their work. Since 1997, Chris has been Executive Director of the Land Trust, which works to protect private lands through conservation easements. Caroline works as Director of Foundation Relations for the Greater Yellowstone Coalition and is the out-going Board President of The Lands Council.
The two conservationists met while studying at the Yale School of Forestry. Both moved out West – Chris to Spokane and Caroline to Bozeman. They kept in touch and eventually married. Spokane won out as the place to settle down and raise a family. The couple soon welcomed sons John in 2004 and Robert in 2006. Both children spend time at The Community Building childcare center, which is in the same complex as The Lands Council and The Land Trust. This location makes it easy for Chris to have lunch with the kids or for Caroline to pick them up after volunteering at The Lands Council.
Caroline was introduced to The Lands Council shortly after she moved to Spokane. She was asked to join the board in 2003 and she has been a passionate supporter ever since. "The Lands Council is a really active, practical, committed organization," she notes. "Executive Director Mike Petersen is looking for solutions to real problems and building new relationships in the community." It is these characteristics and strategies that keeps Caroline and Chris interested and involved through their time, talents and financial support.
Published Fall 2008
Legacy Circle Profile: Barbara Morkill
 Despite being raised in an urban neighborhood in Oakland, Barbara Morkill grew to care for the outdoors at an early age. Her father loved the mountains and took the family on camping trips in California and near Bend, Oregon. As the kids grew older, the family participated in Sierra Club backpacking trips. Barbara continues to ski and hike and exposes her own sons to outdoor adventures.
Barbara met her husband while teaching 5th and 6th grade in Bonners Ferry and, together, they slowly moved south, living first in Sandpoint, then in Coeur d'Alene, and now on 15 acres near Nine Mile Dam on the Spokane River. "It's the best of both worlds," says Barbara. "We have beautiful views in a rural setting, yet I can get to downtown Spokane in 20 minutes."
Barbara continued to teach in various capacities over the years. She and her husband owned a furniture store for 5 years. Now semi-retired, she has time to volunteer at The Lands Council and the Inland Northwest Land Trust. Son Alex is in his first year at Seattle University and son Garrett is a junior in high school.
Barbara has been a member of The Lands Council for three years and part of The Legacy Circle for the past two. Barbara notes, "I've always supported national environmental issues, but I really appreciate that The Lands Council works locally on a whole range of issues."
Published Spring 2008
Legacy Circle Profile: Lola Frederick
 Lola Frederick, long-time Legacy Circle member and Lands Council volunteer, has deep roots in the Inland Northwest. Her ancestors homesteaded near Mansfield (near Coulee City) and farmed several generations there. Lola grew up in small towns around Eastern Washington. Eventually, the family moved to Spokane and she has spent the rest of her life in the Lilac City, graduating from EWU (then Eastern Washington State College) with a wildlife biology degree.
Jobs in wildlife biology in the 1970s were hard to come by, and after a few years, Lola decided to pursue a degree in pharmacy at the University of Washington. She has worked as a pharmacist in and around the Spokane area since 1981 and has been a pharmacist at Group Health for the last 5 years.
Lola remembers the first time she heard about The Lands Council. Reading something about the organization needing volunteers, she answered the call and has stayed active ever since. "I'd always been involved with national groups, but The Lands Council appealed to me because it was local," Lola remarks. "I joined to meet like-minded people and to connect with other hikers."
Lola has always had a passion for the outdoors, though her hiking trips these days are usually short jaunts to Turnbull or other local spots. Caring for her elderly mother has limited her ability to take longer trips. For the past year, she has been focusing her efforts on remodeling the attic space of her South Hill home. Her other passions include bird watching and volunteering with disaster relief. Three years ago, Lola went on several medical missions to Haiti and she hopes to return in the near future.
"Even though I haven't used my wildlife biology degree in my professional life, I find that supporting The Lands Council is one way I can actively help protect and restore local forests and wildlife habitat," Lola notes. "I'm hoping some day I'll be able to do some on-the-ground work, as well."
Published Winter 2007
Join The Legacy Circle today!
More information about the Legacy Circle.
You can make your donation online, or contact Amber Waldref, Development Director at awaldref@landscouncil.org or 509-209-2407.
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