By Reader Staff
After seven years as executive director of the Idaho Conservation League, Justin Hayes has announced that he will leave the organization to pursue the next chapter of his career dedicated to environmental protection.
Hayes joined ICL almost 25 years ago as a program director, managing a range of conservation and environmental initiatives. He was selected to lead the organization following the retirement of longtime Executive Director Rick Johnson in 2018.
As executive director, Hayes guided ICL through the adoption of two new strategic plans, launched new programs focused on wildlife and North Idaho lakes and waters, strengthened ICL’s community engagement and external relations teams, increased revenues and improved financial performance, and opened a new field office in McCall.
“He also cultivated an organizational culture grounded in the values of diversity, equity, inclusion and justice,” according to ICL.
“Serving as executive director has been incredibly rewarding for me,” Hayes stated in a news release. “But it has also meant spending less time personally doing the conservation work that first drew me to this field. At 57, I’m not ready to retire — but I can see it on the horizon. As I’ve reflected on how I want to spend the final phase of my career, I’ve realized that I want to be back on the ground, as a staffer, doing work focused on the rivers and fish that have always inspired me.”
Hayes has accepted a position as the Northern Rockies conservation director for American Rivers, where he will oversee efforts to protect and restore wild, free-flowing rivers in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming.
ICL will begin the search for its next executive director in the coming months. In the interim, Conservation Director Brad Smith will serve as interim executive director.
“Justin has been an exceptional leader for ICL, and he will be deeply missed,” Smith stated. “We’re grateful for all he has accomplished and wish him the very best in his next chapter. Thanks to Justin’s dedication and vision, he leaves ICL in a strong and stable position for our next executive director.”
Founded in 1973 and with 24 staff members, ICL works on conservation issues throughout the state including air and water quality, as well as land and wildlife.
For more information, visit idahoconservation.org.
