2024 Annual Report

Jim's Intro Letter

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LIGHTHAWK BY THE NUMBERS

Partners Served

Flights

Flight Hours Donated

Aircraft Types Flown

Aviat A-1C Husky

Beechcraft Baron

Beech Bonanza

Beechcraft King Air

Bellanca Citabria

Cessna 150G

Cessna 170A

Cessna 172

Cessna 182

Cessna 206

Cessna P210

Cessna Hawk XP

Cessna Citation

Cirrus SR20

Cirrus SR22

Cub Crafters Carbon Cub SS

Cubcrafters CC160

DAHER TBM700B

Fleet Canuck 80

Found Aviation – Expedition E350

Grumman AA5A

Maule MT-7-235

Mooney M20

Pilatus PC-12

Piper Archer

Piper Cherokee

Piper Comanche

Piper J3

Piper Pacer

Rutan LGEZ

Vans RV10

Endangered Species Transported

15 Mexican wolf pups

9 Colorado Gray Wolves

4 Red Wolves

Millions of White Abalone

2 California Condors

3 Whooping crane eggs

23 Black Footed Ferret

1 Golden eagle

800+ Masked Bobwhite Quail
(50 – for Pennsylvania reintroduction)

The more we learn about the connection between nature and our health, the more we understand the importance of preserving wild places both for today and future generations. Wild places are home to a diversity of animals, plants, and people. They offer spaces for recreation and a retreat from the stresses of urban life. They are also home to the headwaters of river systems that provide water for drinking, farming, and recreation. From a LightHawk flight, the connections between wild places, surrounding ecosystems, urban areas, and other developments become evident. Our volunteer pilots provide partners with a new perspective on the importance of these spaces and what we must do to protect them.

Impacting Oregon’s Wildlands

LightHawk is committed to safeguarding wild places nationwide. This year, our partnership with Oregon Wild achieved remarkable results in protecting Oregon’s wildlands, fostering informed discussions, and making a lasting impact on conservation efforts. Our flights provided crucial aerial perspectives that shaped key conservation strategies, informed fire management and restoration, and influenced land management policies.

One significant flight highlighted the extent of logging in the Tillamook and Clatsop State Forests, aiding Oregon Wild in advocating for informed decisions by the Governor and the Board of Forestry. Another flight captured the fire impacts across protected Wilderness, previously logged areas, and the 2022 Cedar Creek Fire burn scar, helping Oregon Wild craft a compelling conservation narrative.

Our aerial support also enabled a Capital Chronicle reporter to explore land management practices along the Oregon Coast Range, raising awareness about environmental issues such as clear-cutting’s effect on drinking water supplies. Additionally, we provided author Jenna Butler with a unique aerial view of Oregon’s forests for her book on climate change and forest management. Her work will offer valuable insights into the effects of climate change on Oregon’s coastal forests and emphasize the importance of conservation.

Enhancing Land Stewardship

Castle Ridge and Castleton Tower near Moab, UT with La Salle Mountains in the background

In partnership with Utah Open Lands, LightHawk recently conducted a survey flight over a sprawling property along the Colorado River, east of Moab, Utah. This property, consisting of six parcels, is a critical area for conservation efforts. The aerial imagery we captured will assist Utah Open Lands in making informed management decisions and developing detailed plans for the property.

By providing this aerial perspective, we enable land trusts to gather crucial data efficiently, allowing partners like Utah Open Lands to redirect resources toward expanding their efforts. This approach enhances their capacity to support private landowners, government agencies, and communities in preserving the agricultural, scenic, recreational, historic, and wildlife values of open land.

The insights gained from our flight not only save time but also strengthen land management and conservation practices, ensuring that these valuable landscapes are well-protected and managed for future generations.

Wildlife is a crucial part of our environment, yet it faces constant threats from the modern world. LightHawk flights play a vital role in wildlife conservation through two main areas: aerial surveys and endangered species transport.

Our aerial surveys enable scientists and wildlife biologists to broaden their research capabilities. By utilizing aerial telemetry, photography, and other methods, they can track wildlife, conduct surveys, and gain valuable insights into population sizes and distributions.

Across the country, conservation partners are dedicated to saving and restoring endangered species. When relocating these animals for breeding programs, genetic diversity or reintroduction efforts, the process has become increasingly challenging. LightHawk has emerged as a trusted resource for the safe and efficient transport of endangered species, contributing to their recovery and preservation.

Understanding Wildlife Connectivity

Wildlife connectivity is crucial for species survival, especially in areas like Idaho’s High Divide. Effective land management that preserves migratory corridors and wintering grounds is essential for positive conservation outcomes. LightHawk partnered with the Idaho Conservation League to capture vital aerial footage of key wildlife habitats. Our flight over the Donkey Hills and Sand Creek Desert & Junipers provided valuable data on these essential wintering grounds and migratory routes. This imagery will aid the Idaho Conservation League in advocating for stronger wildlife connectivity measures in Bureau of Land Management Resource Management Plans. By offering clear aerial evidence, LightHawk is helping to ensure these crucial wildlife corridors are protected and preserved.

Monitoring for Island Fox Conservation

LightHawk has continued our partnership with The Nature Conservancy to monitor island fox populations. Dedicated LightHawk pilots conduct regular flights for radio telemetry, tracking radio-collared foxes as part of the island fox post-delisting monitoring plan. This crucial work provides early warning signals if fox mortality rates rise above normal levels, enabling biologists to act swiftly to prevent potential population declines.

The data collected from these flights not only supports The Nature Conservancy but is also shared with key partners, including the US Fish and Wildlife Service and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. This collaborative effort ensures a comprehensive approach to conserving the island fox and contributes to the species’ ongoing recovery and stability.

“Monthly monitoring for collared foxes allows the wildlife biologists to augment their ground based telemetry, and in two hours can detect nearly all foxes across the islands, while ground telemetry to do the same might take more than a full week of effort. This information allows us to quickly detect mortalities and focus the effort of on-the-ground workers to collect the carcasses in a timely manner to be examined for cause of death. This effort could not be done without the LightHawk partnership, and we are very grateful for our pilot’s flexibility and safe flying for this project!”

– Jim Howard, California Institute of Environmental Studies

Safeguarding Endangered Species

As the demand for transporting endangered species has surged, LightHawk has adapted to meet this critical need. Our custom flight plans, which offer flexible scheduling and convenient departure and arrival locations, are crucial for the safe transport of these animals. Unlike commercial airlines – where wildlife transport is increasingly restricted, and schedules are often rigid – LightHawk ensures that animals spend minimal time in crates and receive continuous care from handlers throughout their journey.

Delays and cancellations with commercial flights can cause significant distress to animals. By providing timely and humane transportation with minimal stress, LightHawk has earned a reputation for safe and efficient endangered species transport, leading to impactful new partnerships.

One example of our expertise in action is our collaboration with Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW). Following a statewide voter mandate to reintroduce grey wolves to Colorado, CPW sought LightHawk’s assistance for relocating wolves as part of their restoration efforts.

In December 2023, LightHawk volunteer pilots transported adult grey wolves from Eastern Oregon to Colorado, marking their official return to the state. This successful mission was a key step in broader species recovery and habitat restoration efforts. By facilitating such critical transport missions, LightHawk plays a vital role in helping endangered species thrive and underscores our growing impact on their conservation and recovery.

We could not have accomplished this task as simply as we did without the cooperation and donated flights from lighthawk. What would have been 13+ hour drives through the night was accomplished in 2.5-3 hour flights during daylight hours. Wolf and human safety was paramount for this project and the collaboration with lighthawk made this possible. Accomplishing the preliminary goal of getting wolves reintroduced by 12/31/23 was due in large part to the collaboration with LightHawk. We hope to be able to continue this partnership for the coming years.

Eric Odell

Colorado Parks and Wildlife

Waterways are vital to our lives, providing fresh drinking water, supporting wildlife, irrigating crops, offering recreational opportunities, and more. They can stretch for thousands of miles, ending in the ocean or, like the Colorado River, before they reach the sea. LightHawk makes a difference in conserving these resources by providing an invaluable aerial perspective. Our flights give passengers a comprehensive view of rivers and lakes, revealing how these waterways interact with surrounding ecosystems and the threats they face from development, agriculture, and climate change. By offering this aerial insight, LightHawk helps our ground-based partners save time and resources, enabling them to achieve conservation impact in less time.

Documentring Historic Change on the Klamath River

LightHawk partnered with Trout Unlimited to provide a memorable aerial perspective of the Klamath River’s four hydroelectric dams, just before their historic removal. For decades, these dams obstructed the migration of salmon, steelhead, and Pacific lamprey, degrading water quality and causing the extirpation of these native fish from over 400 miles of critical habitat in southern Oregon and northern California. The removal of these dams represents the largest dam removal project in history.

LightHawk is enhancing understanding of the positive impacts of dam removal by documenting the river throughout the process. This and future flights will provide a detailed record of the environmental changes, helping to illustrate the benefits of restoring natural river systems.

Lighthawk continues to be an integral part of so many of Trout Unlimited’s campaigns but the need on the Klamath was more important than ever as we pivot to the largest dam removal in history. Our content, which is used across many of our digital spaces, helps to illustrate exactly what we’ve accomplished and been able to accomplish over the last 20 years of working in southern Oregon and northern California.

Josh Duplechian

Trout Unlimited

Strengthening Conservation on the Mississippi River

The Mississippi River is a vital resource, providing drinking water, supporting agriculture, and sustaining diverse ecosystems. However, it faces significant threats from pollution and habitat loss. To address these challenges, LightHawk has deepened its conservation efforts along the river by partnering with organizations committed to its protection. Our work focuses on documenting the river’s main channel, its tributaries, and the conservation issues they face.

In collaboration with the Mississippi River Ag and Water Desk and Wisconsin Watch, we captured aerial photos highlighting the river’s current state, including segments of the Wisconsin River. These images have been used by Northern Public Radio for outreach and reporting, while other photos have been shared with conservation partners working on the ground. By providing this crucial perspective, LightHawk is empowering local organizations to take informed actions in safeguarding this essential waterway.

Safeguarding the Lifeblood of the Southwest

Across the country, our nation’s waterways are the lifeblood of communities, ecosystems, and economies. Rivers and streams provide critical habitat for fish, birds, and countless other species. They supply water for agriculture, drinking water for both humans and wildlife, and offer recreational opportunities like fishing and swimming. The health of these waterways is crucial for sustaining life, making their protection a top priority.

At LightHawk, we partner with conservation groups across the United States to protect and restore these vital watersheds. Among the many rivers we fly over, the Colorado River stands out as one of our highest priorities. This river, winding through several states, is a vital resource for millions of people throughout the Southwest. From its headwaters in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado to its end in the Colorado River Delta, the river provides essential water for cities, farms, and natural habitats across the region.

Throughout the year, LightHawk volunteer pilots routinely fly conservation partners, legislators, and stakeholders over the Colorado River and its many tributaries. These flights offer a unique aerial perspective that helps ground-based conservation efforts by showcasing the river’s expanse, its challenges, and its beauty. This bird’s-eye view is invaluable for understanding the scale of conservation issues and for advocating for the river’s protection.

In our ongoing mission to expand the impact of our work, we have welcomed several new conservation partners along the Colorado River. These partnerships are designed to broaden the resources and opportunities available to those working on the ground to protect the river. A significant focus has been our collaboration with Native American conservation groups. By providing aerial perspectives, we support their efforts to safeguard their ancestral lands and waters, which are deeply intertwined with the health of the Colorado River.

The Colorado River and its tributaries, along with the fragile ecosystem of the Colorado Delta, remain top priorities for LightHawk. Our flights not only contribute to the protection and preservation of this vital waterway but also help save communities and ecosystems across the Southwest. As we continue to expand our work with partners, we remain committed to ensuring that this essential river is protected for future generations, sustaining life and thriving ecosystems in one of the most arid regions of the United States.

Aerial Conservation Above the Colorado River and Delta

In October, LightHawk took to the sky with a video crew from Environment News Trust and a guide from conservation partner Pronatura. Piloted by LightHawk Board Member and volunteer pilot Will Worthington, the team flew over the Colorado River and Delta, capturing aerial footage of critical conservation projects along the route. Taking off from Phoenix, the flight offered a detailed view of conservation efforts, emphasizing the river’s significance to the watershed. This mission was featured on NBC news stations across the country, showcasing LightHawk’s role and contributions to these vital initiatives. By sharing these aerial insights, LightHawk and its partners are enhancing public awareness of conservation achievements and challenges, driving support for the preservation of this essential watershed.

Our oceans teem with life, and our coastlines are home to millions of people. We rely on the oceans not just for food but also for regulating our planet’s temperature and absorbing heat. Ocean plants provide essential food, habitat, and act as carbon sinks. LightHawk flights transform ocean and coastline conservation by offering a broader perspective.

Scientists, partners, media, and others gain a comprehensive view of the threats facing our oceans and coasts. They can better understand the implications of rising sea levels for coastal communities and plan more effectively for climate resilience. By covering more ground and seeing how local changes impact larger areas, LightHawk flights expand their perspective, deepen their understanding, and inspire action.

Documenting the Tijuana Estuary

Photo by XXXX

LightHawk facilitated an important aerial perspective by providing a flight for a photographer from High Country News over the Tijuana River Estuary in southern California. This flight enabled the magazine to feature compelling images for a feature story in their special issue, “Climate Futures.” Photos captured will also support the Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve in its efforts to preserve, protect and manage the natural and cultural resources of the Estuary. Collaborating with media partners like High Country News helps LightHawk extend the reach of vital conservation stories and engage a wider audience.

Enhancing Advocacy for Penobscot Bay

Photo by XXXX

LightHawk has continued our partnership with The Nature Conservancy to monitor island fox populations. Dedicated LightHawk pilots conduct regular flights for radio telemetry, tracking radio-collared foxes as part of the island fox post-delisting monitoring plan. This crucial work provides early warning signals if fox mortality rates rise above normal levels, enabling biologists to act swiftly to prevent potential population declines.

The data collected from these flights not only supports The Nature Conservancy but is also shared with key partners, including the US Fish and Wildlife Service and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. This collaborative effort ensures a comprehensive approach to conserving the island fox and contributes to the species’ ongoing recovery and stability.

“Monthly monitoring for collared foxes allows the wildlife biologists to augment their ground based telemetry, and in two hours can detect nearly all foxes across the islands, while ground telemetry to do the same might take more than a full week of effort. This information allows us to quickly detect mortalities and focus the effort of on-the-ground workers to collect the carcasses in a timely manner to be examined for cause of death. This effort could not be done without the LightHawk partnership, and we are very grateful for our pilot’s flexibility and safe flying for this project!”

– Jim Howard, California Institute of Environmental Studies

Safeguarding Endangered Species

As the demand for transporting endangered species has surged, LightHawk has adapted to meet this critical need. Our custom flight plans, which offer flexible scheduling and convenient departure and arrival locations, are crucial for the safe transport of these animals. Unlike commercial airlines – where wildlife transport is increasingly restricted, and schedules are often rigid – LightHawk ensures that animals spend minimal time in crates and receive continuous care from handlers throughout their journey.

Delays and cancellations with commercial flights can cause significant distress to animals. By providing timely and humane transportation with minimal stress, LightHawk has earned a reputation for safe and efficient endangered species transport, leading to impactful new partnerships.

One example of our expertise in action is our collaboration with Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW). Following a statewide voter mandate to reintroduce grey wolves to Colorado, CPW sought LightHawk’s assistance for relocating wolves as part of their restoration efforts.

In December 2023, LightHawk volunteer pilots transported adult grey wolves from Eastern Oregon to Colorado, marking their official return to the state. This successful mission was a key step in broader species recovery and habitat restoration efforts. By facilitating such critical transport missions, LightHawk plays a vital role in helping endangered species thrive and underscores our growing impact on their conservation and recovery.

We could not have accomplished this task as simply as we did without the cooperation and donated flights from lighthawk. What would have been 13+ hour drives through the night was accomplished in 2.5-3 hour flights during daylight hours. Wolf and human safety was paramount for this project and the collaboration with lighthawk made this possible. Accomplishing the preliminary goal of getting wolves reintroduced by 12/31/23 was due in large part to the collaboration with LightHawk. We hope to be able to continue this partnership for the coming years.

Eric Odell

Colorado Parks and Wildlife

The changes in our climate are creating long-lasting effects on our world. LightHawk is dedicated to advancing climate resilience and preparing our world for the challenges of a changing climate.

Climate change threatens wildlife, wild places, waterways, and our oceans and coastlines. Every aspect of LightHawk’s work with partners is influenced by these changes. LightHawk is focused on enhancing climate resilience across all our focus areas. Along the coasts, we gather data on King Tide events, helping community planners anticipate the impacts of rising sea levels. In waterways, we document droughts and flooding, both driven by climate change. In wild places, we support researchers in understanding the effects of drought, excessive heat, and wildfire. Our wildlife flights track animal movements and populations, providing insights into their responses to climate change.

Documenting Colorado’s record snowpack

The winter of 2023/2024 brought unprecedented snowfall to Colorado, breaking records and offering a welcome reprieve from years of drought. This significant snow accumulation has helped to replenish rivers and restore reservoir levels that had previously reached critical lows. In collaboration with the Water Desk, LightHawk played a crucial role in capturing this historic snowfall from the air. Our flights over the San Juan Mountains, a vital source for the region’s rivers, provided high-quality photos and videos of the snowpack. This imagery has been integrated into the Water Desk’s reports and added to their open-source library of water-related multimedia assets. These resources are freely available to journalists, helping to amplify the importance of water conservation and environmental issues across the American West.

Monitoring methane emissions

Corpus Christi, Texas, is home to one of the largest methane terminals in the country. While methane is valuable for various commercial applications, it also poses significant environmental challenges as a potent greenhouse gas, contributing to climate change and affecting local air quality.

To address these issues, LightHawk partnered with the Ingleside on the Bay Coastal Watch Association for aerial monitoring of methane emissions and air quality in the region. Our flights provided crucial data on methane levels and air quality, which are being used to underscore the need for ongoing air monitoring. This data is also guiding adjustments in monitoring methods and supporting the development of proposals for future monitoring efforts. The results are being shared with local managers and regulators to inform and enhance regional environmental strategies.

As we reflect on the past year, one major highlight was the planning and preparation for our ambitious 50-In-50 Challenge. This initiative aimed to complete 50 conservation flights in just 50 days, pushing our limits and showcasing our commitment to conservation on a far-reaching scale. The challenge drew national attention and highlighted the critical role of aerial perspectives in protecting the lands, waters and wildlife we cherish.

This accomplishment has set the stage for a transformative year ahead. We are excited to build on this momentum with a renewed focus on expanding our impact and capabilities in the coming year.

Expand Capacity Using Multispectral Imagery

Photo by XXXX

Our commitment to advancing conservation efforts takes a significant leap forward with the integration of multispectral imagery into monitoring flights. By harnessing this cutting-edge technology, we can work with partners to gain deeper, more detailed insights into the health and dynamics of the ecosystems we fly over. With our expanded capacity, we can provide partners with the detailed insights needed for informed decision making and drive more effective and impactful conservation strategies.

Expand Wildlife Transport via Increasing Pilot Capacity

Photo by XXXX

Wildlife transport is a rapidly growing program area for LightHawk, playing a crucial role in endangered species recovery. Our unique aerial resources enable us to significantly enhance the health and safety of these animals, providing essential support for their conservation. By collaborating with the American Zoo and Aquariums (AZA) Saving Animals from Extinction (SAFE) programs and the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), we offer swift transport for reintroductions, facilitate genetic diversity by moving animals between facilities and conduct vital monitoring flights over remote areas. To further amplify our efforts, we are expanding our network of volunteer pilots. Increasing pilot capacity is essential, as the need for our aerial support has never been greater. By boosting our capabilities, we are better equipped to make an even greater impact on the recovery and conservation of critical species.

Launch New Challenges and Partnerships

Building on the success of the 50-In-50 Challenge, we are excited to explore new conservation challenges that will push the boundaries of our achievements. These new initiatives will drive us forward and create opportunities for increased collaboration and support. We are pursuing new partnerships to strengthen our resources, amplify our efforts, and advance our expanded goals.

As we look ahead, the theme “Building Momentum for Lasting Change” will drive our efforts to innovate, expand, and engage. By building on our recent successes and focusing on key strategic areas, we are prepared to reach new milestones and elevate our conservation efforts to make a meaningful and lasting impact on our planet.

$50,000 and above

Anonymous | Cornell Douglas Foundation | The Eucalyptus FoundationDavid and Gale Kunkel | Thomas W. Haas FoundationThe Volgenau Foundation | Walton Family Foundation

$10,000-$49,999

Appleby Foundation | The Batchelor Foundation, Inc. | Colorado Parks and Wildlife | Curtis and Edith Munson Foundation | Dorrance Family Foundation | James and Christine Gamble | Marisla Foundation | WELWE Foundation

$1,000-$9,999

Gabrielle and Ken Adelman | Agricultural Stewardship Association | Anonymous | Bill Becker | Ralph Britton | Robert and Susan Crenshaw | Mr. and Mrs. Emmett | Mark and Willow Follett | Hamill Family Foundation | Christina Heinle | Steve and Kristine Kent | Ray Lee and Sue Morgensen | Christina and Douglas McVie | New Hampshire Charitable Foundation | Marcey Olajos | P.E.A.C.E. Awareness Foundation | John and Margaret Sandvig | Wendy Shattil, Share the View Photo Contest | SWAAAE | Celia P. Taylor | Textron Charitable Trust | Wild Space Production | William H. and Mattie Wattis Harris FoundationBetsy and Jim WinnAmy Woodworth | Sandy and Will WorthingtonSheri Young

$500-$999

Nadim and Maggie Abuhaidar | Janice Anderson | James Andrews | Anonymous | Jim Becker and Mimi Macksoud | Reinier and Nancy Beeuwkes | The Benevity Community Impact Fund | Matthew Berman | Blyler-Thompson Charitable Fund | Christopher and Jennifer Boyer | Columbia Land Conservancy | Erin Cooke and Andy Russell | Diane H Davidson Ocean Legacy Fund | Fanwood Foundation West | Abigail Faulkner and Hobart Guion | Deborah Garber and John Tielsch | Chris and Shannon Lee | Garrison Lickle | Erin & Whitney Manzitto-Tripp | Larry and Gail Mayo | Jay and Louise Noyes | Nathaniel O. Owings | Padosi Foundation | Robert and Carol Keller via Keller Family Fund, a donor advised fund of the Community Foundation of Herkimer and Oneida Counties | Lisa and Steve RobertsonJean Schulz | Jochen Spengler and Elena De Angelis | Philip Walker and Cheryl Tritt | David Wild | Marcia Wiley

$250-$499

Kerry Albright | Scott Allen Barber | Joseph Bogaard | Art Bridge | Jason Brooks | Sally and Tom Cahill | Colorado Gives Foundation | Deborah and William Roach Trust | Judith S. Engelberg | J Henry Fair | John and Paula Foy | Todd Freeman | Richard Lindsey | Theodore Lyman | Josh and Becky Marvil | Merry Schroeder and David Matthews | Rick McCraw | Mary Mitchell | Gordon Orians | Wayne and Paula Sayer | Charles Simenstad | Barbara Sweet | Joanna and Steve Weitzel | Stephen Williams

$1-$250

Mercedes Agogino | Edwin Ahrens | AmazonSmile Foundation | Anonymous | Ron and Barbara Asai | Jim Astin | Joanne Barnes | George and Anita Berlacher | Wendy Ross Beye | Penny L. Blubaugh | Joseph and Susan Bower | Louise T. Chow and Thomas R. Broker | Eileen Burger | Barbara Burian | R.G. and Sylvia Cardella | Lynette Cardoch | Roland Chaiton | Margaret and Ron Claypool | Sharky Cornell | Mark Dedon | Richard and Karen Durden | Kimberly Eckert | Rudy and Grace Engholm | Stephen Ferg | Rich Fisher | Emilie Ryan and Clayton Fraser | Mary Ann Frye | Daniel Gariepy | Lydia Garvey | Sharon Gaskill | Peter Geiler | Mark M. Giese | Diego Gil-Agudelo | Nancy Gloman | Kelly and Michael Gottlieb | Paula Graham | P. Hawk Greenberg | Peter and Joanne Griesinger | Robert and Sharon Handelsman | Alison Harrison | Randall Henderson | Kirsten R. Holmquist | Ralph Lee Hopkins | Richard A Horvitz | Robert and Tina Hyduke | Katherine Johnson | Kirk and Leslie Johnson | L. Christine Judson | Paula Katz | Paul Kent | Henry LaVigne | Jacopo and Robyn Lenzi | Robert Linck and Leanne Klyza Linck | Lucy MacLeitch | Alan Marcum | Philip Margolis | Nancy B. Marsh | Rebecca Marvil | Joelle R. Mauthe | Wayne McClelland | James A. McClure | Karen A. McDonough | Robert McKernan | Rowene Aguirre-Medina and Roy G. Medina | Hannah Metzger | Joel Myerson | Linda Nicholes | Mary Kaye O’Neill | Elaine Charkowski and Edward Oberweiser | John and Lani Ochs | Louise and Will Pape | Anita Peterson | Kathy Peterson | Penelope and Ben Pierce | Edward J. Pushich | Bruce Ray | Kevin Roache | Janet Rollin | Polly Ross | Carol Runy | Christine Sakach | Michiko and Dave Saylor | Daniel and Joanne Shively | Randall Siebert | Ms. Simonson | Fran Sittig | Michelle Slaughter | Jerry Smith | Jeffrey A. Soots | Monica Stahlmann | Donald Stearns | Benjamin Drummond and Sara Steele | Sandy Steers | Virgil Swadley | Marilyn H. Tam | Lida Teneva | The Boeing Company | Tracy C. Thompson | Walter Tingle | Kevin and Sara Tolman | Ms. Tomlinson | Margot B. Unkel | Julian Veitch | R. Thomas and Donna Miller Ward | Stephanie Wells | Richard and Kathleen Westcott | Winston Wheeler | Barbara J. Wilhite | Joanna Winship | John and Jill Winter | James A. Wood | Jim Wright | Bryan L. Wyberg | Annastauszia Zaikowski

  • Blyler-Thompson Charitable Fund in honor of Rudy and Grace Engholm
  • John and Paula Foy in honor of Rudy Engholm
  • Kelly and Michael Gottlieb in honor of Stanley Strauss
  • Kelly and Michael Gottlieb in honor of Carole and Dick Einaugler
  • Alison Harrison in honor of Bud Sittig
  • Chris and Shannon Lee in honor of Sophia and Samuel Lee
  • Wayne McClelland in honor of Alex Bauer (KSBA pilot)
  • Emilie Ryan and Clayton Fraser in honor of Jonathan Milne
  • Jason Brooks in memory of Stephen Paul
  • Barbara Burian in memory of Key Dismukes
  • New Hampshire Charitable Foundation in memory of Jeff Clark
  • Mary Kaye O’Neill in memory of Gene Steffen
  • Kathy Peterson in memory of Bob Peterson

Volunteer Pilot Awards

Spirit of LightHawk Award

Roy Lewallen
LightHawk Conservation Flying

Rockwell Award

Barbara Filkins

Rookie of the Year

Michiko Sayler

Carpenter Award

Will Worthington

President’s Award

Dan Marks

LightHawk’s volunteer pilots are the heart of our organization. Their donation of their time, skills and resources allow us to move conservation efforts ahead and expand horizons of conservation for partners and passengers. Spread across the country, they allow us to work in every region, addressing a wide range of conservation issues. We are grateful to their dedication to LightHawk and their willingness to provide the aerial perspective, saving the Earth, one flight at a time.

Aaron Foster | Adam Broun | Alan Kinback | Alan Marcum | Alison Chalker | Allen Low | Alyson Rieken | Andreas Lauschke | Andy Young | Anne Minder | Anthony Carson | Arlene Myers Alexander | Aron Wolf | Art Bridge | Art Thompson | Arthur Hussey III | Barbara Filkins | Barry Harper | Ben Pierce | Benjamin Cohen | Benjamin Harvey | Bill Rush | Bob Cipolli | Bob Gill | Bob Smith | Bob Wiseman | Brandon Butsick | Brent Blue | Brent Witters | Brian Adams | Brian Williams | Bruce McLean | Bryan Baker | C. Rudy Engholm | Carl Mattson | Charles Heywood | Charles Rapalje | Charles Schildecker | Chris Bonter | Chris Boyer | Chris Keithley | Christopher Noth | Chuck Rosenfeld | Chuck Schroll | Chuck Yanke | Clifford Gill | Cory West | Craig Weaver | Dan Marks | Dan Silvers | Daniel Barley | Daniel Evans | David Acker | David Comarow | David Grimm | David Harnitchek | David Harris | David Houghton | David Kunkel | David Morrison | David Murphy | David Osher | David Riffle | David Shapiro | David Warner | David Weeks | David Weissman | Debi Maucione | Dick Stone | Donald Goodman | Doug Paris | Douglas Harford | Douglas Lumgair | Douglass Sisk | Edward DeCastro | Emil Gould | Eric Jakimier | Erin Manzitto-Tripp | Ernie Bitten | Evan Anderman | Frank Steeves | Fred Lagno | Fredric Moskol | G.Val Tollefson | Gabrielle Adelman | Gary Lickle | Geoff Pope | Gerald Glaser | Gerold Noyes | Gerry Whitley | Gilberto Velez-Domenech | Gordon Murray | Greg Bedinger | Greg Vernon | Gregory Burnett|  Gregory Paulin | Gunther Koblmiller | Hal Hayden | Herb Wagers | Howard Greenberg | Hubert Lacey | Irwin MARK Cohen | Jack Long | James Dingess | James Elegante | James Herring | James Levy James Matthews| Jamie Gamble | Jane Nicolai | Jane Rosevelt | Jason Brooks | Jason Kozak | Jay Apt | Jay Beveridge | Jay Steffenhagen | Jeffrey (Duffy) Fainer | Jeffrey Hazlett | Jeremy Lezin | Jerry Edgerton | Jerry Karlsberg | Jim Afinowich | Jim Knowles | Jim Richards | Jim Schmidt | Joe Keeton | Joe Stringer | John Anson | John Baker | John Bone | John French | John Kamburoff | John Kusianovich | John Marcinkevich | John Merritt | John Priscu | John Sandvig | John Wilson | John-Michael Lee | Jon Berman | Jonathan Lampitt | Jonathon Hinson | Joseph DuRousseau | Joseph Fischetti | JP Soldo | Judith Parrish | Julian Veitch | Kate Proctor | Kelly Trigg-Grossetete | Ken Newbury | Ken Wayne | Kenneth Adelman | Kenneth Foster | Kenneth Kleinberg | Kent Wien | Kevin Roache | Kurt Fischer | Lane Gormley | Larry Lowenkron | Larry Petro | Larry Swanson | Lee Gerstein | Lee Harris | Les Filler | Lynn Welling | Marijke Unger | Mark Dedon | Mark Gaponoff | Mark Hanson | Mark Mantei | Mark Robidoux | Martin Goldfarb | Matthew Debski | Matthew Machen | Michael Baum | Michael Jesch | Michael Maya Charles | Michael McBride | Michael Schroeder | Michael Spurgeon | Michael Venturino | Michael White | Michiko Saylor | Miguel Marin | Mike Hart | Mike McNamara | Milton Bennett | Nadim Abuhaidar | Nathan Kurth | Nathan Rydman | Nelson Ronsvalle | Noam Eisen | Norman Brod | Park Walker | Paul Kutler | Paul Novak | Paul O’Bagy | Peter Coltman | Peter Geiler | Peter Gordon | Peter Valchev | Peter Watkins | Randall Henderson | Ray Lee | Reg Dowdall | Reg Goodwin | Rex Reynolds | Rhon Williams | Rich Wellner | Richard Filson | Richard Jacobs | Richard Koril | Richard McCraw | Richard Walker | Rick Durden | Rick Hunt | Rick Turley | Rick Utermoehlen | Robert Bender | Robert Costello | Robert Decker | Robert Keller | Robert Lange | Robert Panebianco | Robert Thomas | Robert Woodley | Ross Rice | Roy Lewallen | Sandy Quillen | Scott Cianchette | Scott Humphries | Scott Sedam | Scott Young | Sidney Karin | Stephanie Wells | Steve Anderson | Steve Isom | Steve Kent | Steve Kiss | Steve Meyer | Steve Phillabaum | Steve Williams | Steven Garman | Susan Hostler | Susan Schwaab | Susan Wolber | Ted Leenerts | Terri Watson | Terry Alberta | Terry Scott | Thomas AmRhein | Thomas Dillon | Thomas Haas | Timothy Lapage | Timothy Toal | Todd Freeman | Tom LeCompte | Tom Lunsford | Tomer Regev | Val Nasano | Vincent Lalomia | Wade Eakle | Warren Dean | Wayland Tonning | Wayne Connor | Wayne McClelland | Wayne Munson | Wayne Sayer | Will Worthington | William Brine | William Joyner | William Mims | William Psaledakis | Wolfgang Meyn | Zach Border | Zachary Thomas

Gone West

This year, we take a moment to remember those who have given so much to LightHawk. We sadly lost three dedicated volunteer pilots whose passion for aviation and conservation made a lasting impact. We are forever grateful for the relationships we built with them and honor their invaluable contributions to our mission.

    • Richard McSpadden
    • Peter Niewieroski
    • Mike Poznansky

Years of service

5 Years

  • Bob Smith
  • Scott Sedam
  • David Riffle
  • Peter Gordon
  • Terry Scott
  • Kelly Trigg-Grossetete

    10 Years

    • Jim Houser
    • Robert Lober
    • Steve Isom
    • Jason Brooks
    • Judston Wickwire
    • Jim Roswell
    • Leon Robert

    15 Years

    • Michael Baum
    • Rob Ross

    20 Years

    • John-Michael Lee

    25 Years

    • Bob Gill
    • Bruce McLean

    30 Years

    • Robert Keller

    7 Lakes Alliance | Agricultural Stewardship Association | Alexander Heilner, Photographer | American Rivers NW WA | American Rivers-Southwest, Denver | Appalachian Trail Conservancy | Archaeology Southwest | ARTE | Balance Media | Black-footed Ferret Conservation Center- USFWS | Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge- US Fish & Wildlife Service | California Institute of Environmental Studies | Captains for Clean Water | Cascades Carnivore Project | CEDO Intercultural | City of Flagstaff | Coalition for Sonoran Desert Protection | Colorado Parks and Wildlife | Commonwealth of Massachusetts | Conservancy of Southwest Florida | Conservation Florida | Conservation Law Foundation | Conservation Northwest | Denver PostEnvironment  News Trust | Eric Lee | Essex County Greenbelt | Florida International University | Friends of Penobscot Bay | Friends of the Everglades | High Country News | Idaho Conservation League | Ingleside on the Bay Coastal Watch Association | Inland Northwest Land Conservancy | International Crane Foundation | Iowa Rivers Revival | Ipswich River Watershed Association | J Henry Fair, Photographer | Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership | Maine Appalachian Trail Land Trust | Maine Coast Heritage Trust-Topsham Office | MaineRivers | Massachusetts Coastal Pine Barrens Partnership | Mexican Wolf Species Survival Plan | Mississippi River Basin Ag & Water Desk | Mono Lake Committee | National Audubon Society | National Parks Conservation Association- Sun Coast | Navajo Nation Department of Fish and Wildlife | Northwest Biological Consulting | Oregon State University | Oregon Wild | Pete McBride, Photographer | Pinnacles National Park | Piscataqua Region Estuaries Partnership | Red Wolf SAFE Program | Rensselaer Plateau Alliance | Restauremos el Colorado AC | Rivers Coalition | Rolling Stone Magazine | Santa Barbara Zoo | Save Our Wild Salmon | Save the Manatee Club | Save The Sound | Sebasticook Regional Land Trust | Standing Trees | Susquehanna River Basin Commission | Tall Timbers Research Inc. | The Cornucopia Institute | The Everglades Foundation | The Nature Conservancy-California | The Nature Conservancy-Colorado | The Nature Conservancy-Illinois | The Peregrine Fund- Idaho | The Trustees of Reservations | Trout Unlimited | Trout Unlimited-National Office | Trust for Public Land | Tufts Wildlife Clinic | Tuolumne River Trust | University of Colorado- Boulder-Center for Environmental Journalism | University of Maine | Upper Valley Land Trust | Utah Open Lands | Washington’s National Park Fund | White Abalone Captive Breeding Program, UC Davis Bodega Marine Lab

    Our Financials

    Our Impact, Powered By You

    Every LightHawk flight offers a rare view of our world – one that shapes the future of conservation. And this perspective? It is made possible because of you.

    Your support allows us to tackle the toughest environmental challenges. From the skies, we see things in a way few others can – dynamic landscapes, intricate waterways, and hidden habitats that reveal the health of our planet.

    Thanks to you, each flight is a step toward our bold vision for a sustainable future. You help us safeguard vital ecosystems and protect endangered species. You confront the climate crisis by supporting our efforts to document environmental changes and inspire better conservation policies.

    You are the driving force behind each success story – one flight, one project, one conservation victory at a time. As we reflect on all we’ve accomplished together, we want you to know how much we value your continued support. You empower us to push the boundaries of conservation and create a healthier planet for everyone.

    Thank you for being at the heart of our mission. Together, we are making lasting change for the future of our planet.

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