We’re excited to spotlight Jestine, a passionate advocate for the outdoors who jumped right into the ITA community this past summer! She first connected with ITA through a shared love of Idaho’s wild places and stepped up to serve as camp cook on a week-long St. Joe River project—keeping volunteers well-fed and energized for long days of trail work. Her enthusiasm for nature, sustainability, and community shines through in everything she does. Thank you, Jestine, for your hard work and dedication to keeping Idaho’s trails open and accessible for all!

What is your background in? What are some of the things you enjoy doing for fun?

After graduating from the University of Idaho in May of ’24, I founded Sustainable Classrooms, a nonprofit that combats plastic pollution and the lack of access to education in developing communities by building classrooms out of recycled bricks. So keeping the Earth clean and accessible comes as second nature for me. I just started a part-time job at REI in Bozeman, MT but in my free time, I like to spend time doing my favorite things whether that is backpacking, fly fishing, rafting, rock climbing, or just a picnic in the park. The outdoors is where I am happiest.

How and why did you first get involved with ITA? What are the different ways you’ve volunteered for ITA over the years?

I first came across ITA at an Idaho regional nonprofit conference. I had met Barbara, ITA’s Northern Idaho Trail Program Specialist, and we immediately bonded over our shared passion for the outdoors. Barbara and I kept in touch and she quickly learned how much I liked to talk about the St. Joe River. ITA had a week-long trip planned on the St. Joe River Trail and was in need of a camp cook and Barbara knew exactly who would sign up for this kind of adventure. I spent a week keeping everyone alive as I like to say, making sure volunteers get enough yummy food in their bellies before and after working on the trail.

What do you like about volunteering with ITA?

There are countless reasons why I like volunteering with ITA. The biggest one being the sense of community and belonging you have while feeling and being a part of something bigger. Trail work can be one of the most humbling and rewarding experiences. The amount of work it takes to maintain a trail is pretty incredible and the fact that it is a whole team of volunteers set on completing the same mission makes it even more so. It’s not just about preserving Idaho’s beautiful trails, but creating a safe and accessible environment for others to enjoy. “Rule #1 – Have Fun!”

Most memorable backcountry or ITA experience?

It is so hard to name just one memorable story when there are dozens to choose from. The simple things like having huckleberry pancakes in the morning, listening to Billy Bob play his guitar around the campfire in the evenings, or swimming and fishing in the river during downtime will never leave my memories. I will also not forget about the time I drew our camp mascot, Wynonna (inspired by the iconic singer and Wilson from Cast Away) on a napkin with the blood that wouldn’t stop pouring from my thumb. Who knew the cook cutting an onion would suffer a cut before someone handling a pair of loppers on the trail all week.

Why are trails worth protecting?

Trails are worth protecting because they are not just a beaten path to a destination. Trails serve greater purposes that promote a healthy environment for humans and animals. Having clear trails can encourage the public to enjoy Idaho’s nature and influence more people to spend time protecting and advocating for the land for generations to come. Individual experiences on the trail can be educational, life changing, and positively contribute to historic preservation of the communities heritage. Protecting trails goes beyond the foot on the path, but protects the environment that is rooted below and around it that gives back to us everyday.