About Us
How to reach us
Elk River Land Trust
Post Office Box 1158
Port Orford, Oregon 97465Phone 541-332-7923
Board of Directors
Our dynamic board of directors have wide-ranging talents and an earnest dedication to community education. ERLT's board members were selected not only for their education, expertise and leadership qualities but also, each member, having lived and worked in this small rural community for at least 15 years, has displayed their aptitude in partnering with a wide range of our local community. Each board member is a small business owner, and each board member has a strong background in biology, conservation and land management.
Jerry Paul Becker grew up on a working farm in western New York where he observed the abundance of the natural world. In 1973, after earning a B.A. degree in psychology and political science from the University of Rochester, Jerry relocated to Oregon.
Since that time, he has studied forests throughout the Pacific Northwest. A quarter-century working in native forests fostered his understanding of natural systems. In 1986, Jerry launched Ecoforestry Management Associates, a forestry consulting firm specializing in stewardship forestry. Jerry is the only SmartWood Certified Resource Manager on the Oregon coast.
Jerry is a founding board member of Friends of Elk River. During Jerry's twenty-five year tenure FOER has won acclaim for establishing the Grassy Knob Wilderness Area and adding Elk River to the National Wild & Scenic River's System.
To replenish his energy, Jerry hikes ancient forests, fishes clear streams, and tends his numerous trees and vines.
Sharyn Boyd Becker came to the Oregon coast from Pennsylvania's Delaware Valley thirty years ago. As a child her passions were exploring the natural and supernatural.
After raising a family, Sharyn spent fifteen years traveling throughout the Northwest conducting endangered species surveys and comprehensive forest-health exams. A partner in Ecoforestry Management Associates, she helped develop the meticulous survey protocol that is used to determine the ecological sustainability of several SmartWood-certified forests.
Sharyn is a founding board member of the grassroots advocacy group, Friends of Elk River. She presently coordinates their Copper Salmon Wilderness Campaign, an unwavering local effort to protect Elk River's ancient forests and world-class fishery.
An avid swimmer, reader, and birder, Sharyn nowadays creates sacred spaces and practices intuitive energy-work from her cabin beside the Wild & Scenic Elk River.
Susan Gayle Wilcox is a 7th generation Californian who moved to Port Orford fifteen years ago, having enjoyed occasional summers here as a child. Gayle grew up in a small community spending most of her time outside. After high school, she gained a BA in political theory and a BS in biology from UC Santa Cruz.
Gayle worked a year in government and then became a wildland fire fighter. She was a founding partner in Fire & Land Management Enterprises (FLAME), a company that conducted fuel inventory on private and public lands, researched fire history for Sequoia National Park, gave classes in fire as a natural land management tool and prescribed burned thousands of acres of land in California. After moving to Port Orford, Gayle continued her work in fire and opened a florist shop.
Gayle tends an extensive garden, surfs, fishes, guides white water rafting trips and continues to spend as much time as possible outside.
Abby Bradbury is a native of Floras Creek in Langlois, Oregon. Born and raised on her family farm, she attended local schools and developed a deep appreciation for the natural abundance and beauty of the South Coast. Following a year of post-high school travel and work experience, Abby enrolled at Middlebury College in Vermont where she pursued an Environmental Studies degree with a focus in Conservation Biology.
Her strong interest in plants evolved into a small business starting the summer after her junior year when she began growing and distributing mixed baby salad greens to local restaurants and markets. Currently, Abby farms half of the year on the family land and reserves the wetter months for travel and other work opportunities.
In addition to gardening, she enjoys swimming in clear rivers, hiking, cross-country skiing, knitting and cooking.
Rick Hazard was born in Southern California and spent much of his youth in fields, orchards, mountains and beaches. Seeing the entire landscape transformed into housing tracts changed forever the way he would look at life. Rick attended Humboldt State University, fell in love with the forests of Northern California and received a B.A. in biology.
After serving in the US Coast Guard Rick traveled to New Zealand, Australia, and the South Pacific. During this journey he experienced organic farming, ecoforestry, and permaculture; and understood what was in his heart to do. Returning to the States he created Cedar Grove Farm, near Port Orford, Oregon. The farm is registered organic and certified by SmartWood.
Rick is a past officer and education chair of the Kalmiopsis Audubon Society. He has participated in the Port Orford Watershed Council, Curry County Recycling Committee and Coast Watch. Rick and his wife, Kathryn, are also state certified foster parents who share a love of teaching children to care for the land.
Hiking forests, beach walking, horses,
and reading fill any spare time Rick can find.
