A Message From Our Executive Director
Wisconsin Governor’s Mansion Earth Day 2026 Event
Governor Evers addresses attendees at the event.
Trevor Roark, Executive Director of 1000 Friends of Wisconsin, poses with Smokey the Bear.
Trevor Roark received kind words from Governor Evers and his wife regarding the work that our organization is doing in Wisconsin.
Trevor met with friends old and new, while discussing environmental efforts happening in Wisconsin.
By Trevor Roark, Executive Director
Earth Month was a real treat this year as we celebrated the stewardship to protect and preserve our home, our connection to all of Earth’s beings, and 1000 Friends’ history of sustainable land use advocacy and education throughout WI. Our place within Wisconsin’s environmental movement is something we cherish.
I had the opportunity to connect with friends, meet colleagues, and briefly chat with Governor Evers at the Governor and First Lady’s Earth Day Celebration a couple of weeks ago. The Executive Residence was bustling, full of people, and none other than Smokey the Bear was there to brighten the mood!
After Governor Evers spoke on climate change, PFAS, planting trees, and other issues affecting the environment, we got a chance to network with plenty of leaders from around the state. In meeting the Governor and First Lady separately, they each shared a kind “Thank you for your work” to our team at 1000 Friends of WI.
Receiving those little bits of gratitude meant a lot to me. They were a reminder that 1000 Friends has a long history of doing important work that drives change, long before my time as ED. To continue this legacy, I hope to fill the shoes of EDs before me, helping communities thrive while protecting the natural world around us.