Madeleine Vander Heyden
Madeleine Vander Heyden is a longtime friend of Wild Rivers Land Trust who joined the organization’s board of directors in late 2025.
Madeleine has a long history with WRLT – dating back to when it was the Elk River Land Trust. She and the organization’s founder, Jerry Becker worked closely together, strategizing, dreaming, and taking action to protect our beautiful South Coast.
Madeleine has a rich knowledge of the Oregon Coast. As the Oregon Coastal Program Coordinator with the US Fish and Wildlife Service for over 16 years, she had the opportunity to participate in conservation projects with a wide cadre of partners that protected and restored magnificent coastal environments and species.
During this time, she worked with WRLT to protect the Bear Creek Natural Area and Purple Mountain, as well as restoring the coastal prairie and sandy swales at Nesika.
Madeleine is looking forward to contributing her planning conservation and protection strategies to Wild Rivers Land Trust. She is aware of the issues facing our imperiled habitats and species and can assist in prioritizing land acquisition and restoration activities. She can also provide ecological information on habitats and species of concern and how best to preserve and enhance them.
