FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

Ruth & Roger MacFarlane to Receive ESLT’s 2025 Legacy Award at Lands & Legacy

 

BISHOP, Calif. — August 12, 2025 — Eastern Sierra Land Trust (ESLT) is proud to announce that Ruth and Roger MacFarlane will receive the 2025 Legacy Award, the organization’s highest honor, at the Lands & Legacy celebration on Thursday, September 11, 2025, at Parallax, Mammoth Mountain Ski Area.

 

The Legacy Award recognizes individuals whose sustained dedication to conservation and community has shaped the Eastern Sierra. Honorees have supported ESLT’s work to protect land and water, strengthen working lands, and conserve wildlife habitat, making a lasting difference for the region we call home.

 

“Ruth and Roger saw ESLT’s potential early and invested at a pivotal moment,” said Mark Drew, Executive Director of ESLT. “Their leadership gift was catalytic and central to our organizational capacity and accelerated conservation across the Eastern Sierra. Their belief in this work has inspired many others to give and become important partners in ESLT’s evolution.”

 

“Beyond their generosity, Ruth and Roger show up, with time, and steady encouragement,” added Bob Gardner, Chair of the ESLT Board of Directors. “Their impact is woven through our projects and our culture of collaboration.”

 

About Ruth & Roger MacFarlane

Born and raised in Cape Town, Roger MacFarlane graduated from the University of Cape Town Law School. He co-founded a company in Johannesburg that became a global leader in supply chain, logistics, and transportation. After several years in London, the family moved to Los Angeles more than 40 years ago. The company, operating in 60 countries, listed on Nasdaq in 2000 with Roger as CEO and later Chairman. A U.S. citizen, Roger enjoys hiking, camping, skiing, American history, global travel, and supporting philanthropic organizations in the USA, UK, and South Africa, particularly schools that expand opportunity for diverse scholars with leadership potential.

 

Ruth MacFarlane, also raised in Cape Town, studied at Rhodes University and pursued American literature at the University of Kansas. She taught in the English Department at the University of the Witwatersrand before marrying Roger in 1974. After relocating to England and then Los Angeles in 1982, Ruth focused on family, now four adult children and four grandchildren, and deep community service, including leadership roles with the City of Palos Verdes Estates Parklands Committee, Banning House Museum, and Beach Cities Symphony Association. She served more than 20 years as a Trustee of Chadwick Schools (Palos Verdes, CA, and Songdo, South Korea) and has long contributed her expertise to ESLT’s Development Committee. Ruth is passionate about history, environmental stewardship, and strengthening organizations from within. Together, the MacFarlane’s co-founded the MacFarlane Family Foundations, which support communities in the U.S., the UK, and South Africa.

 

Event Details

Lands & Legacy: Denim & Diamonds—Boots on the Ground

Thursday, September 11, 2025 • Parallax, Mammoth Mountain Ski Area

Sponsorships and tickets: visit eslt.org or contact ESLT.

 

 

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