A self-described "fishing nut," Marshall cites a lifelong love affair with nature as the driving force shaping his philanthropy. "I was into nature from the 8th grade on because I spent so much time fishing." He remembers reading Rachel Carson's Silent Spring, which really opened his eyes to the plight of our planet—but at the time, "there was nowhere to turn if you wanted to do something about it."
Then he got involved with WWF. In the early 1970s, Marshall's stepfather was on the board of The Conservation Foundation (which affiliated itself with WWF in 1985) and he asked Marshall whether he would be interested in getting involved in the environmental movement. Marshall joined WWF's Board of Directors in 1973, and over most of the ensuing years has served in a variety of roles on WWF's Board, National Council, and other volunteer committees.
One Wild Life
For Marshall, giving back is something that started generations ago and was reinforced by his own father, who passed away in 1965. "I inherited, if you will, five generations of people saying you should help other people. So it was never a question growing up: You give back. The same goes for my children."
WWF has been and continues to be Marshall's foremost philanthropic focus. "I decided WWF would be my number one because the organization has a unique thing going for it. In order to make any difference in conservation, you have to be big—bigger and better," he says. "You have to coordinate on a global scale and WWF is the only organization that can do it."
During his time with WWF, Marshall has been the driving force behind a number of conservation projects, including efforts to protect and restore tiger and monarch butterfly populations. Two trips to witness the monarch hibernation in Mexico have fueled his passion for protecting the remarkable species, which has seen declines of more than 80% over the past two decades. He's currently leading an effort to restore critical habitat along the monarch's migratory route through the US. "To me, the monarch butterfly is next to the bald eagle in terms of importance to nature in the Western Hemisphere."
He's helping inspire others to support WWF's work, too. "Well, if I'm interested in it, I'm going to try and get other people interested. Because in the long run it's the number of people that are yelling with the same voice that is going to make a difference."
Jamee Field shares her husband's commitment to conservation. While his interests are global, hers veer toward the local. "Marshall thinks big. I believe in the backyard," she says, motioning to the green expanse where their children and grandchildren play. Jamee currently serves as a life director on the board of the Lake Forest Open Lands Association, which helps preserve and restore landscapes in their community. She has also been involved with The Nature Conservancy in Illinois and, as daughter Jamee recalls, "spent years restoring the remnant prairie in the backyard."
But she credits her husband for much of her conservation focus. "I really attribute it to Marshall. I grew up downtown. The minute I married Marshall, at 23, we were at the beach and he's showing me sand fleas. He really opened up a whole new world for me."
Committed to Conservation
The next generation is equally engaged. Jamee Jr., Stephanie, and Abby all serve on WWF's National Council. When asked why they chose to volunteer with WWF, all three daughters credit their parents' interest in conservation and their father's decades-long involvement.
"I got involved with WWF because of my dad and all of his work over the years," explains Stephanie. Abby agrees: "It was definitely Mom and Dad's influence. At first, it was Mom's interest in restoring our prairie and local conservation. And then, as we got older, we traveled together on WWF trips with both of them. It felt like a natural progression to get involved with WWF—not only because my family was involved, but also because I could see how important it was."
