Support Matt Smith's Recovery

Whether a family member, friend, fellow horse lover, or colleague working to conserve natural resources, at some point you have experienced the calm, steady presence and solution-oriented wisdom Matt Smith brings to a situation -- and his willingness to lend a helping hand. Now, he needs our help!

On June 24, 2023, Matt experienced a significant heart attack and was in the hospital for several weeks. He is now back home and has started the long process of rehab and recovery. However, due to the severity of the heart attack and complications after surgery, his recovery will be longer than usual. With the extended recovery time, there will be medical costs that aren't covered by insurance and the expense of hiring help for the farm, as well as loss of income.

Your contribution, no matter how big or small, will help Matt focus on his recovery, rather than worry about finances. Thank you for your support!

All of the funds go directly to Matt and Teri Smith. When you donate, you can leave messages for them, and you also have the option not to have your name publicly displayed.

More About Matt

Matt’s roots are deep in the Kansas landscape, going back to a time when the prairie was unbroken and his ancestors homesteaded the land. Working in conservation delivery gives him a purpose that aligns with his desire to give back to this part of the world, which has given such meaning to his life.

For the first 25 years of his career, Matt worked for the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) where he was involved in all aspects of conservation work on private lands — from sitting at the kitchen table with landowners and “kicking dirt” with them in the fields to helping shape wildlife policy in the Farm Bill. Those experiences helped him see that a person can affect change in different ways, starting at the individual level and scaling up to a broad landscape.

While serving on the PLJV Management Board as the KDWP representative, including a year as board chairman, Matt observed how the joint venture could be nimble and pursue innovative ideas to accomplish partners’ goals. Working more closely with this diverse partnership to implement a shared vision appealed to him, and Matt joined PLJV in 2019.

As part of PLJV’s conservation delivery team, his job is all about putting habitat on the ground, which he says is the culmination of many things such as strategic planning, conservation design, and outreach efforts. One of his current projects, which has been very rewarding, is helping community members better understand how restoring natural systems can benefit people and their access to water.

Matt is quick to note that his degree in Fish and Wildlife Management from Pittsburg State University opened the door to conservation work, but that was when his real education started. He’s still learning and thinks maybe he’ll have things figured out one day.