About the National Wilderness Coalition
Photo Credit: Tim Peterson
Who we are
The National Wilderness Coalition prioritizes wilderness conservation as a critical tool for addressing wildland integrity, climate change resilience, biodiversity protection, and reconnecting people and nature. We are a diverse coalition of local, statewide, and national conservation and environmental justice organizations. Among our members and supporters are scientists, anglers, ranchers, hunters, outfitters, naturalists, outdoor enthusiasts, business owners, paddlers, hikers, and wildlife watchers.
Our work builds on decades of advocacy and organizing from communities, nonprofit organizations, and Tribal Nations across the country to address these interrelated threats.
Where we’ve been and where we’re going
The national endeavor to protect wilderness stands as one of the most remarkable achievements in global conservation history. Passed in 1964, the Wilderness Act made possible visionary and remarkable conservation efforts across the country. Conceived in order to “assure that an increasing population, accompanied by expanding settlement and growing mechanization, does not occupy and modify all areas within the United States,” the Wilderness Act is the most powerful land conservation tool to address the existential, interconnected crises of our times.
Yet wilderness designation has become increasingly deprioritized in Congress, due in part to political polarization and the influence of corporate interests. We also recognize that the wilderness movement has historically lacked diversity and has failed to meaningfully engage Indigenous Tribes which has made building and sustaining a powerful base of support difficult.
In order to begin to heal those past wrongs, we must engage and partner with Indigenous Tribes and other historically marginalized communities. As a coordinated National Wilderness Coalition, we are working to honor the knowledge and experiences of Indigenous Peoples and communities most impacted by environmental injustice. Together, we’ll advance solutions that involve shared governance, co-stewardship, co-management, and the protection of cultural landscapes consistent with the Wilderness Act.
By working together to develop and implement a five-year strategy to diversify the movement and build political power, we can re-position designated wilderness as a critical conservation tool; overcome partisan barriers to advancing wilderness legislation; and build a strong, vibrant, diverse, and inclusive wilderness movement that is reflective of the American public and sovereign nations.
