Wild Montana

Description

Wild Montana, formerly the Montana Wilderness Association, is a grassroots conservation organization that works to protect Montana’s wilderness.

It was founded in 1958 by a group of outfitters, ranchers, doctors and friends who wanted to preserve wilderness and influence public land management policy. It is governed by a board of directors and works at the local level through chapters across the state, including Helena, Bozeman, Missoula, Whitefish, Great Falls, Billings and Butte. It works to protect Montana’s wildlife habitat and traditional recreation opportunities, and was instrumental in the passage of the 1964 Wilderness Act and the designation of every wilderness area in the state.

Its campaigns have included protecting the Badger-Two Medicine area with the Blackfeet Nation, the Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Project, and efforts around the Custer Gallatin National Forest and public lands near Lewistown. It also runs public programs such as Wilderness Walks and a Volunteer Trail Crew, and it maintains an online hiking guide. It has advocated for public land protection through campaigns urging Montanans to support keeping public lands in public hands.

The organization works throughout Montana and continues to advocate on issues such as roadless area protection, wildfire policy and public land access.