The Wilderness Society
Description
The Wilderness Society is a national nonprofit organization that works to protect public lands and wilderness in the United States.
It was founded in 1935 by conservation leaders including Aldo Leopold, Benton MacKaye and Robert Marshall. It helped lead the creation of the Wilderness Act of 1964, which established the National Wilderness Preservation System. Since then it has helped protect nearly 112 million acres of public lands and wilderness.
The organization protects lands such as national forests, parks, wilderness areas, wildlife refuges and Bureau of Land Management lands from threats like drilling, mining, roadbuilding and habitat destruction. It works through science and research, policy expertise, advocacy, legal intervention and partnerships with Indigenous communities, outdoor recreation groups and local organizations. It also campaigns for new wilderness and national monument designations.
It is headquartered in Washington, D.C., and has staff offices in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Maine, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Washington and Wyoming. It is funded by individual donors, foundations and grants.
Latest news
Colorado’s oil and gas frenzy: a sign of a national public lands crisis
Share Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share on LinkedIn Share via Email Colorado’s oil and gas frenzy: a sign of a national public lands crisis An unchecked flood of oil and gas leasing is occuring on BLM lands across the West From scenic mesas to lands near community reservoirs, sensitive...
4 Apr 2026
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