About Us

Founded: 1935 
Mission: Uniting people to protect America's wild places. 
Who we are: A national nonprofit organization working to protect America's public lands and wilderness for the benefit of all, now and for future generations. 
What we do: We protect public lands through science, advocacy, policy expertise and partnerships. 
Where we work: Public lands across the United States, including national forests, parks, wilderness areas, wildlife refuges and Bureau of Land Management lands. 
Headquarters: 1801 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20006 
Phone: 1-800-THE-WILD (1-800-843-9453) 
Media inquiries: NewsMedia@tws.org 
Member services: member@tws.org 
EIN: 53-0167933 
President: Tracy Stone-Manning 
Membership: Memberships start at $35/year and include the annual calendar and America's Wilderness magazine. 
Accountability: Four-star Charity Navigator rating; meets all 20 BBB Wise Giving Alliance standards. 
Impact: Since 1935, The Wilderness Society has helped secure major conservation victories, including leading the creation of the Wilderness Act of 1964 and helping protect nearly 112 million acres of public lands and wilderness. 

The Wilderness Society was founded in 1935 by a group of visionary conservation leaders, including Aldo Leopold, Benton MacKaye and Robert Marshall, whose bold ideas helped shape the modern conservation movement. Over the following decades, we helped lead the creation of the Wilderness Act of 1964, which established the National Wilderness Preservation System and gave permanent federal protection to millions of acres of wilderness. Since then, we have contributed to landmark conservation laws and worked across administrations and political climates to defend clean water, wildlife habitat and outdoor access. 

To date, we have helped protect nearly 112 million acres of public lands and wilderness across the United States. Read more about our history.  

Read more about our history. 

The Wilderness Society protects America’s public lands from threats like irresponsible oil and gas drilling, mining, roadbuilding, habitat destruction, privatization and efforts to weaken conservation protections. We also advance proactive solutions that protect and restore wildlife habitat, safeguard clean water, expand protected public lands, strengthen stewardship and improve access to the outdoors. We do this through five core approaches:  

• Science and research — grounding our advocacy in the best available data 
• Policy expertise — developing and advancing conservation legislation at the federal and state level
• Advocacy — mobilizing members and partners to defend public lands from harmful proposals 
• Legal intervention — challenging unlawful actions that threaten protected lands 
• Partnerships — collaborating with Indigenous communities, outdoor recreation groups, hunters, anglers and local organizations 

The Wilderness Society is powered by staff across the United States, including scientists, policy experts, advocates, organizers and communicators who work together to protect public lands and wilderness. Looking for a specific staff member? Browse the staff directory. 

The Wilderness Society is led by President Tracy Stone-Manning and a team of vice presidents and senior leaders with expertise in conservation, policy, science, communications, development and operations. Meet our leadership team. 

The Wilderness Society has staff offices in the following states: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Maine, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Washington and Wyoming. Our headquarters is in Washington, D.C., and we maintain a presence on Capitol Hill. 

In addition to these offices, we engage in conservation work and partnerships in communities and on public lands across the country. Find an office near you or visit our state pages to learn more about our work in each location. 

For stories, updates and reporting on our conservation and policy work across the country, read our publications, newsletters and annual reports. 

The Wilderness Society is committed to transparency and accountability. We share information about our finances, governance and activities so donors, members and supporters can understand how we use resources to advance our mission. 

The Wilderness Society believes public lands belong to and should benefit all of us. Our organization and work must embody the cultures and perspectives of people and communities across our nation and connect with and inspire people to care about the outdoors. Read about our commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.   

The Wilderness Society presents two signature conservation awards each year: 

• The Wilderness Society’s Ansel Adams Conservation Award is presented to a current or former government official who has shown exceptional commitment to the cause of conservation and the fostering of an American land ethic. It is named for the celebrated American photographer and conservationist Ansel Adams, a longtime Wilderness Society supporter. 

• The Robert Marshall Award recognizes extraordinary leadership and advocacy on behalf of America's wild places. It is named for Robert Marshall, a co-founder of The Wilderness Society. 

Explore the Ansel Adams Award and Robert Marshall Award and see past recipients.